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NEWSLETTER #126
Blues & Gospel
Bernard Allison -> Freddy King
| BERNARD ALLISON |
Tone Cool 1135 |
Storms Of Life |
● CD $16.98 |
13 tracks, 52 minutes, very good. From the solo and skidding
Slip Slidin' to the guitar tour-de-force of Down South, or
Johnny Winter's Mean Town Blues, which is far more centered than the
original, Bernard Allison's second Tone-Cool effort shows a commanding
guitarist with effortless control of his instrument and an emotive voice.
Speed Slide offers searing bottleneck and Fist Full Of Dirt is
laced with rude guitar, then Bernard swings through the relaxing Goodbye
Little Girl with horns and harp while Help Me Through The Days is a
simmering blues. Less traditional offerings include the title cut and the
similar approach of Just Do Me Any Way You Want. More modern touches
rule the blistering I Think I Love You Too Much and Snake Bit
Again, a searing SRV-styled rocker done with class. While it doesn't
break any new ground, Storms Of Life has enough going for it with Bernard's
master touch. (CR)
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| ROY BROWN |
Classics 5036 |
The Chronolological Roy Brown |
● CD $14.98 |
22 tracks, 67 mins, essential. While the French Classics
label is mostly known for their jazz reissues, they also have a healthy R&B
side. This is their second Brown collection & has six complete sessions done
for Deluxe, April 1950 to March 1952. Though the sessions are credited to
Brown & His Mighty-Mighty Men, the final session here was rejected & may
actually have had Lucky Millander's Orch. backing. The brass-heavy band,
with Edgar Blanchard on guitar, is heard on such greats as Cadillac Baby/
Hard Luck Blues/ Double Crossin' Woman/ I've Got The Last Laugh Now/ New
Rebecca. and others. (GM)
ROY BROWN: Beautician Blues/ Big Town/ Big Town/ Cadillac Baby/ Cryin' And
Singin' The Blues/ Double Crossin Woman/ Dreaming Blues/ Good Man Blues/
Good Rockin' Man/ Hard Luck Blues/ I've Got The Last Laugh Now/ It's A
Cryin' Shame/ Long About Sundown/ Love Don't Love Nobody/ New Rebecca/
Rock-a-bye Baby/ Sweet Peach/ Teen Age Jamboree/ Too Much Lovin' Ain't No
Good/ Train Time Blues/ Wrong Woman Blues
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| EDDIE BURNS |
Delmark 758 |
Snake Eyes |
● CD $16.98 |
15 tracks, 62 minutes. very good. Eddie Burns comes with a
solid pedigree having spent time with John Lee Hooker when both were strong
contributors to the 1950's and 60's blues scene. Burns reappears here on
Delmark with his brother Jimmy in tow for a potent set of modern electric
blues, rooted in a vintage setting. Fine guitar and decent harmonica
throughout, although Eddie's voice at times lack the strength and power of
earlier years. The brothers share acoustic and electric guitar duties and
split the vocal chores on Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash, while
the rhythm section of Nick Charles and Larry Taylor on bass and drums add
good support. Go 'Head Angel nods toward Muddy Waters with its
stop-time groove and Treat Me Like I Treat You shuffles through the
alley. Papa Likes To Boogie and Hastings Street Special get
solid treatment also. (CR)
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| THE CARTER BROTHERS |
P-Vine PCD 5539 |
Since You've Come Into My Life |
● CD $21.98 |
Second album on P-Vine of new recordings by this West Coast
group which is now down to a duo - vocalist Roman and lead guitarist Albert.
These were recorded in California with a solid small band with occasional
horns. All the songs are Carter originals including a couple of remakes of
their earlier recordings but mostly new compositions.
