Post Description

Of the many important recordings Alan Lomax made in his trips through the American South in 1959, perhaps none of the artists he documented were as destined to make as much of an impact on the world of popular music as Mississippi Fred McDowell. It remains astounding that a rural blues performer of such talent, already in his mid-fifties when Lomax came across him, had not previously recorded before these performances were taped in September 1959. Country-blues was seldom recorded during the postwar years prior to the folk revival, however, and McDowell made the most of his opportunity to get documented on these 12 songs (one of which is a half-minute instrumental). This is excellent country-blues not much modernized from the Delta greats of the '20s and '30s, featuring McDowell's magnificently versatile guitar, which was adept at both keeping a driving rhythm and crafting keening slide lines. His vocals are rich and assured, and the cuts benefit from some sparse but creatively eerie accompaniment on comb by Fanny Davis on a few cuts, as well as second guitar by Miles Pratcher on some tracks. (Sidney Hemphill Carter and Rosalie Hill take the vocals on one number, "When the Train Comes Along," with McDowell supplying his habitually stinging guitar.) The material includes spirituals, but also get-down uptempo blues and indications that McDowell was aware of some trends beyond his home grounds, particularly on "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl." McDowell would go on to make many other records, but this is a particularly important one both in his history, and in launching the rediscovery of country-blues performers as a whole at the dawn of the '60s folk revival.

1. Shake 'Em On Down (Remastered) Fred McDowell  
2. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (Remastered) Fred McDowell  
3. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning (Remastered) Fred McDowell  
4. Fred Mc Dowell's Blues (Remastered) Fred McDowell   
5. Woke Up This Morning With My Mind On Jesus (Remastered) Fred McDowell  
6. Drop Down Mama (Remastered) Fred McDowell 
7. Going Down To The River (Remastered) Fred McDowell  
8. Wished I Was In Heaven Sitting Down (Remastered) Fred McDowell  
9. When The Train Comes Along (Remastered) Fred McDowell, Rosalie Hill, Sidney Hemphill Carter  
10. When You Get Home Please Write Me A Few Of Your Lines (Remastered) Fred McDowell  
11. Worried Mind Blues (Remastered) Fred McDowell   
12. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning (Instrumental Reprise) (Remastered)

Fred McDowell ‎– The Alan Lomax Recordings
Label: Mississippi Records ‎– MR074, Domino Sound ‎– DS032
Format: Vinyl, LP, Remastered 
Country: US
Released: 2011
Genre: Blues
Style: Delta Blues