Series: Roots N' Blues.
Release Date: May 10, 1994.
Recording Time: 128 minutes.
Recording Date: August 6, 1940 - October 23, 1941.
Release Info: Columbia C2K 52933, 2 x CD, Compilation.
This stunning set of recordings, Brownie's first ever and all he made for OKeh and Columbia Records, is glowing testimony to the artist as a poet and as one of the finest guitar players the blues has ever known.
* * * * *
Well, complete as far as his pre-war country blues waxings for OKeh sans Sonny Terry (except for one or two where the whooping harpist provided accompaniment). McGhee was working firmly in the Piedmont tradition by 1940, when he signed with OKeh and began cutting the 47 enlightening sides here, which represent some of the purest country blues he ever committed to posterity. ~ Bill Dahl
Credits: Accordion - Blind Boy Fuller 2 (tracks: 1-14, 1-17 to 1-23); Art Direction - Howard Fritzson; Graphics [Computer Graphics Retouching] - Dalton Portella, Russell Angrisani; Guitar - Blind Boy Fuller 2 (tracks: 1-13, 1-14, 1-17 to 2-4, 2-9 to 2-21, 2-23, 2-24), Buddy Moss (tracks: 2-21, 2-23, 2-24); Guitar, Speech - Brownie McGhee (tracks: 2-8); Harmonica - Jordan Webb (tracks: 1-1, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-12, 1-14, 1-17, 1-20 to 1-22, 2-2, 2-5, 2-6, 2-9, 2-10, 2-12 to 2-14, 2-18, 2-19), Sonny Terry (tracks: 2-13, 2-17, 2-19, 2-21); Harmonica [Possibly] - Jordan Webb (tracks: 2-21); Liner Notes - Pete Lowry; Management [Packaging Manager] - Gina Campanaro; Producer [Project Director] - Adam Block; Producer [Roots & Blues Series] - Lawrence Cohn; Technician [Archival Restoration], Mastered By - David Mitson; Vocals - Blind Boy Fuller 2 (tracks: 1-13, 1-14, 1-17 to 2-4, 2-9 to 2-21, 2-23, 2-24), Jordan Webb (tracks: 2-8); Vocals, Accordion, Guitar - Brownie McGhee (tracks: 1-1 to 1-12, 1-15, 1-16. 2-5 to 2-7); Voice [Chat] - Art Satherly* (tracks: 2-22), Brownie McGhee (tracks: 2-22), Buddy Moss (tracks: 2-22), J.B. Long (tracks: 2-22); Washboard - Bull City Red (tracks: 2-13), Oh Red (tracks: 1-1, 1-2, 1-4, 1-5, 1-7 to 1-10, 2-14, 2-20, 2-23, 2-24), Washboard Slim (tracks: 1-13, 1-14, 1-17 to 2-1, 2-3 to 2-12, 2-16 to 2-18, 2-20, 2-23, 2-24); Written-By - Walter Brownie McGhee.
Producer's Note:
Circa 1958, while we were living in Brooklyn, New York, I had the pleasure and privilege of interviewing Brownie McGhee at his home. One could not have asked for a friendlier, more gracious subject and even after all these years, my memories of that day are warm and comfortable.
I had seen Brownie perform many times during the 1950s, always with partner Sonny Terry, with the Reverend Gary Davis usually on the program and, at times, truly larger-than-life Josh White. However, it was not until 1959 that I was able to overcome my distinct feeling that an interview could possibly be an unwarranted intrusion. Such was not the case in this.
Brownie's first recordings and all he made for OKeh and Columbia Records.
Blind Boy Fuller 2 is an alias of Brownie McGhee.
All recordings are monaural.
Recordings from 1940/1941.
Tracklist:
- 1-01. Brownie McGhee - Picking My Tomatoes [2:43]
- 1-02. Brownie McGhee - Me And My Dog Blues [2:42]
- 1-03. Brownie McGhee - Born For Bad Luck [2:50]
- 1-04. Brownie McGhee - I'm Callin' Daisy [2:35]
- 1-05. Brownie McGhee - Step It Up And Go [2:32]
- 1-06. Brownie McGhee - My Barkin' Bulldog Blues [2:33]
- 1-07. Brownie McGhee - Let Tell You 'Bout My Baby [2:30]
- 1-08. Brownie McGhee - Prison Woman Blues [2:34]
- 1-09. Brownie McGhee - Back Door Stranger [2:41]
- 1-10. Brownie McGhee - Be Good To Me [2:46]
- 1-11. Brownie McGhee - Not Guilty Blues [2:35]
- 1-12. Brownie McGhee - Coal Miner Blues [2:43]
- 1-13. Brownie McGhee - Step It Up And Go No. 2 [2:43]
- 1-14. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Money Spending Woman [2:49]
- 1-15. Brownie McGhee - Death Of Blind Boy Fuller (1) [2:58]
- 1-16. Brownie McGhee - Death Of Blind Boy Fuller (2) [2:38]
- 1-17. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Got To Find My Little Woman [2:30]
- 1-18. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - I'm A Black Woman's Man (1) [2:48]
- 1-19. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - I'm A Black Woman's Man (2) [2:48]
- 1-20. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Dealing With The Devil [2:33]
- 1-21. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Double Trouble (1) [2:33]
- 1-22. Brownie McGhee - Double Trouble (2) [2:40]
- 1-23. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Woman, I'm Done [2:52]
- 2-01. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Key To My Door [2:46]
- 2-02. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Million Lonesome Women [2:32]
- 2-03. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Aint No Tellin' [2:51]
- 2-04. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Try Me One More Time [3:00]
- 2-05. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - I Want To See Jesus [2:29]
- 2-06. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - Done What My Lord Said [2:31]
- 2-07. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - I Want King Jesus [2:56]
- 2-08. Brother George And His Sanctified Singers - What Will I Do (Without The Lord) [2:33]
- 2-09. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Key To The Highway 70 (1) [2:39]
- 2-10. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Key To The Highway 70 (2) [2:40]
- 2-11. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - I Don't Believe In Love [2:59]
- 2-12. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - So Much Trouble [2:42]
- 2-13. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Good-Bye Now [2:50]
- 2-14. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Jealous Of My Woman [2:48]
- 2-15. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Unfair Blues [2:45]
- 2-16. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Barbecue Any Old Time [2:46]
- 2-17. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Workingman's Blues [2:45]
- 2-18. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Sinful Disposition Woman [2:33]
- 2-19. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Back Home Blues [2:54]
- 2-20. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Deep Sea Diver [2:28]
- 2-21. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - It Must Be Love [2:53]
- 2-22. Brownie McGhee - Buddy Moss - Art Satherly - J.B. Long - Studio Chatter [3:36]
- 2-23. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Swing, Soldier, Swing (1) [2:22]
- 2-24. Blind Boy Fuller 2 - Swing, Soldier, Swing (2) [2:41]
Recording places & dates:
1-1 to 1-4: Chicago, August 6, 1940
1-5 to 1-12: Chicago, August 7, 1940
1-13 & 1-14: Chicago, May 22, 1941
1-15 to 2-4: Chicago, May 23, 1941
2-5 to 2-10: Chicago, May 24, 1941
2-11 to 2-18: New York, October 22, 1941
2-19 to 2-24: New York, October 23, 1941