The Blues: A Smithsonian Collection of Classic Blues Singers

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Annotation

Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Mirrored): DIDP-079962 3
Mould SID Code (Disc 1): IFPI 5089
Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Mirrored): DIDP-079963 3
Mould SID Code (Disc 2): IFPI 5069
Matrix / Runout (Disc 3, Mirrored): DIDP-079964 2
Mould SID Code (Disc 3): IFPI 5087
Matrix / Runout (Disc 4, Mirrored): DIDP-079965 1

Annotation last modified on 2025-08-09 12:47 UTC.

Tracklist

1▶CD
2▶CD
3▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1The First Time I Met You
piano and vocal:
Little Brother Montgomery
recording of:
The First Time I Met You
writer:
Little Brother Montgomery
Little Brother Montgomery2:50
2I Believe I'll Dust My Broom
recording engineer:
Vincent Liebler
executive producer:
Art Satherly
producer:
Don Law
guitar:
Robert Johnson (1930s blues legend) (on 1936-11-23)
vocals:
Robert Johnson (1930s blues legend) (on 1936-11-23)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Soul Jam Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, United States (on 1936-11-23)
recording of:
I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom (on 1936-11-23)
lyricist and composer:
Robert Johnson (1930s blues legend)
Robert Johnson52:59
3Cross Road Blues
recording engineer:
Vincent Liebler
executive producer:
Art Satherly
producer:
Don Law
guitar:
Robert Johnson (1930s blues legend) (on 1936-11-27)
vocals:
Robert Johnson (1930s blues legend) (on 1936-11-27)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Soul Jam Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, United States (on 1936-11-27)
recording of:
Cross Road Blues (a/k/a “Crossroads”) (on 1936-11-27)
lyricist and composer:
Robert Johnson (1930s blues legend)
publisher:
EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty. Limited (not for release label use!), Encore Music (US label), King of Spades Music, Lehsem II, LLC, MPCA King of Spades, Noma Music Inc., Paul Rodriguez Music Ltd., Unichappell Music, Inc. and Warner Chappell Music Ltd. (no slash; used 1988–1996)
Robert Johnson52:32
4Peetie Wheatstraw Stomp
piano and vocal:
Peetie Wheatstraw
recording of:
Peetie Wheatstraw Stomp
writer:
Peetie Wheatstraw
Peetie Wheatstraw2:35
5Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
recorded in:
Aurora, Illinois, United States (on 1937-05-05)
guitar:
Robert Lee McCoy (on 1937-05-05) and Big Joe Williams (American Delta blues guitarist, singer and songwriter) (on 1937-05-05)
harmonica and lead vocals:
Sonny Boy Williamson (John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, 1914–1948) (on 1937-05-05)
part of:
Blues Hall of Fame: Classic of Blues Recording Single (number: 1990)
recording of:
Good Morning, School Girl (on 1937-05-05)
lyricist:
Sonny Boy Williamson (John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, 1914–1948)
composer:
Sonny Boy Williamson (John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, 1914–1948) (in 1937)
publisher:
Arc Music (U.S. rock & blues publisher), Arc Music Corp. (U.S. rock & blues publisher), Copyright Control (not for release label use! this is only for copyrights and publishing relationships), Georgia Music Corp. and Jewel Music Publishing Co. Ltd. (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
Sonny Boy Williamson3:01
6Sloppy Drunk Blues
recorded in:
Chicago, Illinois, United States (on 1941-07-02)
double bass [bass]:
Ransom Knowling (on 1941-07-02)
harmonica and lead vocals:
Sonny Boy Williamson (John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, 1914–1948) (on 1941-07-02)
piano:
Blind John Davis (on 1941-07-02)
recording of:
Sloppy Drunk Blues
lyricist and composer:
John Lee Williamson (John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, 1914–1948)
Sonny Boy Williamson3:16
7Sent for You Yesterday
alto saxophone:
Earle Warren and Jack Washington
bass:
Walter Page
drums (drum set):
Jo Jones (US jazz drummer)
guitar:
Freddie Green
piano:
Count Basie (pianist)
tenor saxophone:
Herschel Evans and Lester Young (saxophonist)
trombone:
Eddie Durham (American guitarist, trombonist, composer and arranger.), Dan Minor and Benny Morton
trumpet:
Buck Clayton, Harry “Sweets” Edison and Ed Lewis (jazz trumpeter)
vocal:
Jimmy Rushing
recording of:
Sent for You Yesterday
lyricist:
Jimmy Rushing
composer:
Count Basie (pianist) and Eddie Durham (American guitarist, trombonist, composer and arranger.)
