Label: Proper Records.
Release Date: December 14, 1999.
Recording Time: 298 minutes.
Recording Date: 1924 - 1946.
Release Info: Studio Recording (1007).
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Acoustic Memphis Blues, Blues Revival, Country Blues, Delta Blues, East Coast Blues, Piedmont Blues, Pre-War Blues, Pre-War Country Blues, Regional Blues, Slide Guitar Blues, Boogie-Woogie, Classic Female Blues, Piano Blues, Stride.
This four-disc, 100-track box set differs from most blues compendiums on a number of fronts. For openers, it focuses on the first 20 years of blues recordings, from 1924's "Barrelhouse Blues" by Ed Andrews to 1946's "Rhythm Mama" by Johnny Temple. Second, even though there are entries from artists like Blind Blake, Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, Skip James, Big Joe Williams, Bukka White, and Lonnie Johnson, the box is not overloaded with big-name artists. Instead, the set leans toward more obscure names, like Big Boy Cleveland, Kid Brown, Chicken Wilson, Skeeter Hinton, "Mooch" Richardson, and Isaiah Nettles, "the Mississippi Moaner." Also noteworthy is the inclusion of some of the rarest of all country-blues titles, by everyone from Tommy Johnson to Rube Lacy. Covering all the bases -- from vaudeville to barrelhouse, boogie to Delta blues -- this is an oddball set, for sure, but one loaded with great music, solid annotation, and an interesting perspective. Well worth picking up. ~ Cub Koda
Credits: Garfield Akers - composer, performer, primary artist; Texas Alexander - composer, performer, primary artist; Edward Andrews - composer, primary artist; Kokomo Arnold - performer, primary artist; DeFord Bailey - performer, primary artist; Kid Bailey - performer, primary artist; Barbecue Bob - performer, primary artist; Barbecue Bob & Laughing Charley - primary artist; Walter Beasley - composer, primary artist; Lewis Black - performer, primary artist; Blind Blake - composer, primary artist; Georgia Boyd - performer, primary artist; Ishman Bracey - composer, primary artist; Lee Brown - composer, performer, primary artist; Robert Brown - composer; Willie Brown - composer, primary artist; Bumble Bee Slim - composer, performer, primary artist; William Bunch - composer; Joe Calicott - performer, primary artist; Leroy Carr - composer, performer, primary artist; Peter Chatman - composer; George Clarke - performer, primary artist; Big Boy Cleveland - performer, primary artist; Sam Collins - performer, primary artist; Jed Davenport - composer, performer, primary artist; Walter Davis - composer, primary artist; Tom Delaney - composer, performer, primary artist; Charlie "Little Buddy" Doyle - primary artist; Amos Easton - composer; William Ezell - composer, performer, primary artist; Forrest City Joe - performer, primary artist; Eli Framer - composer, performer, primary artist; Blind Boy Fuller - composer, performer, primary artist; Jazz Gillum - performer, primary artist; Emery Glen - primary artist; Jimmie Gordon - composer, performer, primary artist; Johnnie Head - primary artist; John Lee Hooker - composer; Son House - composer, performer, primary artist; Peg Leg Howell - composer, performer, primary artist; Mississippi John Hurt - composer, performer, primary artist; Bessie Jackson - performer, primary artist; Jim Jackson - composer, primary artist; Willie Jackson - composer, performer, primary artist; Skip James - composer, performer, primary artist; Lonnie Johnson - composer, performer, primary artist; Louise Johnson - composer, performer, primary artist; Robert Johnson - composer; T.C. Johnson - composer, performer, primary artist; Tommy Johnson - composer, primary artist; Luke Jordan - composer, performer, primary artist; Kid Brown & His Blues Band - primary artist; Rube Lacey - composer, performer, primary artist; Louie Lasky - composer, performer, primary artist; Laughing Charley - performer, primary artist; Furry Lewis - composer; Cripple Clarence Lofton - composer, performer, primary artist; Tommy McClennan - composer, performer, primary artist; Memphis Jug Band - performer, primary artist; Memphis Slim - performer, primary artist; Big Maceo Merriweather - composer, performer, primary artist; Major Merriweather - composer; The Mississippi Moaner - primary artist; Little Brother Montgomery - composer, performer, primary artist; Gary Moore - primary artist; Rosie Mae Moore - performer, primary artist; William Moore - composer; Randy Newman - composer; Arthur Petties - primary artist; Public Domain - composer; Joe Bennie Pugh - composer; Long "Cleve" Reed - performer, primary artist; Blind Willie Reynolds - performer, primary artist; Mooch Richardson - composer, performer, primary artist; Bayless Rose - composer, performer, primary artist; Peter Rynston - digital remastering; Will Shade - composer; Faber Smith - performer, primary artist; Versey Smith - performer, primary artist; William Smith - primary artist; Victoria Spivey - composer, performer, primary artist; Frank Stokes - composer, performer, primary artist; Tarter & Gay - primary artist; Charley Taylor - composer, performer, primary artist; Johnny Temple - composer, performer, primary artist; George W. Thomas - composer; Hociel Thomas - composer; Jim Thompkins - composer, performer, primary artist; Henry Townsend - composer, performer, primary artist; Traditional - composer; Unknown composer - composer; Joop Visser - liner notes, producer; T-Bone Walker - composer, primary artist; Willie Walker - composer, performer, primary artist; Sippie Wallace - performer, primary artist; Washboard Sam - performer, primary artist; George Watson - composer; Weaver & Beasley - primary artist; Sylvester Weaver - composer; Casey Bill Weldon - composer, performer, primary artist; Peetie Wheatstraw - performer, primary artist; Bukka White - composer, performer, primary artist; James Wiggins - composer, performer, primary artist; William & Versey Smith - primary artist; Big Joe Williams - performer, primary artist; Jabo Williams - composer, performer, primary artist; Chicken Wilson - composer, performer, primary artist; Buddy Woods - composer, performer, primary artist; Jimmy Yancey - composer, performer, primary artist.
Tracks, Disc 1: 1. Barrel House Blues - Edward Andrews; 2. Georgia Stockade Blues - Tom Delaney; 3. Sun Brimmers Blues - Memphis Jug Band; 4. Going to Leave You Blues - Big Boy Cleveland; 5. Dry Bone Shuffle - Blind Blake; 6. Up Country Blues - DeFord Bailey; 7. Dead Drunk Blues - Sippie Wallace; 8. Original Stack O'Lee Blues - Long "Cleve" Reed; 9. Easy Rider Don't You Deny My Name - Barbecue Bob; 10. Bo-Lita - Kid Brown & His Blues Band; 11. Everybody Help the Boys Come Home - William & Versey Smith; 12. Church Bells Blues - Luke Jordan; 13. Two Ways to Texas - Emery Glen; 14. It Won't Be Long Now - Barbecue Bob & Laughing Charley; 15. Bottleneck Blues - Weaver & Beasley; 16. Rock Island Blues - Lewis Black; 17. Midnight Blues - William (Bill) Moore; 18. Fare Thee Blues, Pt. 1 - Johnnie Head; 19. My Monday Woman Blues - Jim Jackson; 20. What's the Matter Blues - Frank Stokes; 21. School Girl Blues - Rosie Mae Moore; 22. Cool Drink of Water Blues - Tommy Johnson; 23. Left Alone Blues - Ishman Bracey; 24. T and T Blues - Mooch Richardson; 25. T.C. Johnson Blues - T.C. Johnson.
