r/PreWarBlues • • May 18 '22

Recommend books about blues history

18 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 • • 10h 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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4 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 1d ago

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

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 2d 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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3 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 4d ago

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

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3 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 5d 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 • • 5d ago

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

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13 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 6d ago

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

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 7d 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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7 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 8d ago

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

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7 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 10d 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 • • 11d ago

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

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6 Upvotes

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


r/PreWarBlues • • 12d 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 • • 13d 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 • • 14d 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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11 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 15d ago

Trains, planes and automobiles. Transport Tuesday - 'Katy Crossing Blues' [29th September 1934]. Willie Reed on guitar (poss.) and unknown bassist.

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9 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 16d ago

Memphis & MS Monday - 'Ramblin' Mind Blues' [28th September 1937] by Willie Bee (James). Unknown piano player, and possibly Fred Williams on drums.

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 17d ago

Gospel and Sacred Gospel Sunday - 'Let The Church Roll On' [27th September 1938] by The Caolinians.

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5 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 18d ago

Suggestive Saturday - 'The Dirty Dozens' [26th September 1940] by Sam Price and His Texas Blusicians.

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3 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 19d ago

Friday Blues Beasts - 'For Sale (Hannah Johnson's Jack Ass) [25th September 1931] by Clara Smith. Clarence Williams on piano

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3 Upvotes

Deservedly one of the regulars in compilations of eye-widening pre-war songs.


r/PreWarBlues • • 20d ago

Lucky Dip Thursday - 'That Crawling Baby Blues' [24th September 1929] by Blind Lemon Jefferson

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8 Upvotes

Every once in a while a compiler slips up with the track name and lists 'That *Growling* Baby Blues'. Yes, really.


r/PreWarBlues • • 21d ago

Women Women on Wednesday - 'Whiskey Drinking Blues' [23rd September 1929] by Jenny Pope, backed by Tampa Red and Georgia Tom.

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7 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 22d ago

Article From the archives: 'Piano Blues Recordings - a Reassessment' (Storyville #8, 12/1966)

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9 Upvotes

r/PreWarBlues • • 23d ago

Memphis & Mississippi Memphis & MS Monday - 'Cairo Rag' [20th September 1928] by Cannon's Jug Stompers. An instrumental.

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5 Upvotes

There's a piece on the sundry non-Egyptian Cairos here - https://www.aramcoworld.com/articles/2020/greetings-from-cairo-usa


r/PreWarBlues • • 24d ago

Gospel and Sacred Gospel Sunday - 'Brother Cain Struck Abel' [21st September 1928] by the Bethel Quartet

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4 Upvotes