The Birthplace of the Blues

Wednesday, April 8, 2009 - Blues Road Trip, Week 1: M-I-S-S-I ...

Throughout the month of April, we'll be traveling to different regions that have traditionally been hotbeds of the blues, exploring fundamental differences in the sounds and styles in each place. For our first installment, it was only fitting that we devote an entire episode to the birthplace of the blues: none other than the great state of Mississippi. Tonight was a solid mix of powerful but refined acoustic playing from the Delta and raw, animal energy from the North Mississippi Hill Country juke players. What a fun way to get things started.

As a disclaimer, bear in mind that while we preferred requests to fall in line with our theme, we would happily take requests for artists from anywhere. Here's the set:

Intro
Willie Brown - Future Blues
Ishman Bracey - Left Alone Blues
Peg Leg Howell - Greasy Greens
T-Model Ford - Here Comes Papa
Son House - John the Revelator [Cliff's Pick]

First Break

Charley Patton - Moon Going Down
Elmo Williams and Hezekiah Early - Blue Jumped the Rabbit
Papa Charlie McCoy - Last Time Blues
Bukka White - Aberdeen Mississippi Blues
The Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider [for Elrod]
R.L. Burnside - Peach Tree Blues [for Uncle Milo and Becca]

Second Break

Mississippi Fred McDowell - Got To Move
Asie Payton - Goin' Back to the Bridge
Big Boy Spires - Murmur Low
Jessie Mae Hemphill - Standing In My Doorway Crying
Robert "Wolfman" Belfour - Done Got Old
King Solomon Hill - Whoopee Blues
Cedell Davis - If You Like Fat Women

Third Break

Mississippi John Hurt - Sliding Delta
Mississippi Joe Callicott - Down to the River Jordan
Bo Weavil Jackson - You Can't Keep No Brown
Muddy Waters - I Be's Troubled
Mississippi Bracy - You Scolded Me and Drove Me From Your Door
The Mississippi Sheiks - Sitting on Top of the World
Junior Kimbrough - I Gotta Try You Girl