The Folkways Years, 1944-1963

by Sonny Terry

Overview

While he's best known as guitarist Brownie McGhee's longtime partner, harmonica ace and vocalist Sonny Terry made many excellent recordings as a solo act, and also recorded with Blind Boy Fuller and others. The 17 songs on this anthology include Terry playing with McGhee's brother Sticks, Pete Seeger, and others, as well as several featuring Terry's biting harmonica and wry leads relating stories of failure, triumph, and resiliency, backed by McGhee's flickering but always audible guitar. The title is a bit misleading, since the earliest date for any session is 1946 (one number), and most are done between 1955 and 1959. ~ Ron Wynn

Product Details

Release Date:	07/13/1992
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074003329
Rank:	138144

Tracks

1. Old Jabo
2. Going Down Slow
3. Crow Jane Blues
4. Harmonica With Slaps
5. Pick a Bale of Cotton
6. Dark Road
7. Skip to My Lou
8. The Woman Is Killing Me
9. Jail House Blues
10. Medley
11. Shortnin' Bread
12. Sweet Woman
13. Lost John
14. A Man Is Nothing But a Fool
15. Poor Man (But a Good Man)
16. I've Been Your Doggie Since I Been Your Man
17. Custar Pie Blues

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sonny Terry   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica,Jew's-Harp
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
J.C. Burris   Vocals,Sound Effects
Gene Moore   Drums
Pete Seeger   Banjo,Vocals
Brownie McGhee   Guitar,Vocals
Sticks McGhee   Guitar
Frank Robertson   Bass
William Edward Cook   Washboard,Sound Effects
Coyall McMahan   Maracas,Marimba

Technical Credits

Traditional   Composer
Sonny Terry   Composer
Kip Lornell   Liner Notes
Lead Belly   Composer
Robert Ellen   Composer
Anthony Seeger   Reissue Producer
Alan Lomax   Composer
Brownie McGhee   Composer
Matt Walters   Reissue Producer
Alan Yoshida   Remixing
James Burke Oden   Composer
Christopher Jerde   Assistant Engineer
David Gahr   Photography
Carol Hardy   Cover Design