Blues Source Page

Contents

• A Brief History of the Blues

• Recording Sources

• Blues Music Review Books

• Blues Magazines

• Blues Information Books

• Delta Blues Museum

• CD Now and Music Blvd. Search Engines

• Delta Blues Artists

• New Artist Recommendations

• Upcoming Blues Festivals

• Concert Listings

Recording Sources

• CD Now (online source)     This is an excellent source for ordering hard to find music. Their service is excellent. John Hurt recordings available through CD Now are linked at this point. Some sound clips are included.

• Music Boulevard (online source) This is a good on line source of John Hurt recordings and includes album covers and some sound clips.

• Roots and Rhythm  They are located in California. Their phone is (510) 525-1494, Fax (510) 525-2904. Their e-mail is set up as a link to write them and it is roots@hooked.net They have some hard to find Blues CDs. I was able to locate Avalon Blues on Flyright through them which is the Library of Congress recordings made reference to in the Discography.

• Rooster Blues Records/ Stackhouse Delta Record Mart  They are located at 232 Sunflower Ave in Clarksdale MS. 38614. Their phone is (601) 627-2209 and their fax is (601) 627-9861. Their e-mail is set up on this page as a link to write them and it is Rooster232@aol.com. They are dedicated to recording artists who want to carry on the Blues tradition. They are a source for some hard to find recordings.

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Blues Music Review Books

•  All Music Guide      This is an excellent on line source dedicated to all types of music.  Please be certain to use this source to search for information on Mississippi John Hurt by simply typing his name in the "search for artist" section.  It includes an excellent discography with ratings, biographical information and a listing of similar artists.   It also includes a number of compilations that John appears on.  AMG  is also available in comprehensive book form and reviews and rates over 20,000 albums in 20 categories. The most recent edition is the 3rd edition published in 1997 by Miller Freeman Books.  It can also be ordered on-line and there are extensive reviews of the book itself through the immediately proceeding link.

• Down Home Music Guide To The Blues   This is written by Frank Scott and published by a cappella books (1991). This is the best guide I have found with respect to Blues music. It contains over 3,000 entries and has suggestions of "essential" recordings. This is a "must" guide for lovers of all types of Blues music.

• All Music Guide to the Blues    This is and excellent and exhaustive guide to the blues. It contains reviews of over 2,600 recordings and profiles of over 500 musicians. This was published in 1996. Highly recommended.  It can be ordered on-line or reviews of the book can be read through the immediately proceeding link.

• Rolling Stone Album Guide    This is published by Random House in 1992. It is also an excellent guide to all types of music including Blues, Rock, Jazz, Folk and more. I highly recommend this but the number of blues entries are limited to the more famous Blues artists. If you can locate the Rolling Stone Record Guide also published by Random House in 1979 it has a separate listing of Blues and lists many of the older recordings omitted in the more recent version. A version was also published in 1983 called The New Rolling Stone Record Guide again by Random House. It also omits many Blues artists listed in the 1979 version.

• The Virgin Encyclopedia of The Blues  This is published by Virgin Books in 1998.  It   includes biographies of many blues singers and ratings of some albums by each singer listed.   The listings are not nearly as comprehensive as the All Music Guides or the Rolling Stone Guides.

• Blues on CD- The Essential Guide  By Charles Shaar Murray and published by Kyle Cathie Limited (1994). This is categorized by early blues beginning in the 1920s up to 1945, big city blues from 1945 to 1974 and modern blues from 1975 to 1993. The number of entries by artist is somewhat limited but it has more extensive biographical information concerning those artists than the previously listed guides. It is limited to the more famous blues artists of each era.

• The Grove Press Guide To The Blues   By Frank-John Hadley, Grove Press (1993). This uses a 5 star rating system and reviews more than 700 recordings. Hadley writes for Down Beat magazine and contributes to Living Blues magazine. This contains only ratings and virtually no biographical information.

• The Blackwell Guide to Recorded Blues  This is edited by Paul Oliver and is a "Blackwell Reference" publication. (1991). Lists essential recordings by era. It contains some biographical information and entries on more remote artists than the Blues on CD- The Essential Guide and than on the Grove guide. Recently released is now The New Blackwell Guide To Recorded Blues (1996).

• Music Hound Blues-- The Essential Album Guide (Visible Ink Press 1998). This is an up to date guide and lists the best known Blues singers. It has a short biography on each singer and makes recommendations on the best album of each singer. It is not comprehensive with respect to all the works of the singers listed but is a nice starting point for suggestions as to certain albums.   It includes a helpful listing of many links to web sites.

• The Best of the Blues-- The 101 Essential Albums (Penguin Books 1997)  This book is by Robert Santelli who also wrote The Big Book of Blues I'm not certain how anyone can name "the best 101" Blues albums but Robert Santelli certainly has listed some of the best in his book. It is a good starting point for someone trying to establish a Blues collection.  Santelli lists as the number one Blues album the two-disc collection of Robert Johnson on Columbia/Legacy records.

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Blues Magazines

• Blues Revue   This is published 6 times a year, bi-monthly. Subscription cost is $20.00 per year. Blues Revue can be contacted at Rt.2, Box 118, West Union, WV 26456. Their phone is (304) 782-1971, Fax (304) 782-1993. They have recently developed a web site which is linked above.   Their e-mail link is BluesRevue@aol.com should you want to contact them. Blues Revue is dedicated to the "full spectrum" of the blues. It has a good review section of new recordings. Living Blues, listed below, tends to concentrate more on African-American artists. I highly recommend Blues Revue for Blues aficionados.

• Living Blues  Living Blues is linked to an on-line version of the magazine and the magazine itself is published 6 times a year, bi-monthly. Subscription cost is $18.00 per year. Living Blues can be contacted at 301 Hill Hall, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677. Their phone is 1-601-232-5742, Fax 1-601-232-7842. Their e-mail is set up as a link on this page and is staff@barnard.cssc.olemiss.edu As stated above this tends to concentrate on African-American artists. It has excellent reviews of new and re-released recordings. Also highly recommended.

• Blues Access Online    This a wonderful online source of blues and is extremely well done. It contains a number of very good links, excellent reviews and articles. The actual magazine is published 4 times a year and subscriptions are $12.00 per year. Blues Access can be contacted at 1455 Chestnut Place, Boulder, CO 80304-3153. Their phone is (303) 443-7245, Fax (303) 939-9729. E-mail linked to this site is Roosterman@aol.comThis also has reviews of recent recordings.

• BlueSpeak: Homepage   This is an on-line Blues magazine that includes feature articles and reviews.

• Blues Bytes  This is a monthly on-line Blues magazines concentrating on reviews.

• Blues Juke-- The R&B Magazine  This is published in London.  The e-mail is jukeblues@cix.co.uk  It contains a chart of the top 10 selling Blues albums in England at Virgin Records, has some good articles on famous Blues singers and contains reviews of new recordings.  Subscriptions to the U.S. are $25.00 per year for 4 issues.

Blues Information Books

• Masters of Country Blues Guitar-- Mississippi John Hurt   By Stefan Grossman, Warner Brothers Publications (1993). This is an absolutely superb book on Mississippi John. It contains an excellent biography on John written by Jas Obrecht of Guitar Player magazine, contains many photographs of John, lyrics of 26 of John's songs and guitar music to those songs written by Stefan Grossman. It also contains 2 CDs in which John performs each of the 26 songs. This is an absolute must for John Hurt fans. This is a series of books by Grossman which also include similar excellent books and recordings on the music of other blues greats Blind Boy Fuller, Lonnie Johnson and Rev. Gary Davis. Stefan actually met and played with Mississippi John. Stefan can be contacted at Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop, P.O. Box 810, Newton, NJ 07871. He also has a video series entitled Country Blues Guitar Parts I, 2, and 3 which includes footage of John playing on Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest. Stefan also has also made a number of recordings himself. If you would like a sample of his guitar playing try Stefan Grossman's Black Melodies On a Clear Afternoon (Shanachie Records Corp. 1991). This is a set of beautiful instrumental recordings of Stefan playing many old black favorites.  He has also published books on the music of Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Boy Fuller, Lonnie Johnson, Blind Blake and Robert Johnson.

• Masters of Country Blues Guitar  This is also written by Stefan Grossman and includes songs by Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Boy Fuller and Lonnie Johnson. It also contains lyrics, CD and guitar music.

• Country Blues Songbook  By Stefan Grossman, Hal Grossman and Stephen Calt. Published by Oak Publications (1973) This contains lyrics and guitar music for many great blues songs including songs by Booker White, Mance Lipscomb, Skip James, Lightnin Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, Charlie Patton, Son House, Robert Johnson and others.

• Blues Guitar  Edited by Jas Obrecht of Guitar Player magazine. Published by Miller-Freeman Books (1993). Contains excellent biographies of 11 country blues guitarists and 20 modern blues guitarists. Sadly it does not contain a biography on John Hurt although I believe a book in progress by Obrecht entitled Early Blues will contain such a biography. The country blues biographies include Robert Johnson, Skip James, Rev. Gary Davis, Mance Lipscomb, Mississippi Fred McDowell and more.

• Blues Who's Who- A Biographical Dictionary of Blues Singers   By Sheldon Harris, an A Da Capa Paperback (1979) An excellent and extensive reference source containing biographies of 571 blues artists and 450 photographs. The most complete reference I have seen.

• Encyclopedia of the Blues  By Gerard Herzhaft, published by University of Arkansas Press (1992). Combine this with Blues Who's Who and you will have 2 excellent source books on virtually all Blues artists. Contains a listing of "blues standards".  A newer edition has recently been released.

• Nothing But the Blues  By Lawrence Kohn, published by Abbeville Publishing Group (1993). This is more of a "history" book than an encyclopedia type reference. The author is the producer of the CBS blues reissue project beginning with Robert Johnson's recordings. The book contains a brief selected discography.

• The History of the Blues. The Roots, The Music, The People From Charley Patton of Robert Cray   By Francis Davis, published by Hyperion (1995). This traces the history of the Blues from the Mississippi Delta to the present day. This also contains a selected discography.

• The Blues Makers  By Samuel Charters, published by Da Capo Press (1991). Examines the music and lives of Skip James, Sleepy John Estes, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Memphis Minnie, Blind Willie McTell, Son House, Charley Patton and others.

• Little Blues Book  By Brian Robertson, published by Workman Publishing 708 Broadway New York, NY  10003  This book contains some great illustrations and wonderful quotes from various songs of blues artists.

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Delta Blues Museum

CD Now and Music Blvd. Search Engines   

Need to purchase any Delta Blues Artists or New Artist Recommendations

Try the following sources:

Artist Name: Album Title: Song Title:

Delta Blues Artists

• Charlie Patton (1891-1934)Suggested disc-- Founder of the Delta Blues,       1929-1934 (Yazoo 1020)

         "Don't the moon look pretty shining down through the trees, I can see Bertha            Lee, Lord, but she can't see me...-- from Patton song "Poor Me"

• Robert Johnson (1911-1938) Suggested disc-- Robert Johnson- The Complete Recordings (Columbia Roots and Blues series)

  Suggested Reading-- Searching For Robert Johnson by Peter Guralnick, EP Dutton, 1989 and Robert Johnson by Samuel B. Charters, Oak Publications, 1973.

  "Robert Johnson is the greatest folk-blues guitar player that ever lived. He's the greatest singer, the greatest writer."-- Eric Clapton

  "I went to the cross road, fell down on my knees, I went to the cross road, fell down on my knees, Asked the Lord above, Have mercy, save poor Bob if you please"

  "Mmm, standing at the cross road, I tried to flag a ride, Standing at the cross road, I tried to flag a ride, Didn't nobody seem to know me, everybody pass me by"

  Did Robert Johnson sell his soul at the crossroads?

• Eddie James "Son "House Jr. (1902-1988) Suggested discs-- Son House-- Father of the Delta Blues: The Complete 1965 Sessions (Columbia Roots and Blues series) and The Complete Library of Congress Sessions (Travelin' Man CD 02)

  Suggested Reading-- There is an excellent section in the book entitled The Blues Makers by Samuel Carters, listed above, on Son House.

