of course i know some essential stuff like muddy waters, howling wolf, robert johnson, bb. king. but i really like to learn and hear more about those old blues dudes.
so all you blues nerds please share your knowledge. thanks alot!

I think ya need to get ta know those lads a little bit better,
I mean the soil from which they grew..
Readin' bis si a good think imo.. Chuckster aint exactly blues
but he had a typical black musican back ground as I got it.
Same with Miles. Sure many here can recommend other bios,
more blues-orientated.
This might be a good site: [www.msbluestrail.org]
Will contribute with more, later.

Start back in the early days...20s...Tampa Red, aka Hudson Whitaker is some killer delta slide.

Lightnin' Hopkins, too.

T-Bone Walker for some hot shuffle blues...Chuck Berry stole every one of his riffs!

Louie Jordan, for some fine Louisiana boogie.

Later, into the 50s, get all the Little Walter you can....the Hendrix of the harmonica...

Also, another master is Magic Sam. That should do you for the next couple of hours.

JR

thanks alot guys! perfect...looking forward!

Albert King
Big Mama Thornton
Eddie Boyd
Elmore James
Etta James
Hound Dog Taylor
Jimmy Reed
Leadbelly
Little Mac
Memphis Slim
Slim Harpo
Sonny Boy Williamson

some of these are not that old in comparison to Robert Johnson but good. Tampa Red is a good start for the really old stuff

get:

Chess Records compilation
Alligator Records compilation (latter-day blues)
Martin Scorses' Guide to the Blues (A Musical Journey, 5CD set, essential stuff)

also, Stones' influences:

Mississippi Fred McDowell
Slim Harpo
Rev John Wilkins
Robert Johnson
Big Bill Broonzy

[www.iorr.org]

should be enough for the beginning.

Check out Lightnin Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb(who wasnt even recorded till he was in his 80s I think!) and lots others at Bluestown blog

Otis Spann. Though not prehistoric, still cool. I love this guys piano playing.

wuz just revisting some old, classic mid-60's blues last night that featured otis spann among many others like jb hutto, jimmy cotton, otis rush, homesick james, johnny young and more.... the landmark 3 lps that sam charters produced to represent the chicago south scene of the time: Chicago Blues Today! - these lps were lovingly reissued on a 3cd set a decade ago - well worth checking out for blues lovers....great liner notes from charters looking back at the time as well as the original notes and pics from the original issues.

stone-relics already mentioned this one, but Tampa Red is one you have to check out

__________________________

Everybody has their own idea of what "the blues" is. My preference is (usually) for guitar based blues and would recommend a listen to some of the pre-war players from all over the States, not just the Mississippi delta. Frank Stokes from Memphis, for example, was a big favourite of mine. The genre is very broad - compare the gentle fluidity of Mississippi John Hurt with the hugely talented and rather scary Blind Willie Johnson (OK, his material was gospel based, but it sounds like blues to me). Many bluesmen of that era didn't record enough material to fill a CD and you will stumble across many half-forgotten gems in your journey of discovery.

Once you are more familiar with the earlier recordings, listen to the more modern sounds of the electric blues, much of which would be more recognisable as "da blooze" to a white rock audience. Check out Muddy and the Wolf (and their sidemen -inc Buddy Guy & Little Walter) for the Chicago sound. B.B.King is more of an urban blues sound - more "sophisticated" and jazz-influenced - and their are a lot of players who straddle the middle ground with one foot in Chicago and the other in more B.B. territory and can sound as wonderful playing with a harmonica player or a full set of horns. More modern players are often influenced by rock as well as blues.

You will find your own favourites and much of the joy is in the journey. Do not die without listening to Willie McTell or getting drunk with a Hound Dog Taylor album!

Skip James is complete blues.
Try Willie Brown with Ragged and Dirty.

When you play either on an old acoustic the hours melt away and the wife starts hollerin at you to stop. You try, but you gotta play that riff a few more times. Then she gets really mad, throwing stuff... and you can start singing your own words to Hard Time Killing Floor Blues.

Check out Skip and Willie. You will not be sorry. (about the music anyway)

Willie Brown (unavailable as far as I know):
[www.sendspace.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-05-22 19:33 by Munichhilton.

How about "Blind Dog Fulton" or "Smokestack Brown"??

Hey Munichhilton-That Willie Brown is pretty cool, thanks for that. The "broke and hungry" line really fits these times.

