Blues  •  Early Acoustic Blues

Early American Blues

Early American Blues delineates the sound of the raw African-American song being put into a recognizable form of a commercial context. Starting with the work songs of slaves in the plantation fields down South and following it to the development of "floating verses" used by them to form actual songs, there was no written structure involved. But the strength -- and popularity -- of the music could not go unnoticed by other African-American musicians of more professional standing. This development brought with it the very first attempts to put the blues into the standard 12-bar form, utilizing three basic-chord changes and the AAB verse stanzas indigenous to the genre.

Early American Blues Album Highlights

Good Time Tonight
Big Bill Broonzy Good Time Tonight
The Young Big Bill Broonzy (1928-1935)
Big Bill Broonzy The Young Big Bill Broonzy (1928-1935)
Whiskey Is My Habit, Women Is All I Crave: The Best of Leroy Carr
Leroy Carr Whiskey Is My Habit, Women Is All I Crave: The Best of Leroy Carr
It Hurts Me Too: The Essential Recordings of Tampa Red
Tampa Red It Hurts Me Too: The Essential Recordings of Tampa Red
Big Bill's Blues
Big Bill Broonzy Big Bill's Blues
Do That Guitar Rag (1928-1935)
Big Bill Broonzy Do That Guitar Rag (1928-1935)
Bottleneck Guitar 1928-1937
Tampa Red Bottleneck Guitar 1928-1937
Warm, Witty & Wise
Big Bill Broonzy Warm, Witty & Wise
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1927-1932)
Big Bill Broonzy Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1927-1932)
I Feel So Good
Big Bill Broonzy I Feel So Good
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1923)
Ida Cox Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1923)
Tampa Red (1928-1942)
Tampa Red Tampa Red (1928-1942)
Blues Everywhere I Go
Odetta Blues Everywhere I Go
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1928-1929)
Tampa Red Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1928-1929)
Texas Worried Blues: Complete Recorded Works 1927-1929
Henry Thomas Texas Worried Blues: Complete Recorded Works 1927-1929
W.C. Handy's Memphis Blues Band
W.C. Handy W.C. Handy's Memphis Blues Band
Whoop It Up! Volume 1: 1927-1929
Clarence Williams Whoop It Up! Volume 1: 1927-1929
Ragtime Texas: 1927-1929
Henry Thomas Ragtime Texas: 1927-1929
The Frank Stokes Victor Recordings (1928-1929)
Frank Stokes The Frank Stokes Victor Recordings (1928-1929)
These 13
Andrew Bird / Jimbo Mathus These 13
Crazy Blues: The Best of Mamie Smith
Mamie Smith Crazy Blues: The Best of Mamie Smith
The Memphis Blues
Frank Stokes The Memphis Blues
The Best of Frank Stokes
Frank Stokes The Best of Frank Stokes
St. Louis Blues
Aki Takase St. Louis Blues
Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 4
Various Artists Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 4
Common Ground: Dave & Phil Alvin Play and Sing the Songs of Big Bill Broonzy
Dave Alvin / Phil Alvin Common Ground: Dave & Phil Alvin Play and Sing the Songs of Big Bill Broonzy
From an Old Guitar: Rare and Unreleased Recordings
Dave Alvin From an Old Guitar: Rare and Unreleased Recordings
The Voice of the Blues: Bottleneck Guitar...
Various Artists The Voice of the Blues: Bottleneck Guitar...
Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
Various Artists Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
Blues in the Mississippi Night [1991 Ryko]
Various Artists Blues in the Mississippi Night [1991 Ryko]
Blues & Gospel: Eastern States
Various Artists Blues & Gospel: Eastern States
Violin, Sing the Blues for Me: African-American Fiddlers 1926-1949
Various Artists Violin, Sing the Blues for Me: African-American Fiddlers 1926-1949
The History of Rhythm and Blues 1942-1952
Various Artists The History of Rhythm and Blues 1942-1952
The History of Rhythm & Blues
Various Artists The History of Rhythm & Blues
Masters of Memphis Blues
Various Artists Masters of Memphis Blues
Ain't Times Hard: Political and Social Comment In The Blues
Various Artists Ain't Times Hard: Political and Social Comment In The Blues
The Best There Ever Was: The Legendary Early Blues Performers
Various Artists The Best There Ever Was: The Legendary Early Blues Performers
Blues Masters, Vol. 10: Blues Roots
Various Artists Blues Masters, Vol. 10: Blues Roots
American Folk-Blues Train: Alan Lomax Field and Studio Recordings
Various Artists American Folk-Blues Train: Alan Lomax Field and Studio Recordings
Rough Guide to the Blues
Various Artists Rough Guide to the Blues
Blues Story [Shout! Factory]
Various Artists Blues Story [Shout! Factory]
Best of Blues, Vol. 1 [Madacy]
Various Artists Best of Blues, Vol. 1 [Madacy]
Best of Blues, Vol. 2 [Madacy]
Various Artists Best of Blues, Vol. 2 [Madacy]
Raunchy Business: Hot Nuts & Lollypops
Various Artists Raunchy Business: Hot Nuts & Lollypops
Best of Blues, Vol. 3 [Madacy]
Various Artists Best of Blues, Vol. 3 [Madacy]
Meaning in the Blues
Various Artists Meaning in the Blues
Blind Man Blues
Various Artists Blind Man Blues
The Roots of Goth
Various Artists The Roots of Goth
Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan
Various Artists Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan
Best of Blues [Madacy Box Set]
Various Artists Best of Blues [Madacy Box Set]
Roots of Rock & Roll, Vol. 1: 1927-1938
Various Artists Roots of Rock & Roll, Vol. 1: 1927-1938
ABC of the Blues: The Ultimate Collection from the Delta to the Big Cities
Various Artists ABC of the Blues: The Ultimate Collection from the Delta to the Big Cities
Baby, How Can It Be? Songs of Love, Lust and Contempt from the 1920s and 1930s
Various Artists Baby, How Can It Be? Songs of Love, Lust and Contempt from the 1920s and 1930s
Richer Tradition: Country Blues and String Band Music 1923-1942
Various Artists Richer Tradition: Country Blues and String Band Music 1923-1942
Lonesome Whistle: An Anthology of American Railroad Songs
Various Artists Lonesome Whistle: An Anthology of American Railroad Songs
The Rough Guide to Unsung Heroes of Country Blues
Various Artists The Rough Guide to Unsung Heroes of Country Blues
The Rough Guide to Unsung Heroes of Country Blues, Vol. 2
Various Artists The Rough Guide to Unsung Heroes of Country Blues, Vol. 2