Blues  •  Country Blues

Pre-War Gospel Blues

Prewar Gospel Blues is gospel blues recorded prior to World War II. There has always been a point, both stylistically and philosophically, where the sacred (gospel music) and the profane (blues, the devil's music) have had an uneasy alliance, and this genre strain is it. Consisting almost entirely of performers who are lay preachers or streetcorner evangelists, their use of blues guitar patterns are tightly interwoven to the most heartfelt statements of religious conviction. Embracing everything from ragtime fingerpicking and knife-edged slide techniques to crudely strummed rhythm patterns, the style owes less allegiance to a particular style of guitar than to using the instrument's possibilities to propel its lyrical message. Though its proponents are few, there are few sounds in the blues that are as alternately spiritual or as bone-chilling as gospel blues music.

Pre-War Gospel Blues Album Highlights

Founder of the Delta Blues [Yazoo]
Charley Patton Founder of the Delta Blues [Yazoo]
Vintage Recordings (1935-1949)
Rev. Gary Davis Vintage Recordings (1935-1949)
The Complete Sessions 1930-1940
Bukka White The Complete Sessions 1930-1940
King of the Country Blues
Blind Lemon Jefferson King of the Country Blues
The Legendary Josh White
Josh White The Legendary Josh White
Blues Singer 1932-1936
Josh White Blues Singer 1932-1936
The Complete Bukka White
Bukka White The Complete Bukka White
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)
Dark Was the Night
Blind Willie Johnson Dark Was the Night
Roots of the Blues
Big Bill Broonzy / Josh White Roots of the Blues
Shake 'Em on Down [Import]
Bukka White Shake 'Em on Down [Import]
Complete Early Recordings
Rev. Gary Davis Complete Early Recordings
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2: 1929
Charley Patton Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2: 1929
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3: 1929-1934
Charley Patton Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3: 1929-1934
Live at Newport
Rev. Gary Davis Live at Newport
Best of Charley Patton
Charley Patton Best of Charley Patton
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1: 1929
Charley Patton Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1: 1929
Shake 'Em on Down [New Rose]
Bukka White Shake 'Em on Down [New Rose]
Pony Blues: His 23 Greatest Songs
Charley Patton Pony Blues: His 23 Greatest Songs
The Definitive Charley Patton
Charley Patton The Definitive Charley Patton
The Complete Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson The Complete Blind Willie Johnson
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1928)
Blind Lemon Jefferson Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1928)
Classic Sides
Blind Lemon Jefferson Classic Sides
Blind Lemon Jefferson, Vol. 2
Blind Lemon Jefferson Blind Lemon Jefferson, Vol. 2
Deep River of Song: Virginia and the Piedmont
Alan Lomax Deep River of Song: Virginia and the Piedmont
Blues And...
Josh White Blues And...
Free & Equal Blues
Josh White Free & Equal Blues
The Panama Limited
Bukka White The Panama Limited
Vocalion Recordings
Charley Patton Vocalion Recordings
Voice of the Delta: The Complete Paramount Recordings
Charley Patton Voice of the Delta: The Complete Paramount Recordings
1930-1940 Mississippi Blues Giant
Bukka White 1930-1940 Mississippi Blues Giant
Demons and Angels: The Ultimate Collection
Rev. Gary Davis Demons and Angels: The Ultimate Collection
I Am the True Vine
Rev. Gary Davis I Am the True Vine
The Rough Guide to Blues Legends: Charley Patton
Charley Patton The Rough Guide to Blues Legends: Charley Patton
Nobody's Fault But Mine: Original Recordings 1927-30
Blind Willie Johnson Nobody's Fault But Mine: Original Recordings 1927-30
Blind Willie Johnson and the Guitar Evangelists
Blind Willie Johnson Blind Willie Johnson and the Guitar Evangelists
Praise God I'm Satisfied
Blind Willie Johnson Praise God I'm Satisfied
Sweeter as the Years Go By
Blind Willie Johnson Sweeter as the Years Go By
The Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson [Yazoo]
Blind Lemon Jefferson The Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson [Yazoo]
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1927)
Blind Lemon Jefferson Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1927)