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| TRENTON COOPER |
Wolf 120.919 |
The Piano Styles Of Trenton Cooper |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks recorded informally in 1980 and 1990 featuring
Arkansas singer/ piano player Trenton Cooper. Trenton has an interesting and
pleasing style which draws on jazz influences as much as blues. His material
is a mixture of traditional blues songs (How Long Blues/ Ain't Nobody's
Business/ St. Louis Blues, etc) and originals - the latter mostly
instrumental improvisations.
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| DON
COVAY & THE JEFFERSON LEMON BLUES BAND |
Sepia Tone STONE 11 |
The House Of Blue Lights |
● CD $12.98 |
Reissue of "legendary underground" album from 1969 featuring
this great R&B/ soul singer/ songwriter on a collection of mostly original
blues songs accompanied by an anonymous group of musicians. Didn't do much
for me.
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| BOO BOO DAVIS |
Black & Tan 012 |
Can Man |
● CD $14.98 |
Second album for Black & Tan by St. Louis based singer and
harmonica player. A collection of mostly original songs recorded in Holland
with backup by Dutch band.
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| CEDELL DAVIS |
Fast Horse 003 |
Lightning Struck The Pine |
● CD $15.98 |
11tracks , 55 minutes, very good 76-year-old Cedell Davis
plays guitar with a reckless attitude using a butterknife as opposed to a
bottleneck. Regardless of a bout with polio which crippled him years ago,
Davis sounds like he's got the wherewithal to knock Legba to his knees. His
Epiphone sounds ready to submit to his archaic way of playing while his
voice sounds as if it were recorded through a garbage can, and he delivers
exactly what he has been known for throughout a relatively brief career as a
recording artist. While only his third release, Cedell Davis delivers
bone-shaking, earthy blues. Peter Buck, Barrett Martin, Jeffrey Barnes and
others appear, but it's Cedell front and center. The only small gripe is the
occasionally out-of-place sax on some cuts. (CR)
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| CHAMPION JACK DUPREE |
Fuel 2000 61229 |
St. Claude & Dumaine |
● CD $13.98 |
58 minutes, 12 tracks, good Champion Jack Dupree enjoyed a
recording career that spanned five decades and this twelve track disc is
compiled from a few European sessions in the 1960's. John Moorhead steals a
few memorable guitar moments while Victor Brox offers solid harp on the 1969
band cuts, but Dupree is at his best when alone at the piano. From
Copenhagen in 1960 and 1962, the expatriate simmers during Mercy On Me
and I'm A Gambling Man is superb, while I Hate To Be Alone
and I'm Growing Older Every Day are pure and unfettered blues. A
Good Woman Is Hard To Find is mistitled in the liner notes by Bill Dahl,
but that's a minor quibble. Another decent offering from Fuel 2000 Records.
(CR)
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| CHAMPION JACK DUPREE |
Jasmine 3008 |
Jivin' With Jack |
● CD $17.98 |
Two CD set featuring this great singer and piano player
recorded live at the Manchester Sports Guild in England in 1966. Includes 15
tracks interspersed with Jack's amusing introductions. Includes Going
Down To The Bottom/ Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer/ Income Tax/ Please
Send Me Someone To Love/ How Long Blues/ Big Legged Mama/ Hey La Bas and
others. Jack is in good form and sound quality is excellent.
