Legends Of Guitar : Country, Vol. 1

1. Hurricane - Larry Collins, Joe Maphis

2. Night Rider - Jimmy Bryant, Speedy West

3. Paso - Marty Robbins

4. Oklahoma Stomp - Spade Cooley & His Orchestra

5. Cannon Ball Stomp - Merle Travis

6. Lost Weekend - Roy Lanham

7. Cheezy Breeze

8. Galloping on the Guitar - Chet Atkins

9. Twin Guitar Special - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

10. Honey Fingers - Leon Rhodes,

11. Guitar Boogie - Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith

12. Sugar Foot Rag - Hank Garland, Vaughn

13. Tennesee - Carl Perkins

14. I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink - Merle Haggard

15. Slowly - Webb Pierce

16. Windy and Warm - Doc Watson

17. Nashville West - The Byrds

Tracks:

St. Louis Blues - Bessie Smith
Match Box Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson
Ain't No Tellin' - Mississippi John Hurt
Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Crying - Blind Willie Johnson
Pigmeat Is What I Crave - Bo Carter
Southern Can Is Mine - Blind Willie McTell
Low Down St. Louis Blues - Lonnie Johnson
Revenue Man Blues - Charley Patton
Stormy Night Blues - Leroy Carr
I Believe I'll Make A Change - Josh White
Forth Worth And Dallas Blues - Leadbelly
Sweet Home Blues - Peetie Wheatstraw
Stop Breakin' Down Blues - Robert Johnson
Truckin' My Blues Away, #2 - Blind Boy Fuller
Spreadin' Snakes Blues - Big Bill Broonzy
Nothing In Ramblin' - Memphis Minnie
Fixin' To Die Blues - Bukka White
Hard Day Blues - Muddy Waters
Don't You Leave Me Here - Big Joe Williams
Death Letter - Son House

Customer Reviews:

Back to the Roots.......2006-02-22

Even though the sound has been digitally remastered, this cd still has a scratchy sound to it, but I believe that just adds to the authenticity of LEGENDS OF THE BLUES and gives you a real feel for what made this music so great.

With these old time blues legends, you really hear the pain in their voices. They don't just sing the blues, they lived the blues. Blind Willie Johnson and Bessie Smith will just make you want to hang your head and cry, while Bo Carter and Blind Boy Fuller will make it all better. If you're a traditionalist and want to hear blues at the core of its foundation, this cd is for you.

A solid primer.......2004-01-10

A fine introduction to those wanting more exposure to the blues and a nice addition to for the more knowledgable. Great song selection - there's sure to be something you haven't heard.

And "Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying" by Blind Willie Johnson gets better with each play.

Great Introduction to the Blues.......2002-02-24

For someone unfamiliar with the blues, this collection is a great one to start your collection. For others only familiar with contemporary blues artists, this CD gives them a real sense of the origins of the blues.

The collection starts off with Bessie Smith's 1925 recording of "St. Louis Blues," arguably the most famous blues recording of the early period. In that song Smith's powerful vocals are almost overshadowed by Louis Armstrong's cornet playing. The song was so popular at the time that it was used as the central part of "St. Louis Blues," Smith's only film appearance.

Other highlights in this twenty song collection include Robert Johnson's "Stop Breakin'Down Blues." For those not familiar with Johnson are in for a treat on this one. His unique emotional style is evident here in this story of betrayal.

Memphis Minnie, arguably one of the best blues guitarists of all-time is represented here in "Nothin' in Ramblin'." Despite being a woman, the subject matter about a woman on the road is very usual for the pre-feminist era. Memphis Minnie truly deserves to ranked with the best in the blues.

Bukka White's "Fixin' to Die Blues" is another gem. This gospel-tinged song although featured only vocals, guitar and washboard makes you want to tap your feet. It really rocks.

"Don't You Leave Me Here" by Big Joe Williams is probably the most contemporary of the songs in this collection in terms of the sound. It's a good example of early "urban blues" style popularized by the likes of Bobby Blue Bland and others.

Although it was recorded in 1965, "Death Letter" by Son House fits nicely in this collection. Featuring House accompanied by his own guitar, "Death Letter" is a great "gut bucket" blues. A gospel influence is also evident here.

What's also great about this collection is the variety of voices. Mississippi John Hurt on "Ain't No Tellin'" has a very soothing voice which compliments his soft guitar playing. Meanwhile, Blind Willie Johnson is rough and raw on "Lord, I Can't Keep from Cryin'."

