Memphis Blues 1 1928-1935 / Various Memphis Blues 1 1928-1935 / Various CD

The city of Memphis has been linked with the blues since W.C. Handy updated 'Boss' Crump's political campaign song of 1909 and published it as 'The Memphis Blues' in 1912. This was, of course, a formal composition but when 'race' recordings really took off in the 1920's a whole underworld of blues activity was discovered to be in existence in the city, centered on the 'black' thoroughfare of Beale Street. "Beale was rough; joints such as Pee Wee's, The Hole In The Wall and Jim Canan's revelling in a reputation for having a man for breakfast every day!...". The implication being that bodies were quickly hauled out and dumped elsewhere before daybreak. But there was another side to the Memphis Blues. It was born from the "Country Blues" that were drawn in by Afro-Americans from outlying rural areas looking for work and bringing their music with them. This, the first of several volumes dedicated to Memphis Blues, covers the work of three outstanding musicians playing in the Country Blues genre. Robert Wilkins was born in Hernando, Mississippi but as soon as he was old enough relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, a city he had visited many times as a child whilst on the traditional "cotton run". The evocative, 'Rolling Stone', has a story-line that builds verse by verse, gaining it's momentum with a hypnotic guitar figure. The infectious, upbeat, 'New Stock Yard Blues' was inspired by his day job at the local livestock auction. 'That's No Way To Get Along' is a song with a haunting melody and lyrical images like, "they treated me like my poor heart was made of a rock of stone, you know that was enough, mama, to make your son wish'd he's dead and gone". In 1964 Robert Wilkins, who had by then turned his back on "The Devil's Music", recorded and improvised reworking of That's No Way To Get Along using the biblical theme of the "Prodigal Son" for the lyric base. This was subsequently covered by the Rolling Stones. Tom Dickson and Allen Shaw keep the standard high with Shaw (see also DOCD-5159) producing the fine, driving, 'Moanin' The Blues' with bottleneck-slide guitar accompaniment.

1. Rolling Stone - Part 1 2. Rolling Stone - Part 2 3. Jail House Blues 4. I Do Blues 5. That's No Way to Get Along 6. Alabama Blues 7. Long Train Blues 8. Falling Down Blues 9. Nashville Stonewall Blues 10. Police Sergeant Blues 11. Get Away Blues 12. I'll Go with Her Blues 13. Dirty Deal Blues 14. Black Rat Blues 15. New Stock Yard Blues 16. Old Jim Canan's 17. Losin' Out Blues 18. Death Bell Blues - Tom Dickson 19. Worry Blues - Tom Dickson 20. Happy Blues - Tom Dickson 21. Labor Blues - Tom Dickson 22. I Couldn't Help It - Allen Shaw 23. Moanin' the Blues - Allen Shaw