Tracks, Disc 2: 1. Ham Hound Crave - Rube Lacey; 2. No More Women Blues - Texas Alexander; 3. How Long, How Long Blues - Willie Jackson; 4. Unknown Blues - Tarter & Gay; 5. Chicken Wilson Blues - Chicken Wilson; 6. Stack O' Lee Blues - Mississippi John Hurt; 7. Broke and Hungry Blues - Peg Leg Howell; 8. Funny Feathers - Victoria Spivey; 9. Pitchin' Boogie - William Ezell; 10. Mr. Devil Blues - Jed Davenport; 11. Mississippi Bottom Blues - Kid Bailey; 12. Weary Heart Blues - James Wiggins; 13. Poor Man Blues - Henry Townsend; 14. Framer's Blues - Eli Framer; 15. Trinity River Blues - T-Bone Walker; 16. Heavy Suitcase Blues - Charley Taylor; 17. Traveling Mama Blues - Joe Calicott; 18. Jumpin' and Shoutin' Blues - Garfield Akers; 19. Bedside Blues - Jim Thompkins; 20. Walking Blues - Son House; 21. Future Blues - Willie Brown; 22. Long Ways from Home - Louise Johnson; 23. Frisco Blues - Bayless Rose; 24. Good Boy Blues - Arthur Petties; 25. No Special Rider Blues - Little Brother Montgomery.
Tracks, Disc 3: 1. Married Man Blues - Blind Willie Reynolds; 2. Dupree Blues - Willie Walker; 3. 22-20 Blues - Skip James; 4. Lonesome Road Blues - Sam Collins; 5. Midnight Hour Blues - Leroy Carr; 6. Fat Mama Blues - Jabo Williams; 7. Never Mind Blues - Georgia Boyd; 8. The Twelves (Dirty Dozens) - Kokomo Arnold; 9. Little Leg Woman - Big Joe Williams; 10. That's What My Baby Likes - Bessie Jackson; 11. Good Whiskey Blues - Peetie Wheatstraw; 12. Strut That Thing - Cripple Clarence Lofton; 13. Teasin' Brown Blues - Louie Lasky; 14. Cold Blooded Murder, No. 2 - Bumble Bee Slim; 15. Baby You Gotta Change Your Mind - Blind Boy Fuller; 16. Ashes in My Whiskey - Walter Davis; 17. It's Cold in China Blues - The Mississippi Moaner; 18. Jockey Blues - Jazz Gillum; 19. Prisoner Blues - George Clarke; 20. Back Door Blues - Casey Bill Weldon; 21. Don't Sell It (Don't Give It Away) - Buddy Woods; 22. Booker T. Blues - Washboard Sam; 23. Hard Scufflin' Blues - Charlie "Little Buddy" Doyle; 24. Jersey Belle Blues - Lonnie Johnson; 25. Baby, Please Don't Tell on Me - Tommy McClennan.
Tracks, Disc 4: 1. East St. Louis Blues - Faber Smith & Jimmy Yancey; 2. Bukka's Jitterbug Swing - Bukka White; 3. Can't You Read - Big Maceo Merriweather; 4. Life Is Like That - Memphis Slim; 5. Memory of Sonny Boy - Forrest City Joe; 6. Horse Shoe Boogie - Lee Brown; 7. Ruby Moore Blues - Lee Brown; 8. Low Land Blues - Lee Brown; 9. Round the World Blues - Lee Brown; 10. Rock That Boogie - Jimmie Gordon; 11. Fast Life - Jimmie Gordon; 12. Mistreated Blues - Jimmie Gordon; 13. I Ain't Like That No More - Jimmie Gordon; 14. Chain Gang Blues - Johnny Temple; 15. Yum, Yum, Yum - Johnny Temple; 16. My Baby's Acting Funny - Jimmie Gordon; 17. It's Time to Go - Jimmie Gordon; 18. That Woman's a Pearl Diver - Jimmie Gordon; 19. Jumpin' at the Club Blue Flame - Jimmie Gordon; 20. I Believe I'll Go Downtown Again - Johnny Temple; 21. Something in the Moon That Gives Me a Thrill - Johnny Temple; 22. Dixie Flyer - Johnny Temple; 23. Believe My Sins Have Found Me Out - Johnny Temple; 24. Rhythm Mama - Johnny Temple; 25. New Little Girl, Little Girl - Lee Brown.