2026 – Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Release Date : June 12, 2026
Smithsonian Folkways
Recordings has now reissued its 2003 Classic
Blues compilation on vinyl, and it sounds amazing. Featuring twenty-fix blues songs recorded over
a fifty-year span from 1942-1992, this double album gem delivers a diverse cross-section
of the blues to the listener, covering artists such as Lead Belly, Lightnin’
Hopkins, Son House, Pink Anderson, Rev. Gary Davis,
and David “Honeyboy” Edwards. The
blues nerd in me greatly appreciates the inclusion of a two-sided, three-page
foldout with historical notes and references for each of the tracks too. There’s
some very interesting information to soak up in those pages.
The story-telling genius of Big Bill Broonzy shines bright on “Mule-Ridin’ Blues”. And to experience this on mint vinyl is a delight. I love hearing the original 1948 version of “Mercury Blues” by K.C. Douglas. I remember hearing this song for the first time in 1976 after spinning my freshly-purchased copy of Steve Miller Band’s Fly Like an Eagle. Douglas’ original is so raw and stripped down compared to all the other versions I have heard over the years, and that’s what makes this such a standout. Big Joe Williams’ “Don’t Leave Me Here”, a song he based on an earlier and more popular recording of his “Baby Please Don’t Go” lands with an instant familiarity. The Piedmont blues of Rev. Gary Davis is delightful as ever with his take on “Candy Man”, a song he claimed to have first heard at a carnival in 1905. The vintage sounds of guitarist/singer Brownie McGhee and harmonica master Sonny Terry covering “Red River Blues” with their version called “Rising Sun” is an absolute treat which was captured during a recording session in 1955. The guitar instrumental “Vastopol” from Elizabeth Cotton is a magnificent serving of acoustic blues. According to the liner notes, the song-title has roots based on the Crimean seaport Sevastopol and the open-tuning guitar term which was named after it. The album ends with a spirited duet by Lead Belly and Josh White called “Don’t Lie Buddy”, making for a bragging contest which surely cooks.
The deep-cuts and stories behind each song on these records are sure to pull the listener in for an engaging listen. I highly recommend Classic Blues from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings for every blues fan.