Jimmy Rushing3:00
8Roll 'em Pete
piano:
Pete Johnson (US boogie‐woogie pianist)
vocal:
Big Joe Turner
recording of:
Roll ’em Pete
writer:
Pete Johnson (US boogie‐woogie pianist) and Big Joe Turner
publisher:
MCA Music Ltd.
Big Joe Turner2:51
9Wee Baby Blues
bass:
Billy Taylor (jazz/bop pianist)
clarinet:
Edmond Hall (American jazz clarinetist, bandleader)
drums (drum set):
Eddie Dougherty (jazz drummer)
guitar:
John Collins (US jazz guitarist)
piano:
Art Tatum (US jazz pianist)
trumpet:
Joe Thomas (jazz trumpeter)
vocal:
Big Joe Turner
recording of:
Wee Baby Blues
writer:
Pete Johnson (US boogie‐woogie pianist) and Big Joe Turner
publisher:
Leeds Music Ltd.
Big Joe Turner2:56
10Fixin' to Die Blues
recorded in:
Chicago, Illinois, United States (on 1940-03-08)
guitar and lead vocals:
Bukka White (on 1940-03-08)
washboard:
Washboard Sam (on 1940-03-08)
vocals:
Bukka White (on 1940-03-08)
recording of:
Fixin’ to Die Blues (on 1940-03-08)
lyricist and composer:
Bukka White
Bukka White2:48
11Step It Up and Go
guitar and vocal:
Blind Boy Fuller
washboard:
Oh Red (George Washington; blues washboard player and sometime guitarist who is best known for his collaborations with Blind Boy Fuller)
Blind Boy Fuller2:54
12Anna Lou Blues
recorded in:
Chicago, Illinois, United States (on 1940-05-10)
guitar and kazoo:
Tampa Red (on 1940-05-10)
piano:
Blind John Davis (on 1940-05-10)
vocals:
Tampa Red (on 1940-05-10)
recording of:
Anna Lou (on 1940-05-10)
lyricist and composer:
Hudson Whittaker
publisher:
Universal Duchess Music Corp. and Wabash Music Co. (BMI-affiliated)
Tampa Red2:56
13Worried Life Blues
double bass [string bass]:
Ransom Knowling (on 1941-06-24)
guitar:
Tampa Red (in 1941, on 1941-06-24)
piano:
Big Maceo (in 1941, on 1941-06-24)
vocals:
Big Maceo (in 1941, on 1941-06-24)
recorded at:
RCA Studios (Chicago, 1935-1969) in Chicago, Illinois, United States (on 1941-06-24)
part of:
Blues Hall of Fame: Classic of Blues Recording Single (number: 1983)
recording of:
Worried Life Blues (on 1941-06-21)
writer:
Sleepy John Estes and Maceo Merriweather
publisher:
Duchess Music Corporation (BMI-affiliated), Universal Duchess Music Corp. and Universal/MCA Music Ltd. (not for release label use!)
version of:
Someday Baby Blues
Big Maceo2:56
14I've Been Treated Wrong
bass:
Alfred Elkins
guitar:
Big Bill Broonzy
piano:
Memphis Slim
washboard and vocal:
Robert Brown (US blues musician aka Washboard Sam)
recording of:
I've Been Treated Wrong
writer:
Robert Brown (US blues musician aka Washboard Sam) and Lorraine Walton
Washboard Sam3:17
15T-Bone Blues
alto saxophone:
Les Hite and Floyd Turnham
baritone saxophone:
Sol Moore
bass:
Al Morgan (jazz double-bassist)
clarinet:
Roger Hurd, Que Martyn and Floyd Turnham
drums (drum set):
Oscar Lee Bradley, Sr. (jazz drummer, active 40s-60s)
electric guitar:
Frank Pasley
piano:
Nat Walker (pianist, active circa 1940s)
tenor saxophone:
Roger Hurd and Que Martyn
trombone:
Allen Durham and Britt Woodman
trumpet:
Paul Campbell (trumpet), Forrest Powell (Trumpet player) and Walter Williams (US trumpeter from the 50s & 60s)
vocal:
T‐Bone Walker (US blues musician & songwriter, 1910–1975)
arranger:
Dudley Brooks
recording of:
T-Bone Blues
writer:
Les Hite and T‐Bone Walker (US blues musician & songwriter, 1910–1975)
T‐Bone Walker3:18
16Call It Stormy Monday
bass:
Arthur Edwards (double bassist)
drums (drum set):
Oscar Lee Bradley, Sr. (jazz drummer, active 40s-60s)
electric guitar and vocal:
T‐Bone Walker (US blues musician & songwriter, 1910–1975)
piano:
Lloyd Glenn
tenor saxophone:
“Bumps” Myers
trumpet:
Teddy Buckner (US dixieland jazz trumpeter)
recording of:
Call It Stormy Monday (but Tuesday Is Just as Bad)
lyricist and composer:
T‐Bone Walker (US blues musician & songwriter, 1910–1975)
publisher:
Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. (ended), Burlington Music Co., Ltd., Songs Of The Knoll, 日音 Synch事業部 (NICHION, INC. Synch Division), Peermusic III, Ltd. (BMI) (until 2018-11-01), Gregmark Music Inc (Gregmark) (from 1959 to present), Lord and Walker Publishing (from 1959 to present) and Raleigh Music Group (RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC) (from 2018-11-01 to present)
sub-publisher:
EMI Music Scandinavia AB (in 1994)
T‐Bone Walker33:02
17Mozelle Blues
bass:
Ransom Knowling
guitar and vocal:
Tommy McClennan
recording of:
Mozelle Blues
writer:
Tommy McClennan
Tommy McClennan2:57
18It's a Low Down Dirty Shame
bass:
Dallas Bartley
drums (drum set):
