The original Sonny Boy Williamson was one of the most prolificly recorded musicians in the early Chicago blues scene. His harp and singing style were hugely influential. Traces of his sound can be heard in most of the classic blues harp players’ styles. This compilation of early Bluebird cuts shines a light on his genius and documents the birth of Chicago small group blues. Lester Melrose’s Bluebird outfit sussed the sound long before the Chess brothers had the first inkling of launching a label.
Blind Willie McTell was one of the very few early blues guitarists to predominantly use 12-string guitar. McTell was a versatile musician adept at playing several popular styles of his time. His blues was a blend of clean, articulate, fluid Piedmont playing with a heavy infusion of syncopated ragtime and hokum-styled talking asides. Snippets of this approach can be heard in other players, but McTell was the undisputed master. Many of his recordings from the late 20s & early 30s offer decent fidelity, which allows his guitar prowess to shine through. His most familiar number, “Statesboro Blues,” an Allman Brothers live staple, leads off this compilation.
I could lay Bessie Jone’s biographical thing on you, as it’s pretty fascinating, but absolutely none of it could possibly outshine the music. Her first recordings were captured way after the blues was first fixed on shellac, but hers is an ancient form of African American song that predates blues. It comes from the fields, primitive gospel, and children’s songs. It’ll make the hair on your arms stand tall as a pine tree from the Georgia Sea Islands she hailed from. Lay your ears on this one - it’ll stick with you.
This is a strong showing of Big Joe Williams’ nine-string guitar sound. He overhauled a beat-up cheap laminate acoustic guitar, adding three extra strings and a DeArmond sound-hole pickup, creating one of the most indocyncratic and unique guitar sounds in all of the blues. Unlike many of the late 50s/early 60s rediscovered blues artists, he never stopped playing - meaning his style had continued to develop beyond what was heard on his 30s sides. He was credited with writing the blues standard “Baby Please Don’t Go,” sufficient in itself to affix him with legend status. His singing is pure delta grit, rich as the soil, and wonderfully expressive. You really can’t go wrong with any of his stuff.
Man, Clarence ‘Gatemoth’ Brown was a character - let me tell ya! 
what did I miss?!
@Matz, I talked to him once years ago at a Blues Festival in Georgetown, DC. A friend and I bought tickets, primarily to see Gatemouth and Bo Diddley. My friend couldn’t make it so his girlfriend at the time came along instead.
I was about 5 minutes into a wonderful conversation with Gatemouth when the mentioned girlfriend appeared and said, “I want to buy one of your CDs, but I don’t know which one is good.”
Gatemouth’s face soured instantly as he replied, “Lady, ALL of my music is good…” He then pointed out one that featured several of the numbers he had played that afternoon.
When she asked him to sign it, he wrote, 'It’s a good ‘un! Gatemouth Brown’
After she tottered off, he commenced to explain to me, in exceptionally colorful language, how associating with a woman like that was dangerous to my safety and well-being.
It was equally parts health advisory and fatherly schooling. Over the years, I heard similar stories of him stopping everything to set folks straight - for their own good. He was something else!
I saw him in the early 80s, I think he was on Rounder records at the time, right around the Alright Again and One More Mile albums.
That’s a great story. Thank you.
No Looking Back, in your screenshot, is the CD he signed!
