A musical form and genre that originated in African-American communities in the “Deep South” of the United States around the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads.
Blind Willie Johnson – “Dark Was The Night” from the album “Dark Was The Night” Blind Willie was born circa 1902 and raised in Marlin, a railroad junction in Texas. He began playing a cigar-box guitar when he was 5 years old. On 3 December 1927 he became one of the first gospel guitarists to be recorded.
Dark Was The Night
1) I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole; 2) Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed; 3) It’s Nobody’s Fault But Mine; 4) Mother’s Children Have A Hard Time; 5) Dark Was The Night; 6) If I Had My Way I’d Tear The Building Down; 7) Bye And Bye I’m Goin’ To See The King; 8) The Soul Of A Man; 9) Lord I Just Can’t Keep From Crying; 10) Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning; 11) Let Your Light Shine On Me; 12) John The Revelator; 13) Praise God I’m Satisfied; 14. God Moves On The Water; 15) Trouble Will Soon Be Over; 16) Church, I’m Fully Saved Today; 17) Go With Me To That Land; 18) When The War Was On; 19) Take Your Burden To The Lord And Leave It There; 20) I’m Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge; 21) You’ll Need Somebody On Your Bond; 22) Take Your Stand
Lowell Fulson – “Reconsider Baby” from the album “A Complete Introduction To Chess”
Lowell was born on 31 March 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He moved to Ada, Oklahoma when he was 18 joining Texas Alexander for a few months. He then moved to California forming band that soon included a young Ray Charles and Stanley Turrentine.
He was drafted in 1943 and was in the United States Navy until 1945. He eventually joined Chess Records in 1954 and was with them until 1962.
He died on 7 March 1999.
Disc 1
1) Rocket 88 – Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats; 2) Maybellene – Chuck Berry; 3) Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley; 4) How Many More Years – Howlin’ Wolf; 5) Reconsider Baby – Lowell Fulson; 6) Juke – Little Walter; 7) Don’t Start Me To Talkin’ – Sonny Boy Williamson; 8) I Can’t Be Satisfied – Muddy Waters; 9) Leave My Wife Alone – John Lee Hooker; 10) I’m A Man – Bo Diddley; 11) My Babe – Little Walter; 12) Dust My Broom – Elmore James; 13) Third Degree – Eddie Boyd; 14) Moanin’ At Midnight – Howlin’ Wolf; 15) (I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man – Muddy Waters; 16) Sincerely – The Moonglows; 17) When The Lights Go Out – Jimmy Witherspoon; 18) Sugar Mama – John Lee Hooker; 19) Booted – Rosco Gordon; 20) Seventh Son – Willie Mabon; 21) Mannish Boy – Muddy Waters; 22) Crazy For My Baby – Willie Dixon; 23) Jock-A-Mo – Sugar Boy Crawford; 24) Last Night – Little Walter; 25) Ain’t Got No Home – Clarence “Frogman” Henry; 26) This Pain In My Heart – Willie Dixon
Disc 2
1) Rock And Roll Music – Chuck Berry; 2) You Can’t Judge A Book By It’s Cover – Bo Diddley; 3) Nothin’ Shakin’ (But The Leaves On The Trees) – Eddie Fontaine; 4) The Walk – Jimmy McCracklin; 5) Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf; 6) Forty Days And Forty Nights – Muddy Waters; 7) Something’s Got A Hold On Me – Etta James; 8) See You Later, Alligator – Bobby Charles; 9) Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry; 10) Suzie Q – Dale Hawkins; 11) Walking By Myself – Jimmy Rogers; 12) I Just Want To Make Love To You – Etta James; 13) Nine Below Zero – Sonny Boy Williamson; 14) The Red Rooster – Howlin’ Wolf; 15) Talk To Me Baby – Elmore James; 16) Peanut Butter – The Marathons; 17) Let Me In – The Sensations; 18) The Watusi – The Vibrations; 19) (I Don’t Know Why) But I Do – Clarence “Frogman” Henry; 20) At Last – Etta James; 21) Smokey Places – The Corsairs; 22) Rinky Dink – Dave “Baby” Cortez; 23) Ten Commandments Of Love – Harvey & The Moonglows; 24) Cadillac Jack – Andre Williams; 25) You Always Hurt The One You Love – Clarence “Frogman” Henry; 26) Don’t Mess Up A Good Thing – Fontella Bass
Disc 3
