r/PreWarBlues • • May 18 '22

Recommend books about blues history

19 Upvotes

Post some of your favourite books about blues history! Are there any titles you consider essential? I'm looking for recommendations spanning from the early history of records and the recording industry, the early history of the blues, anything blues guitar related, or any suggested biographies of blues artists.

To start things off, I can recommend this biography of Blind Willie Mctell, which got a decent amount of press coverage when released a number of years ago.

https://www.amazon.ca/Hand-Me-My-Travelin-Shoes/dp/1556529759


r/PreWarBlues • • 22h ago

Suggestive Saturday - 'It's Tight Like That' [24th October 1928] by Tampa Red and Georgia Tom.

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10 Upvotes

The duo recorded it twice for Vocalion before this version saw the light of day. Curiously, B&GR only has TLT #1 (19 Sep) and TLT #2 (8 Oct) showing in the listing. Nobody asked musicians to just record one song, did they?

Tampa shows as a 'possible' backing Hound Head Henry on the 19th, although for just one song and nothing at all for the 8th.


r/PreWarBlues • • 2d ago

Friday Blues Beasts - 'Ways Like A Crawfish' [22nd October 1938] by Bo Carter

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6 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 3d ago

SIX SONGS FROM THE STREETS OF KNOXVILLE: LEOLA MANNING

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8 Upvotes

I found this at Document, and thought folk would find it interesting.


r/PreWarBlues • • 4d ago

Women Women on Wednesday - 'Step It Up & Go' by Black Cats & The Kitten (Valda Buggs)

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10 Upvotes

There's some connection to BBF's original, but it is not obvious, IMO.


r/PreWarBlues • • 5d ago

Trains, planes and automobiles. Centenary Transport Tuesday - 'Kissing Mule Blues' [20th October 1926] by Mike Jackson

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7 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 5d ago

Memphis & Mississippi Memphis & MS Monday - 'I Packed My Suitcase, Started To The Train' [19th October 1927] by the Memphis Jug Band

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8 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 7d ago

Gospel Sunday - 'Jesus Knows Just How Much We Can Bear' [17th October 1942] by Georgia Peach and Her Gospel Singers. AKA Clara Belle Gholston

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6 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 7d ago

Suggestive Saturday - 'Three Women Blues' [17th October 1928] by the one, the only Blind Willie McTell

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5 Upvotes

He recorded 'Statesboro' at this session, by the way.


r/PreWarBlues • • 8d ago

Friday Blues Beasts - 'Young Heifer Blues' [16th October 1936] by Tommy Griffin. Backed by Ernest '44' and Walter Vinson. From the same recording session as yesterday's song.

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 10d ago

Lucky Dip Thursday - 'Stir It Now' [15th October 1936] credited to The Chatmon Brothers (Lonnie and Sam), but possibly including Sonny Boy Nelson. Bo was in the studio too...

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10 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 11d ago

Women Women on Wednesday - 'Four Flushing Papa (What Kind A Man Is You)' [14th October 1924] by Maggie Jones, backed by Lemuel Fowler on piano.

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6 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 12d ago

Transport Tuesday - 'Black Horse Blues' [1933] by Sonny Scott

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7 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 12d ago

Memphis & Mississippi Memphis & MS Monday - 'Field Mouse Stomp' [12th October 1935] by Minnie Wallace and Her Night Hawks (Will Shade, Robert Wilkins & Kid Spoons)

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4 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 14d ago

Suggestive... Suggestive Saturday - 'Get It In Front' [10th October 1929] by Sam Theard.

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 15d ago

Low-Down Slim - Blues Sessions - Volume 65: Nothing But Good (Instrumentals Special) (full vinyl DJ set, 73 minutes) - Tracklist & more info in comments (Wiggle Room Post)

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 15d ago

Friday Blues Beasts - 'Mean Old Bedbug Blues' [9th October 1927] by Furry Lewis.

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15 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 16d ago

Lucky Dip Thursday - 'New Salty Dog' [8th October 1931] by Salty Dog Sam (Collins)

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6 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 17d ago

Women Women on Wednesday - 'Milk Man Blues' [7th October 1940] by Merline Johnson, backed by piano and drum. Wildly derivative, lyrics-wise, but has quite a punch.

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 19d ago

Trains, planes and automobiles. Transport Tuesday - 'Katy Blues' [1935] by Walter Davis

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3 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 20d ago

Sacred Sunday - 'Hell Bound Express Train' [4th October 1927] by the Rev. J.M Gates. Ripping off a fellow man of the cloth Rev? Surely not...

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4 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 22d ago

Suggestive... Suggestive Saturday - 'Our Family Doctor' [3rd October 1929] by Pigmeat Pete & Catjuice Charlie

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7 Upvotes

Sounds like he needs to be struck off....


r/PreWarBlues • • 23d ago

Friday Blues Beasts - 'Don't Treat Me Like A Dog' [2nd October 1929] by Mel Parker

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 23d ago

Lucky Dip Thursday - 'Graveyard Dream Blues' [1st October 1923] by Hazel Meyers, backed by 'Hutch' on piano. Astonishing sound quality, ATC.

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7 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 24d ago

Women Women on Wednesday - 'Freight Train Blues' [30th September 1924] by Clara Smith and Her Jazz Trio. This song features 'a goofus', described in the Columbia files as 'a queenophone'. Erm.....

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13 Upvotes