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1
Blind Lemon Jefferson Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1933-1935)
Josh White Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1933-1935)
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 (1940-41)
Josh White Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 (1940-41)
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1935-1940)
Josh White Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1935-1940)
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1929-1933)
Josh White Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1929-1933)
The Soul of a Man [Universe]
Blind Willie Johnson The Soul of a Man [Universe]
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order (1928-1930)
Rev. D.C. Rice Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order (1928-1930)
The Essential
Georgia Tom The Essential
Complete Recorded Works (1929-1936)
Blind Roosevelt Graves Complete Recorded Works (1929-1936)
Key to the Kingdom
George Washington Phillips Key to the Kingdom
Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 1-3
Various Artists Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 1-3
Storefront & Streetcorner Gospel (1927-1929)
Various Artists Storefront & Streetcorner Gospel (1927-1929)
Blues Masters, Vol. 3: Texas Blues
Various Artists Blues Masters, Vol. 3: Texas Blues
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1926-1928)
Blind Joe Taggart Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1926-1928)
He Is My Story: The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes
Arizona Dranes He Is My Story: The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes
The Roots of It All: Acoustic Blues - The Definitive Collection, Vol. 1
Various Artists The Roots of It All: Acoustic Blues - The Definitive Collection, Vol. 1
I Am Born to Preach the Gospel
George Washington Phillips I Am Born to Preach the Gospel
American Folk Music
Various Artists American Folk Music
American Primitive, Vol. 1
Various Artists American Primitive, Vol. 1
The Rough Guide to Delta Blues
Various Artists The Rough Guide to Delta Blues
Roots of Ry Cooder
Various Artists Roots of Ry Cooder
Memphis Sanctified Jug Bands 1928-1930
Various Artists Memphis Sanctified Jug Bands 1928-1930
1933-1941
Joshua White 1933-1941
The Greatest in Country Blues, Vol. 1 (1927-1930)
Various Artists The Greatest in Country Blues, Vol. 1 (1927-1930)
Country Blues Collector Items, Vol. 2 (1931-1937) [Story of the Blues]
Various Artists Country Blues Collector Items, Vol. 2 (1931-1937) [Story of the Blues]
The Gospel Sound
Various Artists The Gospel Sound
Legends of the Blues, Vol. 1
Various Artists Legends of the Blues, Vol. 1
Mama Let Me Lay It on You (1926-1936)
Various Artists Mama Let Me Lay It on You (1926-1936)
Fonotone Records 1956-1969
Various Artists Fonotone Records 1956-1969
The Gospel Tradition: Roots & Branches, Vol. 1
Various Artists The Gospel Tradition: Roots & Branches, Vol. 1
The Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives, & Steel, Vol. 1
Various Artists The Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives, & Steel, Vol. 1
Complete Recorded Works (1926-1929)
Arizona Dranes Complete Recorded Works (1926-1929)
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1929-1934)
Blind Joe Taggart Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1929-1934)
Complete Recorded Works 1927-1929
Rev. Johnny Blakey / Rev. M.L. Gipson Complete Recorded Works 1927-1929
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
The Blues: A Smithsonian Collection of Classic Blues Singers
Various Artists The Blues: A Smithsonian Collection of Classic Blues Singers
...I Listen to the Wind That Obliterates My Traces
Various Artists ...I Listen to the Wind That Obliterates My Traces
Great Classic Blues Singers
Various Artists Great Classic Blues Singers
Classic Slide Guitar Blues
Various Artists Classic Slide Guitar Blues
The Best There Ever Was: The Legendary Early Blues Performers
Various Artists The Best There Ever Was: The Legendary Early Blues Performers
Yonder Come the Blues
Various Artists Yonder Come the Blues
Southern Blues, Vol. 1
Various Artists Southern Blues, Vol. 1
Red River Blues 1934-1943
Various Artists Red River Blues 1934-1943
The Half Ain't Never Been Told, Vol. 1
Various Artists The Half Ain't Never Been Told, Vol. 1