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| FIVE BLIND BOYS
OF MISSISSIPPI |
P-Vine PCD 5837 |
/SENSATIONAL NIGHTINGALES : The Lord Will
Make A Way |
● CD $22.98 |
26 tracks, 68 mins, essential Post war gospel doesn't get
much better than this. Here we have the earliest recordings of two of the
greatest of the post war gospel quartets. There are 18 tracks by The Five
Blind Boys Of Mississippi recorded for Excelsior and Coleman in 1947 and
1948. Though they were to achieve their greatest fame after they moved to
Peacock these earlier sides show the development of their music from the
more traditional style on their Excelsior sides to the intense hard edged
sound of their Coleman recordings - a style which reached its final fruition
when they moved to Peacock. The lead vocals are by Percell Perkins and the
magnificent Archie Brownlee - the latter's searing and barely controlled
vocal style was to become one of the most influential in gospel and
subsequently soul music. There are stunning performances of the title song
plus Lord I Tried/ I'll Never Turn Back/ I Want Wings/ You Got To Move/
Jesus Traveled This Road Before/ Never Turn Back and others. Some of the
Excelsior sides are pretty rough 78s but the music is so magnificent that
you won't mind. The Sensational Nightingales were also a top group with
Peacock and the sides here are from Coleman (1949) and Decca (1951) - the
latter sides are more exciting thanks to the presence of the great Julius
"June" Cheeks as lead on a couple of the songs. Wonderful performances
throughout - now it's time for MCA to get its act together and release the
great Peacock sides by these groups - but don't hold your breath! (FS)
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| THE FLYING CLOUDS
OF DETROIT |
Heritage HTCD 46 |
1942-1950 |
● CD $16.98 |
Superb collection of acapella gospel from this long lived
group from Detroit. About half these tracks were reissued a while back by
P-vine on their collection of Detroit gospel (P-Vine PCD 5822 - $21.98) but
this set includes some remarkable and superb tracks from 1942 radio
transcriptions including introductions and commercials includes three tracks
with the great Silas Steele as a member of the group. Includes illustrated
booklet with notes by gospel expert Opal Louis Nations.
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| PEPPERMINT HARRIS |
Blue City 815 |
I Got Loaded |
● CD $18.98 |
30 track collection of sides from the 50s from this plummy
voice Texas bluesman. Includes his great #1 R&B hit I Got Loaded
which has been covered by a number of artists.
PEPPERMINT HARRIS: Black Cat Bone/ Bye Bye Faire Thee Well/ Fat Gal Boogie/
Goodbye Baby/ Have Another Drink And Talk To Me/ Hey Little School Girl/ I
Always End Up Blue/ I Cry For My Baby/ I Don't Care/ I Got Loaded/ I Never
Get Enough Of You/ I Sure Do Miss My Baby/ It's You, Yes It's You/ Just You
And Me/ Let The Back Door Hit You/ Love At First Sight/ Maggie's Boogie/
Messin' Round With The Blues/ Middle Of Winter/ Need Your Lovin'/ Oo Wee
Baby/ P.h. Blues/ Right Back On It/ The Blues Picks On Me/ There's A Dead
Cat On The Line/ This Is Goodbye/ Three Sheets In The Wind/ Too Late To
Worry/ Wasted Love/ You Got Me Wondering
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|
PROFESSOR
JAMES EARLE HINES & HIS GOODWILL SINGERS |
Gospel Friend 1501 |
Jesus Steps Right In |
● CD $14.98 |
21 tracks recorded between 1947 and '51 featuring featuring
gospel's first postwar male star. Includes studio performances as well as
songs recorded at church services.
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| SMOKEY HOGG |
Blues Collection 160 262 |
Good Morning Little School Girl, 1945-1941 |
● CD $13.98 |
Excellent 22 track retrospective of this prolific and
popular performer featuring some of his best and most sucessful recordings.
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| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
Chess 112 821 |
Real Folk Blues/ More Real Folk Blues |
● CD $18.98 |
18 tracks, 79 minutes, very good. While MCA continues to
mine the same ground they've covered for years, their decision to repackage
the "Real Folk Blues" issues with "More Real Folk Blues" into single CD's,
bodes well and proves cost effective. While the rest of this series compiles
vintage singles, Hooker's set was recorded new in 1966 and credible support
comes from a cast featuring Eddie Burns, Lafayette Leake, and Fred Below.
The Waterfront shows Hooker alone and pensive and the disc is trussed
out with fine band readings of I'm In The Mood/ Deep Blue Sea/ Catfish/
House Rent Blues/ I Can't Quit You Baby/ Want Ad Blues, and more.
