Label: Specialty Records.
Release Date: September 6, 1994.
Recording Time: 67 minutes.
Recording Date: 1952 - 1953.
Release Info: Studio Recording (SPCD-7061-2).
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Country Blues, Regional Blues, Southern Country Blues.
Southern country blues is hardly the first style that one associates with Specialty Records, which was much better known for jump blues, gospel, early R&B, and early rock & roll (most notably, Little Richard). But in fact, Art Rupe's label did dabble in country blues, and Bloodstains on the Wall focuses on some of the country blues that Specialty recorded in Los Angeles and Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1952-1953. The best-known artist on this collection is Big Joe Williams (not to be confused with jazz singer Joe Williams), who is at his rawest on "Ride My New Car with Me," and Lucille Bogan's "Rather Be Sloppy Drunk." But most of the artists heard on the CD -- including Little Temple, Country Jim Bledsoe, Pete McKinley and Clarence London -- are undeniably obscure. Pine Bluff Pete, in fact, is so obscure that when Billy Vera wrote the liner notes for the collection in 1994, he was unable to find out his real name or learn anything about his background. The title song, meanwhile, was a minor hit for Frank "Honeyboy" Patt, whose "Bloodstains on the Wall" single sold about 50,000 copies, according to Vera. (Born in Fostoria, Alabama on Sep. 1, 1928, Patt shouldn't be confused with Mississippi Delta bluesman David "Honeyboy" Edwards). Generally decent and occasionally excellent, this album isn't for casual blues fans but is worth picking up if you're a serious blues collector. ~ Alex Henderson
Credits: Country Jim Bledsoe - primary artist; Honeyboy - performer, primary artist; Little Temple - performer, primary artist; Clarence London - primary artist; Gilles Margerin - designer; Pete McKinley - primary artist; Paris - performer; Pine Bluff Pete - primary artist; Art Rupe - engineer, original session producer, producer; Joe Tarantino - remastering; Billy Vera - essay, reissue compiler, reissue producer; Big Joe Williams - performer, primary artist.
Tracklist:
1. Bloodstains On The Wall - Honeyboy;
2. You Better Move On Away From Here - Honeyboy;
3. Have You A Match - Honeyboy;
4. Uncle Sam Blues - Pine Bluff Pete;
5. A Woman Acts Funny - Pine Bluff Pete;
6. Goin' Back To Mama - Clarence London;
7. Got A Letter This Morning - Clarence London;
8. Want To Boogie-Woogie - Clarence London;
9. Ride My New Car With Me - Big Joe Williams;
10. Rather Be Sloppy Drunk - Big Joe Williams;
11. Dial 110 Blues - Country Jim Bledsoe;
12. Hollywood Boogie - Country Jim Bledsoe;
13. One Thing My Baby Likes - Country Jim Bledsoe;
14. Stormin' And Rainin' - Country Jim Bledsoe;
15. I Ate The Wrong Part [Alternate Take] - Little Temple;
16. What A Mistake - Little Temple;
17. Mean And Evil - Little Temple;
18. Cold Love - Little Temple;
19. Black Snake Blues - Pete McKinley;
20. Cryin' For My Baby - Pete McKinley;
21. Looka Here Boy - Pete McKinley;
22. Whistling Blues - Pete McKinley;
23. Don't Want Me Blues - Pete McKinley (feat. Country Jim Bledsoe);
24. David's Boogie - Pete McKinley;
25. Sail On, Little Girl - Pete McKinley.
Recorded between 1952 and 1953.
2, 3, 7, 8, 13 to 17, 21 to 25 previously unissued.
Digital remastering, 1994 (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley).