If I get the American Epic boxset does that cover all the artists that are individually available on the American Epic cds?
The individual artist sets (available as download only) have lots of tracks not found on the box, but the two themed compilations (blues and country) are completely expendable if you have the box.
Today is the 61st anniversary of the death of Tommy Johnson, and tomorrow is the 51st anniversary of the death of Mississippi John Hurt. Two giants. Born 4 years and 136 miles apart, they couldn't have had more different blues styles and life arcs.
What made me think about the subjects of the above post was that on Monday, I found a beautiful original vinyl pressing of "Today." Then this morning I turned the page on my blues calendar and saw that tomorrow was the anniversary of his death, and today was Tommy Johnson's. I'm a huge fan of Johnson, going so far as to make myself a comp CD of the best sources of all his released recordings, which is sadly, too few. Below is my track listing with source info. Tommy Johnson 1928 - 1929- Complete Recorded Works from Best Sources 1- Cool Drink Of Water Blues-A 2- Big Road Blues-A 3- Bye-Bye Blues-B 4-Maggie Campbell Blues-B 5- Canned Heat Blues-C 6- Lonesome Home Blues (take 1)-C 7-Lonesome Home Blues (take 2)-C 8-Big Fat Mama Blues-C 9- I Wonder To Myself—D 10- Slidin' Delta-D 11- Lonesome Home Blues-D 12- Boogaloosa Woman-D 13- Morning Prayer –D 14- Black Mare Blues (take 1)-E 15- Black Mare Blues (take 2)-E 16- Ridin' Horse-F 17- Alcohol And Jake Blues-F 18- Walkin’ Shoes (Button Up Shoes)-G 19- I Want Someone To Love Me- H 20- Ishman Bracey on Tommy Johnson’s Death A- Feb. 3, 1928- Memphis, TN- Tommy Johnson voc., g,- Charley McCoy 2nd g. B- Feb. 4, 1928- Memphis, TN- Tommy Johnson voc., g,- Charley McCoy 2nd g. C- Aug. 31, 1928- Memphis, TN- Tommy Johnson voc., g. D- Dec. 1929 -Grafton, WI.; Tommy Johnson, voc., g. unknown kazoo (9) E- Dec. 1929 -Grafton, WI.; Tommy Johnson, voc., g. w/New Orleans Nehi Boys F- Dec. 1929 -Grafton, WI.; Tommy Johnson, voc., g., Ishman Bracey: speech G- Dec. 1929 - Grafton WI - Paramount unissued - Tommy Johnson voc., g. H- Dec. 1929 -Grafton, WI.; Tommy Johnson, voc., g. sources: Document DOCD 5001 “Complete 1928-29”:3,6,7,9,12-15 RCA 63986 “Walk Right In”: 1 Yazoo 3002: “The Best There Ever Was”: 2 Yazoo 2002: “Masters of the Delta Blues”: 4, 8 Yazoo 2039 “My Rough & Rowdy Ways V. 1”: 5 Yazoo 2202 “The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of”: 10 Blues Image Volume 8 “Rabbit Foot Blues”: 11 Blues Image Volume 6 “Nightmare”: 16, 17 (upgraded on vol. 12) Yazoo 2048 “Times Ain’t Like They Used To Be V. 4: 18 Blues Image Vol.1 “Down The Dirt Road Blues”:19 Backbeat “Chasin’ That Devil Music”: 20 (unissued titles: 6, 7, 11-15, 18, 19)
Gotta love that original Canned Heat Blues! I don't know why Tommy gets lost in the shadows while Robert Johnson is known to just about half the population of the planet... maybe that 'O Brother' film helped though?
The new Blues Images calendar includes a couple of songs from Tommy Johnson in amazing sound: Slidin Delta and Wonder to Myself.
Maybe my next custom comp should be Tommy Johnson's accompanist Charlie McCoy. I'm a huge fan of blues mandolin, thanks to hearing Ry Cooder's playing on his early albums and live shows, and hearing Yank Rachell on Sleepy John Estes' albums. My wife even bought me a 1920's Ditson Victory mandolin (made by Vega) so I could learn blues mandolin. Anyways, here's some info on Charlie for those unfamiliar: Charlie McCoy was born in Jackson, MS on May 26, 1909. He played guitar and mandolin, and mostly as an accompanist. Sometimes his guitar style sounded like he was playing a mandolin. Some of the bands he played with were the Mississippi Hot Footers, the Mississippi Sheiks, the Mississippi Mud Steppers (with Bo Carter) and The Harlem Hamfats. As the McCoy Brothers, he recorded with his older brother Kansas Joe McCoy, who was married to Memphis Minnie and played on many of her well-known sides, which Charlie can also be heard on! Later in life, he recorded with John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, Peetie Wheatstraw and Big Bill Broonzy. Some of his best work can be found on these recordings: "The Jackson Stomp" "The Vicksburg Stomp" "The Lonesome Train, That Took My Girl from Town" McCoy's career was cut short by his service in World War II. In poor health after the war, he never returned to music. He died in Chicago in 1950 from paralytic brain disease only a few months after Joe died. Here's "The Vicksburg Stomp" by the MS Mudsteppers:
Frog CDs Memphis Blues Singers Volume 1, " " Volume 2, and Memphis Rounders Blues are high-quality sources for the Victor sides (the test pressings of Lonesome Home Blues reappear on the last release). I've been enjoying Memphis Rounders Blues lately: great compilation and transfers, mostly from Victor test pressings, including a few previously unreleased takes from Jim Jackson and Will Shade.
I do(and 2 other issues). Great magazine, and great cd that comes with it. I treasure mine. If you're at all a fan of the genre, a must.
Just found out I've been sleeping on the job. #4 & #5 have been released. I just got them direct from Frog. They're supposed to be better then ever according to those in the know. The Frog Blues & Jazz Annual No 4: Musicians, Records, Music of the 78 Frog Records: Jazz/Blues music The Frog Blues & Jazz Annual No 5: Musicians, Records, Music of the 78 Frog Records: Jazz/Blues music
These American Epic LP’s are great I have 3 now. Leadbelly, Blind Willie J & the Blues compilation with wrong info printed on back (sure to become a collectors piece). These coupled with the RSD Robert Johnson Centenial 3 LP set I am creating a nice little delta collection for myself.
I can't say, as I don't know Wolf's track record lately. They used to be on par with Document, and I always believed that there was some association between the two labels. Personally, I find the best sources for this material to be Frog, Blues Image and of course, Yazoo. Yesterday I ordered the previously mentioned Frog releases, "Memphis Blues Singers Volumes 1 and 2" to see if the Tommy Johnson tracks are upgraded. I'll report back after I hear them.