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Various Artists - Legends of the Blues

Track listing:
  1. St. Louis Blues Bessie Smith 3:16
  2. Henry Ford Blues Roosevelt Sykes 3:19
  3. Ninety-Eight Degree Blues Alger "Texas" Alexander, 3:03
  4. Match Box Blues Blind Lemon Jefferson 3:05
  5. Ain't No Tellin' Mississippi John Hurt 2:59
  6. Trinity River Blues T-Bone Walker 3:15
  7. Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Cryin' Blind Willie Johnson 3:06
  8. She Shook Her Gin Barbecue Bob 3:15
  9. Pigmeat Is What I Crave Bo Carter 2:54
  10. Turpentine Blues Tampa Red "The Guitar Wizard" 3:27
  11. No No Blues Curley Weaver 3:15
  12. Southern Can is Mine Blind Willie McTell 3:18
  13. Low Down St. Louis Blues Lonnie Johnson 3:07
  14. Bo-Easy Blues Bessie Jackson 3:09
  15. Revenue Man Blues Charlie Patton 2:44
  16. School Boy Blues Walter Roland 2:55
  17. Cold Blooded Murder, No. 2 Bumble Bee Slim 3:04
  18. Stormy Night Blues Leroy Carr 2:41
  19. I Believe I'll Make A Change Josh White 2:58
  20. My Baby Won't Pay Me No Mind Buddy Moss 3:09
  21. Fort Worth And Dallas Blues Leadbelly 3:06
  22. Old Jim Canan's Robert Wilkins 2:58
  23. Take It Easy Greasy Lil Johnson 3:32
  24. Sweet Home Blues Peetie Wheatstraw 2:56
  25. Stop Breakin' Down Blues Robert Johnson 2:22
  26. Two Timin' Woman Casey Bill Weldon 3:30
  27. Truckin' My Blues Away, #2 Blind Boy Fuller 2:51
  28. Down Hill Pull Victoria Spivey 3:07
  29. Spreadin' Snakes Blues Big Bill Broonzy 2:44
  30. Down in the Slums Curtis Jones 2:51
  31. Separation Blues Merline Johnson with The Louisiana 3:03
  32. Nothing In Ramblin' Memphis Minnie 2:48
  33. Fixin' To Die Blues Bukka White 2:51
  34. Soon This Morning No. 2 Charlie Spand 2:51
  35. Hard Day Blues Muddy Waters 2:49
  36. Is That a Monkey You Got? Jazz Gillum 2:51
  37. Don't You Leave Me Here Big Joe Williams 2:42
  38. Hurry Down Sunshine Champion Jack Dupree 2:44
  39. Goodbye Now Brownie McGhee 2:52
  40. Death Letter Son House 4:27

Notes

This CD serves as a perfect introduction to pre-war blues for the novice since it contains fine examples of the music of 20 blues artists: Bessie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Willie Johnson, Bo Carter, Blind Willie McTell, Lonnie Johnson, Charley Patton, Leroy Carr, Josh White, Leadbelly, Peetie Wheatstraw, Robert Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, Big Bill Broonzy, Memphis Minnie, Bukka White, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Williams and Son House. Four selections are from the 1920s, Son House's "Death Letter" is from 1965 and otherwise the music dates from 1931-47. The who's who roster includes practically every early great (Tampa Red is missing but Washboard Sam and the first Sonny Boy Williamson appear as sidemen) and, with nine previously unreleased selections (both alternate takes and "new" performances), this CD is an essential purchase for both beginners and veteran collectors alike.As with the first volume in the series Columbia/Legacy blues series, this CD has one selection apiece from 20 important blues artists, including many previously unissued (at least on Columbia) songs and alternate takes. The fact that 13 of the tracks are at best quite unfamiliar should make the set (in the absence of more "complete" collections) of interest to even veteran fans and well worth acquiring as an introduction for beginners. The music ranges from intimate country-blues to hokum, from early efforts by T-Bone Walker, Roosevelt Sykes and Champion Jack Dupree to prime Tampa Red, Lucille Bogan and Charlie Spand; there are also selections from Texas Alexander, Robert Hicks, Curly Weaver, Bessie Jackson, Walter Roland, Bumble Bee Slim, Buddy Moss, Robert Wilkins, Lil Johnson, Casey Bill Weldon, Victoria Spivey, Curtis Jones, Merline Johnson, Bill "Jazz Gillum" and Brownie McGhee.