Blues  •  Country Blues

Country Blues

Country Blues is a catch-all term that delineates the depth and breadth of the first flowering of guitar-driven blues, embracing both solo, duo, and string band performers. The term also provides a convenient general heading for all the multiple regional styles and variations (Piedmont, Atlanta, Memphis, Texas, acoustic Chicago, Delta, ragtime, folk, songster, etc.) of the form. It is primarily -- but not exclusively -- a genre filled with acoustic guitarists, embracing a multiplicity of techniques from elaborate fingerpicking to the early roots of slide playing. But some country-blues performers like Lightnin' Hopkins and John Lee Hooker later switched over to electric guitars without having to drastically change or alter their styles.

Country Blues Album Highlights

Skip James Today!
Skip James Skip James Today!
Vintage Recordings (1935-1949)
Rev. Gary Davis Vintage Recordings (1935-1949)
Plays and Sings the Blues
John Lee Hooker Plays and Sings the Blues
Complete 1931 Recordings in Chronological Order
Skip James Complete 1931 Recordings in Chronological Order
The Definitive Blind Willie McTell [Columbia/Legacy]
Blind Willie McTell The Definitive Blind Willie McTell [Columbia/Legacy]
Freedom Highway
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway
Mean Old World: The Blues from 1940 to 1994
Various Artists Mean Old World: The Blues from 1940 to 1994
The Young Big Bill Broonzy (1928-1935)
Big Bill Broonzy The Young Big Bill Broonzy (1928-1935)
Steppin' on the Blues
Lonnie Johnson Steppin' on the Blues
Ragtime Guitar's Foremost Fingerpicker
Blind Blake Ragtime Guitar's Foremost Fingerpicker
King of the Country Blues
Blind Lemon Jefferson King of the Country Blues
The Complete Recordings
Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings
Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings
Mississippi John Hurt Avalon Blues: The Complete 1928 Okeh Recordings
The Very Best of John Lee Hooker [Rhino]
John Lee Hooker The Very Best of John Lee Hooker [Rhino]
The Folkways Years (1945-1959)
Brownie McGhee The Folkways Years (1945-1959)
I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More 1929-1941
Sleepy John Estes I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More 1929-1941
Favorite Country Blues: Piano-Guitar Duets, 1929-1935
Various Artists Favorite Country Blues: Piano-Guitar Duets, 1929-1935
Shake 'Em on Down
Furry Lewis Shake 'Em on Down
Absolutely the Best
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Absolutely the Best
Truckin' My Blues Away
Blind Boy Fuller Truckin' My Blues Away
Blues & Ballads
Lonnie Johnson Blues & Ballads
Sounds of the South [4 CDs]
Various Artists Sounds of the South [4 CDs]
Hoodoo Lady (1933-1937)
Memphis Minnie Hoodoo Lady (1933-1937)
Good Time Tonight
Big Bill Broonzy Good Time Tonight
Complete Recorded Works (1928-1929)
Tommy Johnson Complete Recorded Works (1928-1929)
Gwine Dig a Hole to Put the Devil In: The Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 2
Lead Belly Gwine Dig a Hole to Put the Devil In: The Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 2
King of the 12-String Guitar
Lead Belly King of the 12-String Guitar
Mississippi Girls (1928-1931)
Various Artists Mississippi Girls (1928-1931)
The Complete Bukka White
Bukka White The Complete Bukka White
The Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives, & Steel, Vol. 1
Various Artists The Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives, & Steel, Vol. 1
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1927-1931)
Blind Willie McTell Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1927-1931)
As Good as It Gets: Hillbilly
Various Artists As Good as It Gets: Hillbilly
The Voice of the Blues: Bottleneck Guitar...
Various Artists The Voice of the Blues: Bottleneck Guitar...
Backwater Blues
Brownie McGhee / Sonny Terry / Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Backwater Blues
Living Country Blues: An Anthology
Various Artists Living Country Blues: An Anthology
Legends of the Blues, Vol. 1
Various Artists Legends of the Blues, Vol. 1
The Bluesville Years, Vol. 6: Blues Sweet Carolina Blues
Various Artists The Bluesville Years, Vol. 6: Blues Sweet Carolina Blues
Texas Worried Blues: Complete Recorded Works 1927-1929
Henry Thomas Texas Worried Blues: Complete Recorded Works 1927-1929
Stop and Listen
Mississippi Sheiks Stop and Listen
Blues Masters: The Very Best of Lightnin' Hopkins
Lightnin' Hopkins Blues Masters: The Very Best of Lightnin' Hopkins
Founder of the Delta Blues [Yazoo]
Charley Patton Founder of the Delta Blues [Yazoo]
The Definitive Collection
John Lee Hooker The Definitive Collection
I'd Rather Be the Devil: The Legendary 1931 Session
Skip James I'd Rather Be the Devil: The Legendary 1931 Session
Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Son House
Son House Heroes of the Blues: The Very Best of Son House
Mojo Hand: The Anthology
Lightnin' Hopkins Mojo Hand: The Anthology
King of the Delta Blues: The Complete Recordings [Columbia/Legacy]
Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues: The Complete Recordings [Columbia/Legacy]
The Complete Sessions 1930-1940
Bukka White The Complete Sessions 1930-1940
Memphis Jug Band [Reissue]
Memphis Jug Band Memphis Jug Band [Reissue]
Complete Recorded Works of Son House & the Great Delta Blues Singers
Son House Complete Recorded Works of Son House & the Great Delta Blues Singers
Do That Guitar Rag (1928-1935)
Big Bill Broonzy Do That Guitar Rag (1928-1935)
Lightnin' Hopkins [Smithsonian/Folkways]
Lightnin' Hopkins Lightnin' Hopkins [Smithsonian/Folkways]
Preachin' the Blues
Son House Preachin' the Blues
The Ultimate Collection (1948-1990)
John Lee Hooker The Ultimate Collection (1948-1990)
The Complete Aladdin Recordings
Lightnin' Hopkins The Complete Aladdin Recordings
Atlanta Twelve String
Blind Willie McTell Atlanta Twelve String
Delta Blues [Biograph]
Son House Delta Blues [Biograph]
King of the Delta Blues Singers
Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues Singers
King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2
Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2
The Complete Plantation Recordings
Muddy Waters The Complete Plantation Recordings
Hard Time Killin' Floor
Skip James Hard Time Killin' Floor
The Complete Brownie McGhee
Brownie McGhee The Complete Brownie McGhee
Big Bill's Blues
Big Bill Broonzy Big Bill's Blues
Naptown Blues (1929-1934)
Scrapper Blackwell / Leroy Carr / Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell Naptown Blues (1929-1934)
Blues Singer 1932-1936
Josh White Blues Singer 1932-1936
The Complete Recordings: 1929-1934
Charley Patton The Complete Recordings: 1929-1934
King of the Delta Blues
Charley Patton King of the Delta Blues
Aberdeen Mississippi Blues: The Vintage Recordings (1930-1940)
Bukka White Aberdeen Mississippi Blues: The Vintage Recordings (1930-1940)
Midnight Special: The Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 1
Lead Belly Midnight Special: The Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 1
Country Blues: Complete Early Recordings (1927-1929)
Dock Boggs Country Blues: Complete Early Recordings (1927-1929)
Boogie Chillun
John Lee Hooker Boogie Chillun
I Feel So Good
Big Bill Broonzy I Feel So Good
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 (1935-1936)
Big Bill Broonzy Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 (1935-1936)
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 8 (1938-1939)
Big Bill Broonzy Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 8 (1938-1939)
Early Rhythm & Blues from the Rare Regal Sessions: 1934-1942
Memphis Minnie Early Rhythm & Blues from the Rare Regal Sessions: 1934-1942
The Complete 1931 Recordings
Skip James The Complete 1931 Recordings
Alternative Boogie: Early Studio Recordings 1948-1952
John Lee Hooker Alternative Boogie: Early Studio Recordings 1948-1952
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1933-1935)
Blind Willie McTell Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1933-1935)
Chicago Calling
Big Bill Broonzy Chicago Calling
Roots of the Blues
Big Bill Broonzy / Josh White Roots of the Blues
Highway of Blues
John Lee Hooker / Sticks McGhee Highway of Blues
Worried Blues
Mississippi John Hurt Worried Blues
Half a Stranger
John Lee Hooker Half a Stranger
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1931-1933)
Blind Willie McTell Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1931-1933)
The Complete Prestige/Bluesville Recordings
Lightnin' Hopkins The Complete Prestige/Bluesville Recordings
Home Town Blues
Brownie McGhee / Sonny Terry / Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Home Town Blues
Sing
Sonny Terry / Brownie McGhee / Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Sing
The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt
Mississippi John Hurt The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt
Hard Time: Best of Skip James
Skip James Hard Time: Best of Skip James
All the Classic Sides 1928-1937
Big Bill Broonzy All the Classic Sides 1928-1937
The Complete Vogue Recordings
Big Bill Broonzy The Complete Vogue Recordings
Where the Blues Began
Big Bill Broonzy Where the Blues Began
Avalon Blues
Mississippi John Hurt Avalon Blues
Bests of JLH
John Lee Hooker Bests of JLH
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1927-1932)
Big Bill Broonzy Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1927-1932)
That's My Story
John Lee Hooker That's My Story
Complete Library of Congress Recordings (1940)
Blind Willie McTell Complete Library of Congress Recordings (1940)