National Downhome Blues Festival, Vol. 1

Overview

The National Downhome Blues Festival was a one- time event held in 1984 in Atlanta, GA. Stretching over five days, the festival featured traditional blues artists in a small venue setting, and the shows were recorded, eventually released on four LPs in 1984. Southland has combined the first two of those LPs on a single disc (the second two have also been made into a single disc), and the result is an impressive primer on modern vernacular blues. The opening act, Mississippi's Lonnie Pitchford, steals the show right out of the gate with a wonderful set of six songs, four of which feature Pitchford on a one-string electric guitar (essentially a diddley bow). Blessed with a plaintive, convincing voice, Pitchford gives a glimpse of what traditional blues sounds like stripped of commercial aspirations. Precious Bryant, who follows Pitchford, sounds almost tame by comparison, but she delivers a crowd-pleasing set highlighted by her version of "Black Rat Swing." Jessie Mae Hemphill's rendition of "Train, Train" is another obvious highlight, as is Junior Kimbrough's signature "All Night Long" and Frank Edwards' surreal "Chicken Raid." This is blues that is still in service of its local communities, and the offhand, loose charm of these artists sets them aside from the bluster that usually passes for contemporary blues these days. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	08/12/1994
Label:	Southland (Select-O-Hits)
UPC:	0762247902126
Rank:	108920

Tracks

1. That Train Coming Around the Bend  - Lonnie Pitchford
2. My Babe  - Lonnie Pitchford
3. Mary Had a Little Lamb  - Lonnie Pitchford
4. One-String Boogie  - Lonnie Pitchford
5. Walking Blues  - Lonnie Pitchford
6. Last Fair Deal  - Lonnie Pitchford
7. Baby, Please Come Home to Me  - Precious Bryant
8. Ain't That Loving You, Baby  - Precious Bryant  - Jimmy Reed
9. Black Rat Swing  - Precious Bryant
10. You Don't Have to Go  - Precious Bryant
11. Long Distance Call  - Precious Bryant
12. Precious Bryant Staggering Blues  - Precious Bryant
13. Hooks in the Water
14. Hate to See the Evening Sun Go Down
15. Ain't Got No Loving Baby Now
16. Train, Train  - Jessie Mae Hemphill
17. All Night Long  - Junior Kimbrough
18. You Put That Thing on Me  -  Sunnyland Slim
19. She's Got Things Going On  -  Sunnyland Slim
20. Chicken Raid  - Frank Edwards
21. Burning Bridges  - John Cephas  - Phil Wiggins
22. Stagger Lee  - John Cephas  - Phil Wiggins

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Phil Wiggins   Primary Artist
Frank Edwards   Primary Artist
Precious Bryant   Primary Artist
John Cephas   Primary Artist
Jessie Mae Hemphill   Primary Artist
Lonnie Pitchford   Primary Artist
Junior Kimbrough   Primary Artist
Sunnyland Slim   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Precious Bryant   Composer,Performer
Sunnyland Slim   Composer
Dr. David Evans   Liner Notes
John Cephas   Composer,Performer
Phil Wiggins   Composer,Performer
Junior Kimbrough   Composer
Jessie Mae Hemphill   Performer,Composer
Lonnie Pitchford   Performer,Composer
Frank Edwards   Performer,Composer
George H. Buck, Jr.   Liner Notes
Jimmy Reed   Composer