Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - Cripple Creek (2 CD, 2009/FLAC)

 Four original Folkways 10" LPs complete, plus 9 bonus cuts.

This set collects four albums released on the Folkways label from the 1950's, plus nine tracks from the 1940's. Two of the albums ("Get On Board"--1952 and "Washboard Band-Country Dance Music"--1956) feature both Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, while the remaining two ("Sonny Terry's Washboard Band"--1955 and "Brownie McGhee's Blues"--1955) are solo albums from both artists respectively.

This relatively early music is a combination of folk (listen to Pete Seeger's banjo) and blues styles in the "Carolina" (Piedmont) style. Even though these are post-war recordings, they hark back to an earlier era of country blues with strains of folk music--thanks to Seeger's fine, sensitive playing. These are some of the earlier examples of both Terry's and McGhee's duo and individual styles. Fans of both these performers who want to hear early examples of their style of blues singing /harp playing/guitar style will want to hear these sides.

• Sonny Terry  Harmonica, Trombone, Vocals, Washboard, Washtub Bass
• Brownie McGhee  Guitar, Vocals
• William Edward Cook Washboard
• Coyall McMahan Maracas
• Frank Robertson Guitar (Bass)
• Pete Seeger 5-string Banjo, Engineering Supervisor

 

 

Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - Country Blues Troubadours 1938-1948 [5 CD, 2003]

 

Country Blues Troubadours contains 125 tracks, spread out over five CD's, tracing blind harpist Sonny Terry and guitarist Brownie McGhee's earliest recordings between 1938 and 1948. 

 Recorded in New York and Chicago, the Piedmont duo encounter, both separately and collectively, blues, jazz, and R&B veterans including Washboard Slim, Baby Dodds, Curley Russell, Hal "Cornbread" Singer, Gene Ramey, Big Chief Ellis, Blind Boy Fuller, Stick McGhee, and Champion Jack Dupree.



Disc A 1938-1941 - Getting started and getting around

01 - Mountain Blues (3:09)
02 - The New John Henry (3:32)
03 - Fox Chase (3:16)
04 - Lost John (3:16)
05 - Train Whistle Blues (2:48)
06 - New Love Blues (2:44)
07 - Harmonica Blues (2:42)
08 - Harmonica and Washboard Breakdown (2:37)
09 - Harmonica Stomp (2:48)
10 - Harmonica and Washboard Blues (2:54)
11 - Forty-Four Whistle Blues (2:50)
12 - Blowing the Blues (2:54)
13 - Touch It Up and Go (2:24)
14 - Picking My Tomatoes (2:45)
15 - Me and My Dog Blues (2:44)
16 - Born for Bad Luck (2:53)
17 - I'm Callin' Daisy (2:38)
18 - Step It Up and Go (2:34)
19 - My Barkin' Bulldog Blues (2:36)
20 - Let Me Tell You 'Bout My Baby (2:41)
21 - Poison Woman Blues (2:36)
22 - Back Door Stranger (2:43)
23 - Be Good to Me (2:48)
24 - Not Guilty Blues (2:37)
25 - Coal Miner Blues (2:44)


Disc B 1941 - Blind Boy Fuller and what followed

01 - Step It Up and Go No. 2 (2:46)
02 - Money Spending Woman (2:51)
03 - Death of Blind Boy Fuller [Alt. TK] (3:00)
04 - Death of Blind Boy Fuller (2:42)
05 - Got to Find My Little Woman (2:32)
06 - I'm a Black Woman's Man [Alt. TK] (2:51)
07 - I'm a Black Woman's Man (2:51)
08 - Dealing With the Devil (2:36)
09 - Double Trouble [Take 1] (2:35)
10 - Double Trouble [Take 2] (2:42)
11 - Woman I'm Done (2:55)
12 - Key to My Door (2:48)
13 - Million Lonesome Women (2:34)
14 - Ain't No Tellin' (2:53)
15 - Try Me One More Time (3:02)
16 - I Want to See Jesus (2:31)
17 - Done What My Lord Said (2:33)
18 - I Want King Jesus (2:59)
19 - What Will I Do (Without the Lord) (2:36)
20 - Key to the Highway 70 [Take 1] (2:41)
21 - Key to the Highway 70 [Take 2] (2:42)
22 - I Don't Believe in Love (3:03)
23 - So Much Trouble (2:44)
24 - Goodbye Now (2:51)
25 - Jealous of My Woman (2:49)


Disc C 1941-1946 - Library of Congress and living with Leadbelly

01 - Unfair Blues (2:48)
02 - Barbecue Any Old Time (2:48)
03 - Workingman's Blues (2:47)
04 - Sinful Disposition Woman (2:35)
05 - Back Home Blues (2:56)
06 - Deep Sea Diver (2:40)
07 - It Must Be Love (2:54)
08 - Swing, Soldier, Swing [Take 1] (2:24)
09 - Swing, Soldier, Swing [Take 2] (2:43)
10 - John Henry (2:28)
11 - Fox Chase (1:33)
12 - Fox Chase (2:16)
13 - The Red Cross Store (3:22)
14 - Sweet Woman (3:06)
15 - Fox Chase (2:06)
16 - That's the Stuff (Watch Out) (2:56)
17 - Knockabout Blues (Carolina Blues) (3:07)
18 - Easy Ridin' Buggy (2:53)
19 - Women Lover Blues (2:46)
20 - Run Away Woman (2:46)
21 - Shake Down (2:52)
22 - Movin' to Kansas City (3:08)
23 - Railroad Bill (2:53)
24 - Rocks in My Bed (2:49)
25 - Tennessee Shuffle (2:58)


Disc D 1946-1947 - New York residents and established artists

01 - Precious Lord Hold My Hand (3:04)
02 - If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again (2:50)
03 - Rum Cola Papa (2:28)
04 - Mean Old Frisco (2:41)
05 - Sportin' Life Blues (2:57)
06 - Worried Life Blues (2:31)
07 - Brownie's Guitar Boogie (2:38)
08 - Lovin' With a Feeling (2:27)
09 - Night Time Is the Right Time (3:13)
10 - Bad Blood (2:56)
11 - I Don't Care (2:55)
12 - Big Legged Woman (2:42)
13 - B.M. Blues (3:02)
14 - Evil but Kindhearted (2:42)
15 - Seaboard and Southern (2:47)
16 - Dissatisfied Woman (3:15)
17 - How Can I Love You (3:19)
18 - Hello Blues (2:17)
19 - Whoopin' the Blues (2:44)
20 - Leavin' Blues (2:59)
21 - Riff and Harmonica Jump (2:49)
22 - All Alone Blues (3:07)
23 - Me and My Dog (2:49)
24 - Pawn Shop Blues (3:11)
25 - The Way I Feel (2:53)


Disc E 1947-1948 - Mainly Brownie and an interlude with Champion Jack

01 - Go on Blues (2:39)
02 - Auto Mechanic Blues (2:58)
03 - I'm Talking About It (2:44)
04 - Dollar Bill (2:57)
05 - Country Boy Boogie (2:52)
06 - Harmonica Rag (2:27)
07 - Screamin' and Cryin' Blues (2:50)
08 - Beer Garden Blues (2:46)
09 - Worried Man Blues (2:43)
10 - Aunt Jane's Blues (2:45)
11 - Ma Belle (2:54)
12 - So Long Baby (2:34)
13 - Poor Boy Blues (2:51)
14 - Custard Pie Blues (2:59)
15 - Early Morning Blues (2:50)
16 - Crow Jane Blues (2:35)
17 - Hot Headed Woman (3:13)
18 - Wrong Man Blues (3:01)
19 - Married Woman Blues (3:07)
20 - Robbie-Doby Boogie (2:22)
21 - My Fault (2:44)
22 - Brown Mule Blues (2:33)
23 - Hard Bed Blues (2:54)
24 - My Bulldog Blues (2:46)
25 - Gin Headed Woman (2:26)