Walter Martin (1930-40s drummer)
piano:
Arnold Thomas
trumpet:
Eddie Roane
vocal:
Louis Jordan (US jazz, blues and r&b musician and songwriter)
performer:
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
recording of:
It's a Low-Down Dirty Shame
lyricist and composer:
Ollie Shepard (1940's blues artist)
Louis Jordan2:51
19Cherry Red
alto saxophone:
Charlie Holmes (US jazz saxophonist, active 1920s/1930s) and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson
baritone saxophone:
Eddie de Verteuil
bass:
Norman Keenan
drums (drum set):
Sylvester "Vess" Payne
piano:
Bud Powell
tenor saxophone:
Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (jazz saxophonist) and Lee Pope (tenor saxophonist)
trombone:
Ed Burke (trombonist), Bob Horton (trombone, Robert H. Horton) and George Stevenson (Jazz trombone player)
trumpet:
Harold Johnson (US jazz trumpeter aka "Money"), Ermet Perry, George Treadwell and Cootie Williams
vocal:
Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson
Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson3:11
20That's All Right
recorded in:
Chicago, Illinois, United States (on 1946-09-06)
double bass:
Ransom Knowling (on 1946-09-06)
drums (drum set):
Lawrence "Judge" Riley (early blues drummer) (on 1946-09-06)
guitar:
Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup (on 1946-09-06)
vocals:
Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup (on 1946-09-06)
part of:
Blues Hall of Fame: Classic of Blues Recording Single (number: 2020/2021)
recording of:
That’s All Right (on 1946-09-06)
lyricist and composer:
Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup
publisher:
Carlin Music Corporation, Crudup Music, Hill & Range Songs, Inc. (publisher), Intersong GmbH (publisher; do NOT use as release label), PW Ballads, Special Rider Music, St. Louis Music Corp., Unichappell Music and Unichappell Music, Inc.
Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup4.52:56
21Drifting Blues
bass:
Eddie Williams (blues musician)
piano and vocal:
Charles Brown (blues musician)
recording of:
Drifting Blues
writer:
Charles Brown (blues musician), Johnny Moore (US blues guitarist, Three Blazers) and Eddie Williams (blues musician)
publisher:
EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), EMI Unart Catalog Inc., EMI United Partnership Ltd. and United Artists
Charles Brown3:16
22Mr. Blues Jumped the Rabbit
alto saxophone:
Tab Smith
baritone saxophone:
Larry Belton (saxophonist)
bass:
Al McKibbon (double bassist)
drums (drum set):
Walter Johnson (drums)
guitar:
Mary Osborne (Jazz guitarist)
piano:
Bill Doggett
tenor saxophone:
Allen Eager
trumpet:
Pat Jenkins (trumpet) and Joe Newman (US jazz trumpeter)
vocal:
Wynonie Harris (R&B singer, known as “Mr. Blues”)
performer:
Wynonie Harris All Stars
Wynonie Harris2:50
23Boogie Chillen'
recorded in:
Detroit, Michigan, United States (in 1948-09)
producer:
Bernard Besman (producer, label owner and songwriter)
guitar:
John Lee Hooker (US blues singer, songwriter & guitarist) (in 1948-09)
vocals:
John Lee Hooker (US blues singer, songwriter & guitarist) (in 1948-09)
recording of:
Boogie Chillen’ (in 1948-09)
writer:
Bernard Besman (producer, label owner and songwriter) and John Lee Hooker (US blues singer, songwriter & guitarist) (in 1948)
publisher:
BMG Music Publishing Ltd., La Cienega Music and Sony Music Publishing Ltd.
John Lee Hooker33:11
24Tim Moore's Farm
recorded in:
Houston, Texas, United States (in 1948)
guitar:
Lightnin’ Hopkins (in 1948)
vocals:
Lightnin’ Hopkins (in 1948)
recording of:
Tim Moore’s Farm
writer:
Lightnin’ Hopkins and Robert "Mack" McCormick
Lightnin’ Hopkins2:41
25No Rollin' Blues
alto saxophone:
Donald Hill
bass:
Herman Washington
drums (drum set):
Henry Green (gospel/blues singer from 1940's)
piano:
Gene Gilbeaux
vocal:
Jimmy Witherspoon
recording of:
No Rollin’ Blues
lyricist and composer:
Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon4:02
4▶CD

Credits

Release

liner notes:W. K. McNeil (liner notes related)
producer:Dennis Britton
W. K. McNeil (liner notes related)
Bruce Talbot
mastering:John Tyler (American engineer)
manufactured by:Sony Music Special Products
copyrighted (©) by:Smithsonian Institution
phonographic copyright (℗) by:Sony Music Entertainment (NOT FOR RELEASE LABEL USE! company owned by Sony Corporation of America since Oct 1, 2008; operates worldwide except in JP)
glass mastered at:DADC
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/release/12076013 [info]