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Sonny Boy Williamson Vol. 1 (1937 - 1938)

Sonny Boy Williamson Vol. 1 (1937 - 1938)

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by John Morthland, eMusic

Chicago blues harp begins here.
Rooted in rural blues and jug-band harmonica players of the '20s, the first Sonny Boy (John Lee Williamson) used a tongue-blocking technique to help make his harp a forceful lead instrument rather than background atmosphere. A seductive vocalist, he compensated for a speech impediment by singing vowels longer and consonants harder, creating a languorous effect that others wound up imitating. His 1937 recording debut yielded the immortal "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl." Backed by guitarists like Robert Lee McCoy (Robert Nighthawk), Williamson answered his own vocal with a blast of harmonica, then went back to singing, an approach previously unheard of. Muddy Waters broadened that idea for his postwar, guitar-harmonica bands. Although men like Little Walter soon developed even more aggressive attacks, Chicago blues harp begins here.

  Listen Track Name Length Download
1. Listen  Good Morning, School Girl 2:58 Download
2. Listen  Blue Bird Blues 3:04 Download
3. Listen  Jackson Blues 2:53 Download
4. Listen  Got The Bottle Up And Gone 2:30 Download
5. Listen  Sugar Mama Blues 2:55 Download
6. Listen  Skinny Woman 2:57 Download
7. Listen  Up The Country Blues 3:16 Download
8. Listen  Worried Me Blues 2:28 Download
9. Listen  Black Gal Blues 2:45 Download
10. Listen  Collector Man Blues 3:15 Download
11. Listen  Frigidaire Blues 2:58 Download
12. Listen  Suzanna Blues 2:56 Download
13. Listen  Early In The Morning 2:45 Download
14. Listen  Project Highway 2:52 Download
15. Listen  My Little Cornelius 3:07 Download
16. Listen  Decoration Blues 3:27 Download
17. Listen  You Can Lead Me 3:05 Download
18. Listen  Moonshine 2:58 Download
19. Listen  Miss Louisa Blues 2:52 Download
20. Listen  Sunny Land 3:14 Download
21. Listen  I'm Tired Trucking My Blues Away 2:53 Download
22. Listen  Down South 3:03 Download
23. Listen  Beauty Parlor 3:24 Download
24. Listen  Until My Love Come Down 3:09 Download
25. Listen  Honey Bee Blues 3:02 Download

Total Length: 74:46

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