Elmore James – Pickin’ The Blues: Greatest Hits Of Elmore James

10 track compilation of essential performances from the blues legend, Elmore James. Includes the definitive versions of "Hurts Me Too," "Rolling and Tumbling" and more.

Elmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and bandleader. He was known as "King of the Slide Guitar" and was noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.

James’ slide style influencing the likes of Hound Dog Taylor, Joe Carter, his cousin Homesick James and J.B. Hutto, while his seldom-heard single-string work had an equally profound effect on B.B. King and Chuck Berry. His signature lick -- an electric updating of Robert Johnson's "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" and one that Elmore recorded in infinite variations from day one to his last session -- is so much a part of the essential blues fabric of guitar licks that no one attempting to play slide guitar can do it without being compared to Elmore James.

James' composition The Sky Is Crying (which became a blues standard) and his rendition of Hurts Me Too were among his most successful singles on the record charts. Other popular James' songs, such as I Can't Hold Out, Madison Blues, Shake Your Moneymaker, Bleeding Heartand One Way Out have been recorded by several other artists, including Fleetwood Mac, Jimi Hendrix, and the Allman Brothers Band.

Track Listing:
1. Look On Yonder Wall – 2:31   2. Hurts Me Too – 3:19   3. Coming Home – 2:26   4. The Sky Is Crying – 2:50   5. Standing at the Crossroads – 3:00   6. Hand in Hand – 2:44   7. Rolling and Tumbling – 2:36   8. Mean Mistreatin' Mama – 2:44   9. I Done Somebody Wrong – 2:22   10. I Believe – 3:28

Personnel:
Elmore James (guitar, vocals)