  For additional information on Son House see the following: 

  Article by Jas Obrecht;

  Interview with Dick Waterman

  Discography

  "Oh, I'm gonna get religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist church. Oh, I'm gonna get religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist church. I'm gonna be a Baptist preacher, and I sure won't have to work. -- from Preachin Blues

• Nehemiah "Skip" James (1902-1969) Suggested discs-- Today! (Vanguard VMD 79219) ; Devil Got My Woman (Vanguard VMD 79273) and Skip James: The Complete 1931 Session (Yazoo 1072) Suggested reading-- I'd Rather be the Devil - Skip James and the Blues, by Stephen Calt, Da Capo Press (1994)

  I'd rather be the devil than be that woman's man. I'd rather be the devil than be that woman's man.

  Oh nothing but the devil changed my baby's mind. Oh nothing but the devil changed my baby's mind.

  Oh laid down last night, Laid down last night, Laid down last night, Start to take my rest. Oh, my mind got to rambling like the wild geese from the west.

  Oh woman I love, Woman that I love, Woman I love, Stoled her from my best friend. But he got lucky, stoled her back again. And he got lucky, stoled her back again.-- from "Devil Got My Woman"

• John Jackson (1924-____) Suggested disc-- Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (Arhoolie 378) I have included John Jackson in this listing because although he is not a "Delta" bluesman he has a style much like that of Mississippi John Hurt. I highly recommend him to fans of Mississippi John.

  "He is by classification a songster and not a bluesman, although he will play and sing more blues on a good night's parlor concert than some Delta Bluesmen may have known in a lifetime"-- Bruce Cook, Listen to the Blues (1973).

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New Artist Recommendations

This is a listing of some new artists that are emphasizing "Delta Blues". I hope that you enjoy them and help encourage other new artists who are helping to preserve the traditional blues style.

• Keb Mo (Kevin Moore)  "Keb Mo" on Okeh records is a superb recording. Keb is my favorite of the "new" Delta Bluesmen-- this is a must for Delta blues fans. His second recording, Just Like You, is now available and is also excellent, particularly the title song.

• Guy Davis   Stomp Down Rider (Red House Records) Recorded live in concert at the Music Hall in Tarrytown, NY. He now has two more recordings, Call Down the Thunder and You Don't Know My Mind.

• Rory Block   Rory studied and played guitar with acoustic greats like Rev. Gary Davis, Son House and Mississippi John Hurt.

  Rory's home page is linked to this site above. Her discography with Rounder records is also linked here. My personal favorite is High Heeled Blues. She recently released an excellent collection entitled Gone Woman Blues: The Country Blues Collection.

  "Rory Block has become one of the world's most important preservers of the roots of American music..."-- Guitar Extra

  "One of today's great exponents of Delta Blues guitar... playing and singing styles so true to Delta tradition that they might have been honed on the banks of the Mississippi..."-- Guitar World

  My personal favorite album by Rory is High Heeled Blues (Rounder Records).  Other excellent selections are Ain't I a Woman and Mama's Blues.   Both are on Rounder Records.  Gone Woman Blues ("The Country Blues Collection"), released on Rounder in 1997 is an excellent collection of her country- blues works.

• Corey Harris  Between Midnight and Day (Alligator ALCD 4837) and Fish Ain't Bitin' (Alligator ALCD 4850)  Both are quite enjoyable and worth a listen although I personally prefer Keb Mo and Guy Davis.

  "Imagine one of the great early Delta blues musicians had come back to life"-- Kansas City Star.

• Catfish Keith  Catfish is not really a new artist on the Blues scene but performs the "Delta Blues" sound.  My favorites are Fresh Catfish  (Fish Tail Records FTRCD004) and Jitterbug Swing  (Fish Tail Records FTRCD002).   His latest is Twist It Babe (Fish Tail Records FTRCD005).   Catfish is a two time W.C. Handy award nominee for best acoustic blues album. 

         "Hands down one of the finest acoustic Bluesmen in America."  Blues Revue

• Paul Geremia  Geremia is an acoustic blues guitar player and also plays the harmonica.  He has been performing since 1966 and was a part of the folk-blues revival of that era.  He was influenced by the music of Skip James, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly and Blind Lemon Jefferson.   An excellent excerpt from a Sing Out Magazine article provides  more information on Geremia.  My personal favorite album is Live From Uncle Sam's Backyard (Red House Records).