Country Blues: Complete Early Recordings (1927-29)

Personnel: Dock Boggs, Hayes Shepherd (vocals, banjo); Bill Shepherd (vocals, fiddle); Hub Mahaffey (guitar).
Engineers include: Barry O'Connell.
Includes liner notes by Greil Marcus, Jon Pankake, Charles Wolfe, Barry O'Connell.
COUNTRY BLUES contains a 64-page book with rare photos and liner notes by Greil Marcus, Jon Pankake, Charles Wolfe.
Dock Boggs was a banjo player and singer in rural Kentucky in the 1920's. He only cut 12 songs and quit music in the '30s at his wife's insistence, but was rediscovered in the '60s by blues collectors who cherished his few recordings. This CD collects all the original sides, plus outtakes and some feverish tracks by Boggs' acolytes the Sheperd Brothers.
Those familiar with Harry Smith's landmark ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC already know "Sugar Baby" and "Country Blues," which remain the best tracks here. For pure, personal blues exorcism these outstrip even Robert Johnson's darkest moments. Also here is a chilling take on the standard "Pretty Polly" and "Down South Blues," which reveals a lyrical source for Fred Neil's '60s classic "Everybody's Talkin'." While some of the remaining tracks are more upbeat musically, lyrically they're still mired in hard luck and despair. The CD is housed in a beautiful 64-page hardbound book with essay by noted rock critic Greil Marcus and full notes on the recordings. This is a lovingly prepared reissue that's a must-own for any blues or folk fan.

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