Label: Document Records.
Release Date: 1990.
Recording Time: 61 minutes.
Release Info: Compilation Studio Recording.
Recording Date: November - December 1929.
Styles: Country Blues, Delta Blues, Pre-War Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Pre-War Gospel Blues, Regional Blues, Slide Guitar Blues, Acoustic Blues.
For completists, specialists and academics, Document's Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1929) is invaluable, offering an exhaustive overview of Charley Patton's early recordings. For less dedicated listeners, the disc is a mixed blessing. There are some absolutely wonderful, classic performances on the collection, but the long running time, exacting chronological sequencing, poor fidelity (all cuts are transferred from original acetates and 78s), and number of performances are hard to digest. The serious blues listener will find all these factors to be positive, but enthusiasts and casual listeners will find that the collection is of marginal interest for those very reasons. ~ Thom Owens
Credits: Bob Groom - liner notes; H. E. Barnett - composer; J. Graydon Hall - composer; Mississippi John Hurt - composer; Johnny Parth - compilation producer; Charley Patton - composer, guitar, primary artist, vocals; Henry "Son" Sims - violin, vocals; Traditional - composer.
Personnel: Charley Patton - vocals, guitar, bottleneck slide-guitar; Henry Sims - vocals, violin.
Tracks: 1) Frankie And Albert - Charley Patton; 2) Some These Days I'll Be Gone (Take 1) - Charley Patton; 3) Some These Days I'll Be Gone (Take 2) - Charley Patton; 4) Green River Blues - Charley Patton; 5) Farrell Blues - Charley Patton with Henry Sims; 6) Come Back Corrina - Charley Patton with Henry Sims; 7) Hammer Blues (Take 1) - Charley Patton; 8) Hammer Blues (Take 2) - Charley Patton; 9) Magnolia Blues - Charley Patton; 10) When Your Way Gets Dark - Charley Patton; 11) Heart Like Railroad Steel - Charley Patton; 12) Some Happy Day - Charley Patton; 13) You're Gonna Need Somebody When You Die - Charley Patton; 14) Jim Lee Blues, Part 1 - Charley Patton; 15) Jim Lee Blues, Part 2 - Charley Patton; 16) High Water Everywhere, Part 1 - Charley Patton; 17) High Water Everywhere, Part 2 - Charley Patton; 18) Jesue Is A Dying-Bed Maker - Charley Patton; 19) I Shall Not Be Moved (Take 1) - Charley Patton; 20) I Shall Not Be Moved (alternative take) - Charley Patton; 21) Rattlesnake Blues - Charley Patton.