Mississippi John Hurt - The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt (1967)

John Smith Hurt (1892 - 1966), better known as Mississippi John Hurt was an influential country-blues guitar player and singer. Raised in Avalon, Mississippi, John taught himself how to play guitar at the age of nine. His first recording sessions were in 1928 for Okeh Records, but after these were a commercial failure, he continues his work as a farmer. After a couple of his early recordings were released on Harry Smith's Anthology Of Folk Music, there was a interest in his music in the folk revival scene. When an Australian man found a recording of "Avalon Blues" there became an increased interest in finding Mississippi John Hurt himself. in 1963, folk musicologist Tom Hoskins, was able to locate Mississippi John Hurt in Avalon, Mississippi, using the lyrics to "Avalon Blues". While in Avalon, Tom Hoskins encouraged Mississippi John Hurt to move to Washinton D.C. and continue to perform. During the final years of his life, Mississippi John Hurt performed extensively, including a performance at 1964's Newport Folk Festival and recorded three albums for Vanguard records.

One of the rediscovered Mississippi John Hurt's 1960's albums, and one of the best country-blues albums ever recorded. One of the most honestly gentle recordings I've ever heard.

Tracklist:
1. Since I've Laid My Burden Down
2. Moaning The Blues
3. Buck Dance
4. Lazy Blues
5. Richland Women Blues
6. Tender Virgins
7. Hop Joint
8. Monday Morning Blues
9. I've Got The Blues And I Can't Be Satisfied
10. Keep On Knocking
11. Chicken
12. Stagolee
13. Nearer My God To Thee

Download: megaupload

Various Artists - Harry Smith's Anthology Of American Folk Music Vol. 3: Songs (1952)

In 1952, Folkway Records released The Anthology Of American Folk Music. The Anthology Of American Folk Music was released in 3 volumes, all of which were compiled by Harry Smith from his personal collection of 78 records. The Anthology is famous for it's role as a touchstone during the folk revival of the 1950's and 1960's. Also known as The Harry Smith Anthology, this was the bible of folk music during the revival on the Greenwich Village folk scene, and brought the works of artists such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Mississippi John Hurt to the attention of revival artists such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.

The Anthology was divided by Harry Smith into three two-album volumes: ballads, social music, and songs. This is the third volume, which consists of regular songs, dealing with with every day life: critic Greil Marcus describes it's thematic interests as being marriage, labor, dissipation, prison, and death.

Tracklist:
1. Clarence "Tom" Ashley - The Coo Coo Bird
2. Buell Kazee - East Virginia
3. Cannon's Jug Stompers with Noah Lewis - Minglewood Blues
4. Didier Hebert - I Woke Up One Morning In May
5. Richard "Rabbit" Brown - James Alley Blues
6. Dock Boggs - Sugar Baby
7. Bascom Lamar Lunsford - I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground
8. Mr. And Mrs. Ernest V. Stoneman - Mountaineer's Courtship
9. The Stoneman Family - The Spanish Merchant's Daughter
10. The Memphis Jug Band - Bob Lee Junior Blues
11. The Carter Family - Single Girl, Married Girl
12. Cleoma Breaux And Joseph Falcon - Le Vieux Soulard Et Sa Femme
13. Blind Lemon Jefferson - Rabbit Foot Blues
14. Sleepy John Estes And Yank Rachell - Expressman Blues
15. Ramblin' Thomas - Poor Boy Blues
16. Cannon's Jug Stompers - Feather Bed
17. Dock Boggs - Country Blues
18. Julius Daniels - 99 Year Blues
19. Blind Lemon Jefferson - Prison Cell Blues
20. Blind Lemon Jefferson - See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
21. Cleoma And Ophy Breaux And Joseph Falcon - C'Est Si Triste Sans Lui
22. Uncle Dave Macon - Way Down The Old Plank Road
23. Uncle Dave Macon - Buddy Won't You Roll Down The Line
24. Mississippi John Hurt - Spike Driver Blues
25. The Memphis Jug Band - K.C. Moan
26. J.P. Nestor - Train On The Island
27. Ken Manyard - The Lone Star Train
28. Henry Thomas - Fishing Blues

Download: mediafire