Peace Lovin' Man is a droning, slow blues workout with stellar guitar
from Eddie Burns melding perfectly behind Hooker's searing vocals. (CR)
JOHN LEE HOOKER: Catfish Blues/ Deep Blue Sea/ House Rent Blues/ I Can't
Quit You Baby/ I Put My Trust In You/ I'll Never Trust Your Love Again/ I'm
In The Mood/ Lead Me/ Let's Go Out Tonight/ Mustang Sally And Gto/ Nobody
Knows/ One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer/ Peace Lovin' Man/ Stella Mae/ This
Land Is Nobody's Land/ Want Ad Blues/ Waterfront/ You Know, I Know
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| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
Snapper 705 |
Testament |
● CD $33.98 |
Nicely compiled collection of John Lee's Vee-Jay recordings.
Three CD set with 60 tracks plus 24 page booklet.
JOHN LEE HOOKER: Baby Lee/ Big Legs, Tight Skirt/ Birmingham Blues/ Blues
Before Sunrise/ Boogie Chillun/ Boom Boom/ Crawlin’ Black Spider/ Crawlin’
Kingsnake/ Dirty Ground Hog/ Don’t Look Back/ Drive Me Away/ Drug Store
Woman/ Dusty Road/ Every Night/ Everybody Rockin'/ Five Long Hours/ Half A
Stranger/ Hobo Blues/ House Rent Boogie/ I Can't Believe/ I Love You Honey/
I'm A Stranger/ I'm Leaving Baby/ I'm So Worried/ I've Got A Letter/ It
Serves Me Right To Suffer/ I’m Going Upstairs/ I’m In The Mood/ I’m Mad
Again/ I’m So Excited/ Let's Make It/ Little Fine Woman/ Little Wheel/ Mama,
You Got A Daughter/ Maudie/ Moanin’ Blues/ My First Wife Left Me/ Nightmare/
No Shoes/ One Way Ticket/ Process/ Rosie Mae/ Sally Mae/ Send Me Your
Pillow/ Solid Sender/ Sunny Land/ Take A Look At Yourself/ The Road Is So
Rough/ This Is Hip/ Time Is Marchin’/ Trouble Blues/ Tupelo (Live)/
Unfriendly Woman/ Want Ad Blues/ Wednesday Evening Blues/ Whiskey And Woman/
You Can Lead Me Baby/ You've Taken My Woman/ Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine
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| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
Vanguard 79703 |
Live At Newport |
● CD $15.98 |
13 acoustic tracks recorded live at the Newport Folk
Festival in 1960 and '63. The 1960 sides are solo and the '63 tracks are
with stand up bass player Bill Lee.
JOHN LEE HOOKER: Boom Boom/ Boom Boom/ Bus Station Blues/ Great Fire of
Natchez/ Hobo Blues/ Hobo Blues/ I Can't Quit You Baby/ Let's Make It/
Maudie/ Sometimes You Make Me Feel So Bad/ Stop Now Baby/ Tupelo/ You're
Gonna Need Another Favor
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| JOHN LEE HOOKER |
Vestapol 13035 |
Rare Performances, 1960-1984 |
DVD $23.98 |
DVD 13 songs, 60 mins, black & white/ color, recommended Now on
DVD. This video opens with a couple of fine solo performances from 1960
followed by two songs from the Newport Jazz Festival where he is accompanied
by the Muddy Waters Band. Sound quality here is not the greatest and
Hooker's guitar is just about inaudible but to compensate for this one can
hear Otis Spann's stellar piano playing and the piano solo he takes on
Come Back Baby is simply stunning. Hooker was very popular in England
and there are a couple of performances from 1964 BBC-TV with John Lee
boogieing away accompanied by a band of mod looking English rockers. The
rest of the tape features clips of Hooker between 1969 and 1984 - sometimes
with band, sometimes solo. Good enough but nothing really stands out. (FS)
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| JOHN LEE HOOKER/
FURRY LEWIS |
Yazoo Video 519 |
Masters Of The Country Blues |
DVD $21.98 |
DVD 45 min., recommended Now on DVD. Despite a Roman numeral
copyright date of 1978, this footage is clearly form the (mid) sixties.
