CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Honey Babe Let the Deal Go Down: The Best of the Mississippi Sheiks

by: Mississippi Sheiks

Release Date May 04, 2004
The Mississippi Sheiks are the missing link, so to speak, between what we now know as Delta Blues and traditional rural black stringband music. Their songs have been recorded by everyone from the Camp Creek Boys to Bob Wills to the Grateful Dead (Stop and Listen Blues is the predecessor to Smokestack Lightnin').

Although our romantic notions of early Delta blues want to make Robert Johnson the hero of this time period in American music, Johnson was actually quite unpopular in his time. The Sheiks were the reigning heroes and should be remembered as such.

Fiddle players should listen carefully to this record, as Lonnie Chatmon uses several odd cross-tunings that aren't common in any fiddle repertoire. Guitar players ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Violin, Sing the Blues for Me: African-American Fiddlers 1926-1949

by: Lonnie Johnson, Howard Armstrong, Mississippi Sheiks, Memphis Jug Band, Will Batts, Andrew Baxter, Jim Baxter, Tommie Bradley, James Cole, Louie Bluie, Whistler's Jug Band

Release Date August 24, 1999
Inspired by my recent review of Sam Ku West's cd of Hawaiian steel guitar from 1927 and '28, and his version of Memphis Blues contained therein, I decided I need to review this disc which contains a killer Memphis Blues by the Mobile Strugglers.

What you get here is a very fine collection of mostly pre-war fiddle musics, covering a wide range of styles and abilities. From the abysmal toned, a-rhythmic atrocity of Alma Waltz (the very rare bad track) by the Mississippi Mudsteppers at the low end of the spectrum, to the bluesy drawl of Broonzy's fiddle, all the way up to the utter brilliance of the great Lonnie Johnson.

Still, the lesser-knowns are what this is about. Sure the titles of this and the "Folks, He..." disc ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow! Vintage Fiddle Music 1927-1935: Blues, Jazz, Stomps, Shuffles & Rags

by: Big Bill Broonzy, Charlie Pierce, Andrew Baxter, Clifford Hayes, Bubbling-Over Five, Memphis Jug Band, Mississippi Sheiks, Peg Leg Howell, Frank Stokes, Big Joe Williams, Agusto Abreu

Release Date March 27, 2001
Like Old Hat's other compilations, this one is superb. The remastering is sufficiently clear and the liner notes are a joy to read. Know though that it highlights the use of the fiddle in African American music in the 1920's and 1930's. As the album cover states, the songs span the range from blues to jazz to jug band to even old time string band. Overall, it is a fascinating history lesson.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Stop and Listen

by: Mississippi Sheiks

Release Date July 14, 1992
The Mississippi Sheiks are the missing link, so to speak, between what we now know as Delta Blues and traditional rural black stringband music. Their songs have been recorded by everyone from the Camp Creek Boys to Bob Wills to the Grateful Dead (Stop and Listen Blues is the predecessor to Smokestack Lightnin').

Although our romantic notions of early Delta blues want to make Robert Johnson the hero of this time period in American music, Johnson was actually quite unpopular in his time. The Sheiks were the reigning heroes and should be remembered as such.

Fiddle players should listen carefully to this record, as Lonnie Chatmon uses several odd cross-tunings that aren't common in any fiddle repertoire. Guitar players should ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Show Me What You Got

by: Mississippi Sheiks

Release Date July 27, 1999
The Mississippi Sheiks are the missing link, so to speak, between what we now know as Delta Blues and traditional rural black stringband music. Their songs have been recorded by everyone from the Camp Creek Boys to Bob Wills to the Grateful Dead (Stop and Listen Blues is the predecessor to Smokestack Lightnin').

Although our romantic notions of early Delta blues want to make Robert Johnson the hero of this time period in American music, Johnson was actually quite unpopular in his time. The Sheiks were the reigning heroes and should be remembered as such.

Fiddle players should listen carefully to this record, as Lonnie Chatmon uses several odd cross-tunings that aren't common in any fiddle repertoire. Guitar players should ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

The Essential

by: Mississippi Sheiks

Release Date August 06, 2002
The Mississippi Sheiks are the missing link, so to speak, between what we now know as Delta Blues and traditional rural black stringband music. Their songs have been recorded by everyone from the Camp Creek Boys to Bob Wills to the Grateful Dead (Stop and Listen Blues is the predecessor to Smokestack Lightnin').

Although our romantic notions of early Delta blues want to make Robert Johnson the hero of this time period in American music, Johnson was actually quite unpopular in his time. The Sheiks were the reigning heroes and should be remembered as such.

Fiddle players should listen carefully to this record, as Lonnie Chatmon uses several odd cross-tunings that aren't common in any fiddle repertoire. Guitar players should simply sit in ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Southern Blues V.1

from: Abm

Release Date August 06, 1999
The 2 separate cds of "Southern Blues," Vols. 1 and 2 are very well made, well executed compilations. both have excellent liner notes. both are very good to excellent transfer to cd format, with little or no surface noise on either cd. and best of all, a very good bargain price from this UK distributor, which also puts out a large number of bargain compilations of US blues and jazz from before WW2. all in all, if you manage to find this cd, you will not be disappointed, which includes some hard to find songs as well. dave.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1931-1934)

by: Mississippi Sheiks

Release Date September 08, 2000
The 2 separate cds of "Southern Blues," Vols. 1 and 2 are very well made, well executed compilations. both have excellent liner notes. both are very good to excellent transfer to cd format, with little or no surface noise on either cd. and best of all, a very good bargain price from this UK distributor, which also puts out a large number of bargain compilations of US blues and jazz from before WW2. all in all, if you manage to find this cd, you will not be disappointed, which includes some hard to find songs as well. dave.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

New Mississippi Sheiks

by: New Mississippi Sheiks

Release Date October 17, 1990
The 2 separate cds of "Southern Blues," Vols. 1 and 2 are very well made, well executed compilations. both have excellent liner notes. both are very good to excellent transfer to cd format, with little or no surface noise on either cd. and best of all, a very good bargain price from this UK distributor, which also puts out a large number of bargain compilations of US blues and jazz from before WW2. all in all, if you manage to find this cd, you will not be disappointed, which includes some hard to find songs as well. dave.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1930)

by: Mississippi Sheiks

Release Date September 08, 2000
The "O Brother Where Art Thou" movie and soundtrack sparked my interest in Americana music, and that is how I was first exposed to the Mississippi Sheiks. If you are a Blues, Bluegrass or Americana fan, you won't be disappointed since the Sheiks incorporate all of these genres into their music. The Mississippi Sheiks (as well as all African American string bands) deserve recognition and should not be allowed to fade into musical obscurity. This rare and beautifully simple musical style is being carried on by today groups, such as the Nashville Bluegrass Band, whom constantly acknowledge Bluegrass's African American roots. Even though some of the recordings are scratchy, due to age and recording method, Vol 1, 2, 3 and 4 are a treasured find!