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Lurrie Bell just seems to get better and better with age – taking on a depth of tone in his guitar work that definitely marks his long years on the Chicago scene! This set's got Lurrie in mostly a small combo mode – singing and playing guitar with just a bit of organ, bass, and drums – plus additional horns and harmonica on a few other cuts. Titles include "Blues In My Soul", "My Little Machine", "South Side To Riverside", "If It's Too Late", and "Blues Never Die". CD

Lightnin Hopkins at his best – a set that rings out with all his bold electric tones on the guitar, yet which also has the moody, stripped-down feel of a blues recording from a few decades before! The electricity really does a lot to deepen the tone – both in the echo from Hopkins' guitar, and in the way his vocals stretch out in the same space! There's no other backing at all – which makes for a moody feel, and a quality that lives up to the "folk" in the title – yet Lightnin also gives the whole thing a crackling sort of energy that's also very much in the best postwar blues mode. Titles include "Sick Feelin Blues", "Blues For My Cookie", "My Baby's Gone", "Lightnin's Special", "Nothin But The Blues", and "Don't Think Cause You're Pretty". CD features loads of bonus tracks – and has a total of 26 titles in all, which includes material from other Herald Records singles! CD

Seminal sounds from Elmore James – a classic album that brings together material recorded in California, New Orleans, and Chicago – all with an amazing focus on Elmore's stunning talents on electric guitar! The music here mixes sides that have tight band backing with some smaller combo work – but throughout, James is the king – playing with a bold sense of tone, and singing with a voice to match – in a style that helped completely redefine the sound of blues music during these key electric years. Elmore is sublime throughout – and titles include "Dark & Dreary", "Dust My Blues", "Sunnyland", "Standing At The Crossroads", "Happy Home", "Blues Before Sunrise", "I Was A Fool", and "Mean & Evil". Includes 2 bonus tracks, too – "Wild About You Baby" and "Hand In Hand". LP, Vinyl record album