[.ca] Living Country Blues An Antho

From Amazon.com:
There are a number of clever things about Living Country Blues, a three-CD anthology that comprises a 14-LP set originally recorded in 1980 and released only in Germany (how's that for obscure?). One of the more clever things is that the music is divided up on each disc according to region. If you've ever wondered what the difference is between Delta, Piedmont, and other regional styles, really, here's a chance to explore the subtle differences. There are some oddities as well; Othar Turner performing "When I Lay My Burden Down" with the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band will sound strange to anyone used to 12-string guitar and mouth harp. The accompanying CD booklet includes bios of the artists, which will come in handy, as the average listener is likely to have heard of few of them; John Cephas, Phil Wiggins, CeDell Davis, and James "Son" Thomas are among the more well-known names that appear here. People generally think of the blues these days as electrified, up-tempo, and urban, and indeed country blues isn't as popular as it used to be. But it's still alive and kicking, as Living Country Blues proves. --Genevieve Williams

a wonderful relic:
Most of these artists are dead or soon to be, and they're, to my great unhappiness, not minting very many more of them. If you're a country blues enthusiast, you're already familiar with Cephas & Wiggins, Sam Chatmon, Hammie Nixon, and many of the other names recording on this 3 c.d. set and don't require any further endorsements. What distinguishes this set in my view is the eclecticism of the selection, its organization into Delta, Piedmont, and other schools, and the very fine audio quality for field recordings. I also have the Giants of Country Blues Guitar series on Wolf, of which volume one is a desert island disk in my view. Nonetheless, the audio quality of Sam Chatmon recording "Stop and Listen" on this set is far superior (although I miss the barking dog in the background on the Wolf recording). We owe a debt of gratitude to the Germans who made these field recordings as well as to Chris Strachwitz and others who recorded this vanishing American resource.

WOW!:
this is incredible! if you like real blues, you must have this set

Spectacular music.:
This is basic blues, usually just some guy with his acoustic guitar. If you like Lightnin' Hopkins or Sonny Terry, you will like this. If you LOVE them, like I do, then this beautiful collection will make you very happy.

Living Country Blues:
SUPERB! This represents the REAL BLUES and some of the best Blues guitar I've heard. The recording of these artists was a mission I would have proud to be part of.

An interesting overview:
Read the track list - it illustrates the breadth of material in this anthology. Some of the more obscure such as the drum and fife group of Othar Turner are currently available in their own CD. Others such as Stonewall Mays have no other recordings. Personal favorites include Jesus Is on the Mainline and Soon One Morning.... but my favorites change with each hearing. Careful listening to these recordings will (a) give you a greater appreciation for the variety of musical styles that are called "blues" (b) give you a greater appreciation of the musicianship of unknowns and (c) give you a grand old time ...

• Catfish Blues - James "Son" Thomas
• Bye Bye Blues - Arzo Youngblood
• Gonna Cut You Loose - Eddie Cusic
• You Gonna Take Sick and Die - Boyd Rivers
• Maggie Campbell Blues - Bill Webb
• Sitting on Top of the World - Sam Chatmon
• Move Daniel - Cora Fluker
• My Babe - Otha Turner
• Boogie Chillen - Lonnie Pitchford
• Bull Cow Blues - James "Son" Thomas
• Stop and Listen Blues - Sam Chatmon
• Swing, Swing - Arzo Youngblood
• Jazz Boogie Woogie - Stonewall Mays
• Jesus on the Mainline - Boyd Rivers
• Shake Your Moneymaker - Lonnie Pitchford
• Rock Me Mama - Cleveland Jones, James "Son" Thomas
• Big Road Blues - Bill Webb
• My Daddy Was a Jockey - Sam Chatmon
• That's the Boogie - Napoleon Strickland
• Vicksburg Blues - Sam Chatmon
• Mississippi Moan - Walter Brown
• When I Lay Down My Burden - Drum Band, Rising Star Fife, Otha Turner
• Lonesome Road Blues - Guitar Frank
• Baby Please Give Me a Break - Archie Edwards
• Road Is Rough and Rocky - Archie Edwards
• Come on in My Kitchen - Guitar Slim
• Bye and Bye I'm Goin' to See the King - Flora Molton & the Truth Band
• Chimney Hill Breakdown - Guitar Frank
• Railroad Bill - Guitar Frank
• Chicken Can't Roost Too High for Me - John Cephas
• Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad - John Cephas, Phil Wiggins
• Do Lord Remeber Me - Archie Edwards
• Jelly Roll Baker - Guitar Frank
• I'm Feelin' Lonesome - Guitar Slim
• My Old Schoolmates - Archie Edwards
• Lonesome Home Blues - Guitar Slim
• T for Texas (Blue Yodel No. 1) - Archie Edwards
• Diggin' My Potatoes - Guitar Frank
• Vacation in Heaven - Flora Molton
• Granny, Will Your Dog Bite? - Drum Band, Rising Star Fife, Otha Turner
• I Laid and I Wondered - Cleveland Jones, James "Son" Thomas
• I Can't Stand It - Flora Molton & the Truth Band
• Mr. Freddie Blues - Memphis Piano Red
• Corrina, Corrina - Hammie Nixon
• Rollin' and Tumblin' - Lattie Murrell
• She's Tailor Made - Charlie Sangster
• Hounds - Sam Shields
• You Got to Move - Boyd Rivers
• Let Me Play With Your Poodle - CeDell Davis
• Viola Lee Blues - Hammie Nixon
• Joe's Prison Camp Holler - Joe Savage
• When the Saints Go Marching In - Drum Band, Rising Star Fife, Otha Turner
• Spoonful - Lattie Murrell
• You Got to Do the Boogie Woogie - CeDell Davis
• Trouble Late Last Night - Lattie Murrell
• Dry Bones in the Valley - Cora Fluker
• I Got a Gal 'Cross the Bottom - Lattie Murrell
• Soon One Mornin' - Hammie Nixon
• Levee Camp Holler - Walter Brown
• Precious Lord - Boyd Rivers