As you can see this is only a sampling of this twenty song set. It also includes previously unreleased tracks by Leadbelly, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Lonnie Johnson.

If you like the blues, you'll love this collection. Since the blues influenced rock and soul, fans of those music genres should also appreciate this great music as well. If anything, check out the CD for the stories. There are some great stories here.

THIS is the Blues . . ........2000-03-16

Blues is definately something I love. It's something I ache for, and this album soothes my nerves. It's one of the best compilations of old time blues that I've ever heard of. For anyone who enjoys the sweet chordhs of Leadbelly and Muddy Waters, or the melodious pipes of Bessie Smith, this is an ideal selection. These songs hold strong to the Blues tradition of emotion, hardship, love, nostalgia, stress, fear, death and taxes. I highly recommend the purchase of this fine album.

Average customer rating:

Wide-ranging collection of country guitar styles

Legends Of Guitar : Country, Vol. 1
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

Honky-Tonk | Country | Styles | Music

Nashville Sound | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

Western Swing | Country | Styles | Music

Traditional Country | Compilations | Country | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rockabilly | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music

Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

1950s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Legends Of Guitar : Country, Vol. 2
Guitar Player Presents: Legends of Guitar: Jazz, Vol. 1
Guitar Player Presents Rock: Legends of Guitar: The 60s, Vol. 1
Guitar Player Presents Rock: Legends of Guitar: The 50s, Vol. 1
Guitar Player Presents: Legends of Guitar: Jazz, Vol. 2

ASIN: B0000032LZ
Release Date: 1990-09-18

Tracks:

Hurricane - Larry Collins, Joe Maphis
Night Rider - Jimmy Bryant, Speedy West
Paso - Marty Robbins
Oklahoma Stomp - Spade Cooley & His Orchestra
Cannon Ball Stomp - Merle Travis
Lost Weekend - Roy Lanham
Cheezy Breeze
Galloping on the Guitar - Chet Atkins
Twin Guitar Special - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
Honey Fingers - Leon Rhodes,
Guitar Boogie - Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith
Sugar Foot Rag - Hank Garland, Vaughn
Tennesee - Carl Perkins
I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink - Merle Haggard
Slowly - Webb Pierce
Windy and Warm - Doc Watson
Nashville West - The Byrds

Customer Reviews:

Wide-ranging collection of country guitar styles.......2002-02-11

The guitar’s evolution from rhythm to lead was paralleled by the increasing renown of its country players. But even with the guitar’s lead role, Nashville’s system often subordinated the stardom of pickers to the vocalists (or band leaders) on whose records they performed. Guitar Player’s 1990 collection highlights seventeen stellar guitar performances, ranging from hotshot slingers like Joe Maphis whose instrumentals serve up his flying fingers front-and-center, to brilliant players like Grady Martin, whose Mexicali-flavored picking serves as a duet to Marty Robbins’ vocal on "El Paso."

The range of musical and guitar playing styles presented here is astonishing. Maphis and his disciple Larry Collins flat pick up a storm in "Hurricane." Jimmy Bryant & Speedy West duel with guitar and steel on "The Night Rider." Earl "Joaquin" Murphey provides swinging steel in Spade Cooley’s big-band. Merle Travis shows off his acoustic fingerpicking talents (as opposed to the honky-tonk he’s more commonly known for) on "Cannon Ball Stomp," and Chet Atkins (backed by Homer and Jethro) shows off his variation of Travis’ style on "Galloping on the Guitar." Leon McAuliffe (of Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys) and Leon Rhodes (of Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours) shine on a pair of instrumentals.

Carl Perkins, remembered today mostly for his rockabilly sides demonstrates his exceptional country skills on "Tennessee," an early side waxed for Sun. Later samplings include the chiming 12-string of Roger McGuinn supporting the picking of Clarence White on the Byrds’ "Nashville West," and Reggie Young’s 1981 work on Merle Haggard’s loping "I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink."

Additional highlights include Bud Isaacs watershed pedal steel appearance on Webb Pierce’s "Slowly" and Doc Watson’s folk-country fingerpicked cover of John D. Loudermilk’s "Windy and Warm." The inclusion of longtime Sons of the Pioneers guitarist Roy Lanham’s bebop playing on "Lost Weekend," is a fine, though not particularly relevant to the theme of the collection - too bad a Pioneer’s side couldn’t be included. The disc’s lack of chronological sequencing is a bit puzzling. Audio quality is generally excellent (with a few pops and crackles on some of the earlier transcription work), and Rich Kienzle’s extensive liner notes are thorough and engaging.