1) Rescue Me – Fontella Bass; 2) Soulful Dress – Sugar Pie DeSanto; 3) One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – John Lee Hooker; 4) Promised Land – Chuck Berry; 5) Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy – Howlin’ Wolf; 6) We’re Gonna Make It – Little Milton; 7) No Particular Place To Go – Chuck Berry; 8) Hi-Heel Sneakers – Tommy Tucker; 9) Wade In The Water – Ramsey Lewis Trio; 10) Landslide – Tony Clarke; 11) Look At Me Now – Terry Callier; 12) Mama Didn’t Lie – Jan Bradley; 13) Sally, Go ‘Round The Roses – The Jaynetts; 14) Selfish One – Jackie Ross; 15) Summertime – Billy Stewart; 16) The Entertainer – Tony Clarke; 17) Sitting In The Park – Billy Stewart ; 18) Temptation ‘Bout To Get Me – The Knight Brothers; 19) Voice Your Choice – The Radiants; 20) Searching For My Love – Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces; 21) In The Basement – Etta James & Sugar Pie De Santo; 22) The “In” Crowd – Ramsey Lewis Trio; 23) I Had A Talk With My Man Last Night – Mitty Collier; 24) I Do Love You – Billy Stewart; 25) You Left The Water Running – Maurice & Mac; 26) Oh, What A Night – The Dells
Disc 4
1) Tell Mama – Etta James; 2) Wang Dang Doodle – Koko Taylor; 3) Evil – Howlin’ Wolf; 4) I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun – Rotary Connection; 5) Tom Cat – Muddy Waters; 6) California Soul – Marlena Shaw; 7) Hold On – The Radiants; 8) Sweeter Than The Day Before – The Valentinos; 9) A Love Reputation – Denise LaSalle; 10) Afro Harping – Dorothy Ashby; 11) Woman Of The Ghetto – Marlena Shaw; 12) Good To Me – Irma Thomas; 13) I’d Rather Go Blind – Etta James; 14) Dirty Man – Laura Lee; 15) Ordinary Joe – Terry Callier; 16) Burning Spear – The Soulful Strings; 17) Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You – Solomon Burke; 18) To Be A Lover – Gene Chandler; 19) Here Comes The Judge – Pigmeat Markham; 20) Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation – The Dells; 21) You And Your Baby Blues – Solomon Burke; 22) My Ding-A-Ling – Chuck Berry
Sonny Boy Williamson II – “Help Me” from the album “His Best”
Sonny Boy was born Alex Ford on the Sara Jones Plantation in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. The date and year of his birth remain unclear.
He was the illegitimate child of of Millie Ford, but soon took his stepfather’s last name to be known as Rice Miller. He was also known as Little Boy Blue, Willie Williamson, Willie Williams and Willie Miller.
He was the teller of tall tales and mischievous so his own accounts of his life were never to be trusted and led to a lot of confusion.
He called himself Sonny Boy Williamson to cash in on John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson’s popularity.
His major break came when he got a job broadcasting out of KFFA radio out of Helena on the King Biscuit Show in 1941. It made hm famous as it was broadcast all over the south.
He died on 25 May 1965.
“His Best”
1) Good Evening Everybody; 2) Don’t Start Me To Talkin’; 3) All My Love In Vain; 4) Keep It To Yourself; 5) Fattening Frogs For Snakes; 6) I Don’t Know; 7) Cross My Heart; 8) Born Blind; 9) Ninety Nine; 10) Your Funeral And My Trial; 11) Keep Your Hands Out Of My Pocket; 12) Sad To Be Alone; 13) Checkin’ Up On My Baby; 14) Down Child; 15) Nine Below Zero; 16) Bye Bye Bird; 17) Help Me; 18) Bring It On Home; 19) My Younger Days; 20) One Way Out
Born Aaron Thibeaux Walker (T-Bone is a corruption of his middle name) on May 28, 1910 in Linden, Texas. Both of his parents (Movelia Jimerson and Rance Walker) were musicians and his stepfather, Marco Washington, taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin, and piano.
He left school aged 10 and was a professional performer on the blues circuit by the time he was 15.
He is the source of the modern urban style of both playing and singing the blues.
Everyone from BB King to Chuck Berry to Eric Clapton has been influenced by T-Bone.
This track, probably my favourite piece of music (any genre) is from “The Complete Imperial Recordings, 1950-1954”.