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mryapp
Hey Munichhilton-That Willie Brown is pretty cool, thanks for that. The "broke and hungry" line really fits these times.

You're right.
I didn't think how timely those words still might be.

Great guitar riff too
Loads of fun to play over and over and over...

son house, & skip james

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ghostryder13
son house, & skip james

I forgot Son House! Yes, Son House is a good one. He's got those haunting blues vocals. One of my faves is "Death Letter".

Just a few essential pre-war blues every man and his dirty-dog should hear .......

Down The Dirt Road Blues- Charlie Patton
Scarey Day Blues - Blind Wilie McTell
Terraplane Blues - Robert Johnson
32-20 Blues - Robert Johnson
Rowdy Blues - Kid Bailey
Steady Drivin Papa - Blind Blake
Turpentine Blues - Casey Bill Weldon
CottonField Blues - Garfield Akers
Devil Got My Woman - Skip James
I Had A Real Good Mother & Father - Washington Phillips
Cool Drink Of Water Blues - Tommy Johnson
I'm Goin' Away Blues - Frank Stokes
Come On In My Kitchen - Robert Johnson
My Black Mama Pt 1 - Son House
Tell Me Baby - King Solomon Hill
I'm On The Highway Man - Calvin Frazer
Fixin' To Die - Bukka White
The Soul Of A Man - Blind Willie Johnson
Matchbox Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson
You Gonna Quit Me Blues - Blind Blake
Gang Of Brown Skin Women - Papa Harvey Hull
Poor Boy Long Way From Home - Gus Cannon



ROCKMAN

Furry Lewis!

I always liked this(and dig that cap!)

Get Son House 1965 Sessions, produced by members of Canned Heat. Most of the 30s blues are taken from old 78s which makes them hard to listen to (but adds atmos). With this Son House recording every thing is clear without being too clean.

Tony Joe White, a must for every delta-blues lover.

Rockman's list of pre-1942 blues is the creme de la creme, it's an outstanding selection. The only issue would be: can you tolerate the scratchy old 78s? It's no problem for me, but I can't say what your preference would be.

The Son House 1965 recordings for Columbia are also bone-chillingly great.

And if you love Brian Jones, you need to get a collection of his favorite bluesman, Elmore James, the absolute king of the electric slide guitar. The best collection of Elmore is on Ace Records from the UK, "The Classic Recordings 1951-1956"

[www.acerecords.co.uk]

the fire/fury/enjoy recordings released by capricorn records (2cd set) surpasses the ace records collection for a definitive elmo set, imo

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StonesTod
the fire/fury/enjoy recordings released by capricorn records (2cd set) surpasses the ace records collection for a definitive elmo set, imo

I don't agree. It's not even a close call, though I do agree that the Fire/Fury/Enjoy recordings with Bobby Robinson are very good.

However, they don't showcase Elmore's guitar at its roughest/rawest and most electric, and there's no mistaking that Elmore was younger and stronger on the early Bihari Brothers recordings. That means his vocals are the most powerful of his entire career. The Bobby Robinson recordings are just a tad too polite and genteel for my taste. The one thing they do have that no other Elmore recordings have: many are in stereo.

Finally, the Ace box set shows off Elmore's band "The Broomdusters" at their best, with Ike Turner producing (and sometimes playing piano and guitar), along with J.T. Brown wailing on the sax, and Johnny Jones pounding on the piano keys.

I respect your choice, though I strongly, strongly disagree with it. Early Elmore just can't be surpassed, IMHO.

Cheers!

well, your elmore post inspired me to put on the fire/fury recordings and i'll stick by my opinion, respectfully. got everything elmo ever recorded (far as i know) and this is the one to get....if yer only gettin' one....

Booker "Bukka" White

Quote
StonesTod
well, your elmore post inspired me to put on the fire/fury recordings and i'll stick by my opinion, respectfully. got everything elmo ever recorded (far as i know) and this is the one to get....if yer only gettin' one....

I wish my post had inspired you to put on some early Elmore instead.

Nevertheless, when the likes of you and me are arguing about which is better, early Elmore vs. late Elmore, we are in essence arguing about which is better, dark chocolate candy vs. milk chocolate candy. And lord knows, I love 'em both!

indeed. any elmore is good elmore. more elmore, please.

thing is- most of his legacy is based on his nasty slide guitar chops that have been imitated ad naseum for decades now. but, i submit that he had one of the best, most emotive blues voices in the biz...right up there with wolf and muddy.