Best That Ever Was (2003)

Product Summary Label: Koch Entertainment UPC: 00016351300225 Release Date: 8/26/2003 Buy.com Sku: 60607752 Item#: MDT5M6 Format:  CD Song Listing Disc 1 Song Title Sample 1. Dough Roller Blues - Garfield Akers ~ Various Artists 2. Big Road Blues - Tommy Johnson ~ Various Artists 3. My Black Mama (Part 1) - Son House ~ Various Artists 4. Ain't No Tellin' - Mississippi John Hurt ~ Various Artists 5. Cypress Grove - Skip James ~ Various Artists 6. I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole - Blind Willie Johnson ~ Various Artists 7. Mama, Tain't Long Fo' Day - Blind Willie McTell ~ Various Artists 8. Barefoot Blues - Jaydee Short ~ Various Artists 9. I'll Go With Her Blues - Robert Wilkins ~ Various Artists 10. Squabblin' Blues - Ed Bell ~ Various Artists 11. It Won't Be Long - Charley Patton ~ Various Artists 12. What's The Matter Blues - Frank Stokes ~ Various Artists 13. Last Kind Word Blues - Geeshie Wiley ~ Various Artists 14. Bullfrog Blues - William Harris ~ Various Artists 15. You Gonna Quit Me Blues - Blind Blake ~ Various Artists 16. Gone Dead Train, The - King Solomon Hill ~ Various Artists 17. Outdoor Blues - Memphis Minnie ~ Various Artists 18. Prison Cell Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson ~ Various Artists 19. Graveyard Digger's Blues - Sam Collins ~ Various Artists 20. Big Chief Blues - Furry Lewis ~ Various Artists   Album Notes and Credits Notes & Personnel Info Recorded in the 1920's and 1930's. Includes liner notes by Don Kent. Audio Remasterer: Richard Nevis. Liner Note Author: Don Kent. Unknown Contributor Roles: Frank Stokes; Furry Lewis; Memphis Minnie; Sam Collins; Skip James; Tommy Johnson; Blind Blake; Blind Lemon Jefferson; Blind Willie Johnson; Blind Willie McTell; Charley Patton. Yazoo Records has long been one of the prime sources for rural blues reissues from the 1920s and '30s. Transferred from old 78s, some so rare only a single copy or two are known to exist, these tracks offer a wonderful glimpse into a fabled blues past. Essentially a kind of greatest-hits collection for Yazoo, The Best There Ever Was features lesser known songs from several giants of the genre (Blind Willie Johnson's "I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole," Charley Patton's "It Won't Be Long," Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Prison Cell Blues") that exhibit the same sort of range and power of their better known works. Also included are stellar tracks from more obscure performers, making the end result a great introduction to country blues. Highlights include the high tenor voice of Sam Collins on "Graveyard Digger's Blues" (a variant of "Sugar Babe," perhaps best known as performed by blues banjoist Dock Boggs), the taut guitar work of Garfield Akers on "Dough Roller Blues," and Geeshie Wiley's forlorn, haunting, and absolutely stirring vocal take on "Last Kind Word Blues." Classic songs by Skip James ("Cypress Grove"), Tommy Johnson ("Big Road Blues"), and Son House ("My Black Mama") round out an impressive track list. ~ Steve Leggett Producer: Richard Nevis; Richard Nevins (Compilation)   Technical Info Release Date : 08/26/2003 Original Release Date : 2003 Catalog ID : 3002 Label : Yazoo Number of Discs : 1 Studio/Live : Studio Mono/Stereo : Mono SPAR Code : n/a UPC : 00016351300225    Product Image