Originally recorded for TV for the Seattle Folklore Society, on this
sepia-toned tape Hooker is seated, hatted, less than modest, and a bit
stiff. As he introduces Boom Boom, It Serves Me Right To Suffer,
and I'll Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive, it feels as if he's at a
job interview. Everything changes, though, when he starts pounding his foot
and playing is guitar. His performances are fiery and the camera gives a
tight close up of his finger work. Most of the tape, however, belongs to a
seated and suited Furry Lewis, a Memphis blues legend who plays his guitar
with a slide and a definite ragtime influence. Advanced in years, Lewis
performs convincing versions of such old standbys as Kassie Jones,
I Will Turn Your Money Green, and Furry's Blues. A worthwhile
addition to any blues video library. (JC)
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| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
Tomato 2098 |
In The Key Of Lightnin' |
● CD $12.98 |
44 minutes, 13 tracks, highly recommended. With the Tomato
label being revived, it's nice to have this incredible session from 1969.
There are a few full-band cuts where Hopkins is joined by Johnny Big Moose
Walker and others, but most of the cuts are stripped back to the bare
minimum with Lightnin' being assisted only by Francis Clay's in-the-pocket
drumming. Playing electric guitar this time, there's a grittier feel to
what's here when compared to Lightnin's acoustic work, but throughout, he's
in tip-top form. The five spoken introductions are humorous including the
Cigar chatter and his shtick on I Gave Up Card Playin' where it's apparent
the liquor had been flowing freely, but these intros are counted as complete
tracks. A number of smoldering tracks by themselves are worth the price
including Short Haired Woman and a chilling Pneumonia Blues. (CR)
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| LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS |
Tradition 1084 |
The Tradition Masters |
● CD $14.98 |
Two CDs, 86 minutes, 27 tracks, recommended. While there's a
corn field of Lightnin' Hopkins to wade through, the Texan very rarely had
an off day and these acoustic sessions produced by Mack McCormick are
thoroughly enjoyable. Spoken introductions to a number of tracks should be
of special interest to those new to the world of Lightnin' while collectors
should be happy to see these tracks together in one package. Disc one offers
a superb 75 Highway/ Short Haired Woman/ Santa Fe Blues, and nine
more while disc two pulls 15 tracks including Luke 'Long Gone' Miles taking
vocals on Baby! and Prison Blues Come Down On Me. Stellar
sound quality is a big plus over the sonic-challenged LP versions, but blues
veterans will be left wondering how McCormick managed to get writing credit
for most of what's here. (CR)
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| LIGHTNIN'
HOPKINS/ BIG MAMA THORNTON |
Catfish 225 |
Mighty Crazy |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 57 mins, good. Two fine blues artists recorded
live at an unspecified times and place - typical of Catfish to not include
such useful information. I would assume that they are probably from the
mid/late 70s. Lightning is featured on 8 songs accompanied by a decent bass
and drums. His repertoire is typical of the period and his performances are
not particularly inspired though his repartee between songs is delightful.
Big Mama is featured on four songs accompanied by an excellent band
including a tough guitarist. She sings well and plays some nice harmonica on
a couple of the songs. (FS)
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| SON HOUSE |
Capitol 31830 |
Delta Blues And Spirituals |
● CD $13.98 |
10 tracks, 51 mins, recommended. Available again. It is
important to note that Son House's legendary 1965 Columbia recordings were
not the end of his second musical career. He played the folk festivals
during the next five years, and was recorded on a handful of labels as well.
This live recording (1970) came out on Liberty (and a year or two back on
Sequel), and though it doesn't add significantly to Son's postwar legacy, it
at least shows him to have some personality. Two monologues give voice to
the man behind the Delta myth, and we also get a few songs that don't appear
on the Columbia set - Between Midnight And Day/ I Want To Go Home On The
Morning Train/ This Light Of Mine and the epic How To Treat A Man.
