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Vintage work from Mississippi John Hurt, but somehow amazingly clear and crisp in this classic LP presentation! The tunes are wonderfully earthy – just vocals and guitar from Hurt, in a style that's definitely blues, but which has some surprisingly jazzy inflections at times – at least from the perspective of older-style jazz. Titles include "Candy Man Blues", "Spike Driver Blues", "Big Leg Blues", "Ain't No Tellin", "Frankie", "Nobody's Dirty Business", and "Louis Collins".

Pivotal blues from the folk revival period on Vanguard!

Rootsy folk and early country music – pulled from a host of pre-war 78s, and served up in one mighty nice package from the folks at Mississippi Records! The set's a real treasure – filled with darkness and a sharp edge that you might not expect from tunes of this vintage – almost bluesy at points, and quite different than some of the overdone tropes of the time! Most numbers are surprisingly clear – done with a crisp style that makes the acoustic instrumentation and spare vocals come through brilliantly – on titles that include "Reuben Oh Reuben" by Emry Arthur, "Louise Collins" by John Hurt, "Adieu False Heart" by Arthur Smith Trio, "Dark Holler Blues" by Clarence Ashley, "Molly Man" by Moses Mason, "Lulu Wall" by Bascom Lamar Lunsford, and "A Short Life Of Trouble" by Buell Kazee.

Dark tales from the mid-century American scene – a host of rare blues, folk, and country numbers that went onto become inspiration for a host of rockers in later years! The package is put together with a Mojo stamp of approval – and features the original recordings of tunes that are key roots for Bob Dylan, Led Zepplin, Ry Cooder, Johnny Cash, and others – some classics, others a fair bit more obscure – and brought together here with thoughtful notes by Dave Henderson of Mojo. Titles include "Cast Iron Arm" by Peanuts Wilson, "Vigilante Man" by Woody Guthrie, "Dying Crapshooter's Blues"by Blind Willie McTell, "John Hardy Was A Deperate Little Man" by The Carter Family, "Stack O Lee" by Mississippi John Hurt, "Banks Of The Ohio" by Bascom Lamar Lunsford, "Pretty Polly" by Dock Boggs, "Jesse James" by Almeda Riddle, "Prison Cell Blues" by Leroy Carr, "The Gallis Pole" by Leadbelly, "Ornie Wise" by GB Grayson, and "Miss Otis Regrets" by Ethel Waters.