And you'll like the acapella gospel numbers Grinnin' In Your Face/ John
The Revelator, which have the audience carrying on like spirit-filled
Baptists! Canned Heat's Al Wilson contributes some effective harp to a
couple of cuts. This reissue includes extensive and outstanding notes by
David Evans. (MB)
SON HOUSE: Between Midnight And Day/ Death Letter Blues/ Grinnin' In Your
Face/ How To Treat A Man/ I Want To Go Home On The Morning Train/ John The
Revelator/ Levee Camp Moan/ Monologue - The B-L-U-E-S/ Monologue - Thinkin'
Strong/ This Little Light Of Mine
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| SYL & JIMMY JOHNSON |
Evidence 26122 |
Two Johnsons Are Better Than One |
● CD $15.98 |
14 tracks, 61 minutes, very good. With careers as similar as
they are different, Syl and Jimmy Johnson team up for a tandem effort that
stands better than many modern blues outings and the reason is longevity and
focus, considering their combined 50-plus years in the business. Jimmy seems
to handle the more focused blues titles here, including a smoldering
reworking of Ashes In The Ashtray, which first appeared on his
Delmark LP, Johnson's Whacks, better than 20 years ago. Syl takes the helm
on the funkier, soul-infused tracks; If I Wuz White/ Dangerous/ Oprah/
Uncomplicated Life. The brothers split the vocal efforts well and both
turn in sizzling guitar, especially on the closer, Bottoms Up, a
gritty instrumental with both strutting their wares effectively. The backing
chores are handled by the Syl Johnson Rhythm & Blues Band, a tight
four-piece unit. Previously on British Evangeline label. (CR)
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| B.B. KING |
Ace CDCHD2 835 |
The Modern Recordings, 1950-51 |
● CD $27.98 |
Two CDs, 33 tracks, 90 minutes, recommended. Although aimed
more toward completists and scholars, this is a very rewarding set of Riley
King's work following his short run with the Bullet label. Both discs are
quite strong showing outtakes and alternate versions of songs, leaving the
listener with the feeling that they were right there when these sessions
were cut. By using original 16" acetates where available, the sound is
stunning, although a few pops and occasional crackles seep through. With
dogged research, Ace has managed an opportunity to hear how King developed
songs, changed solos and lyrics, and created masterpieces of modern blues,
with his guitar always front-and-center. Liner notes get a little bogged
down with technical jargon for the novice, but for collectors, it's a solid
issue and a great companion to Ace's 4-disc set, "The Vintage Years". (CR)
B.B. KING: 3 O'clock Blues/ A New Way Of Driving/ B. B. Blues/ B. B. Blues
(alt)/ B. B. Blues (incomplete Take)/ B. B. Boogie/ B. B. Boogie (lp Vers)/
Don't You Want A Man Like Me/ Don't You Want A Man Like Me (alt)/ Fine
Lookin' Woman/ Fine Lookin' Woman (alt)/ Fine Lookin' Woman (alt)/ Hard
Workin' Woman/ Hard Workin' Woman (alt)/ Mistreated Woman/ Mistreated Woman
(alt)/ My Baby's Gone/ Pray For You/ Pray For You (alt)/ Questionnaire
Blues/ Shake It Up And Go/ She Don't Move Me No More/ She's A Mean Woman/
She's A Mean Woman (alt)/ She's Dynamite/ That Ain't The Way To Do It/ That
Ain't The Way To Do It (alt)/ The Other Night Blues/ The Other Night Blues
(alt)/ The Other Night Blues (lp Vers)/ Walkin' And Cryin'/ Walkin' And
Cryin' (alt)/ Walkin' And Cryin' (alt)
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| FREDDY KING |
Ace CDCHD 861 |
Blues Guitar Hero, Vol. 2 |
● CD $18.98 |
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