Memphis Minnie – The Queen Of Country Blues – Selected Recordings 1929-53 – 4CD

Lizzie Douglas, otherwise known as Memphis Minnie, was a blues guitarist, singer and songwriter from Mississippi, born in 1897, who ran away from home when she was 13 to start playing on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. She started performing with her second husband Kansas Joe McCoy and they made their first records in 1929 – she remained active as a performer and recording artist until the 1950s. She was without doubt one of the true pioneers among female country blues artists. 

This 99-track 4-CD collection comprises selected A and B sides from her releases on the Columbia, Vocalion, Decca, Bluebird, Okeh, Regal, Checker and J.O.B. labels covering the spectrum of her career – she recorded over 200 titles, so this set offers a representative selection. It Includes classics like “Bumble Bee”, “When the Levee Breaks, “Me And My Chauffeur Blues”, Nothing in Rambling” and many more. Apart from the recordings with Kansas Joe McCoy, it also features performances with Casey Bill Weldon, Little Son Joe and others. 

Among the blues artists of her era, she was particularly influential, not least as her career spanned a crucial quarter century in the genre. This collection offers a substantial and nicely representative showcase for her distinctive style of blues.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie: 1. When The Levee Breaks -   2. Goin' Back To Texas -  Memphis Minnie: 3. Frisco Town -   Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie: 4. I Want That -   Memphis Minnie: 5. Bumble Bee -   6. I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuits -   Kansas Joe McCoy & Memphis Minnie: 7. Can I Do It For You -   8. I Don't Want No Woman I Have To Give My Money To -   Memphis Minnie: 9. What's The Matter With The Mill? -   10. I'm Talkin' 'Bout You No.2 -   Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie: 11. She Wouldn't Give Me None -   Memphis Minnie: 12. Frankie Jean -   13. Jitis Blues -   Memphis Minnie & Her Jug Band: 14. Grandpa And Grandma Blues -   Memphis Minnie: 15. Garage Fire Blues -   16. Georgia Skin Blues -   Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie: 17. She Put Me Outdoors -   Memphis Minnie: 18. New Dirty Dozen -   19. Plymouth Rock Blues -   20. You Dirty Mistreater -   21. Tricks Ain't Walking No More -   22. After While Blues -   23. Soo Cow Soo -   Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie: 24. Pickin' The Blues -  

CD2:  
Memphis Minnie: 1. Lay My Money Down -   2. Today Today Blues -   3. I Don't Want That Junk Outa You -   4. Crazy Cryin' Blues -   5. Where Is My Good Man -   6. Outdoor Blues -   7. Fishin' Blues -   8. Jailhouse Trouble Blues -   9. Drunken Barrell House Blues -   10. My Butcher Man -   11. Too Late -   12. Chickasaw Train Blues -   13. Keep It To Yourself -   14. Moaning The Blues -   15. Dirty Mother For You -   Gospel Minnie: 16. Let Me Ride -   Memphis Minnie: 17. Sylvester And His Mule Blues -   18. Down In New Orleans -   19. Jockey Man Blues -   Texas Tessie (Memphis Minnie): 20. Keep On Going -   Memphis Minnie: 21. When The Sun Goes Down -   22. Selling My Pork Chops -   23. Hustlin' Woman Blues -   Texas Tessie (Memphis Minnie): 24. You Wrecked My Happy Home -

CD3:
Memphis Minnie: 1. Joe Louis Strut -   2. You Ain't Done Nothing To Me -   3. Ain't Nobody Home But Me -   4. Hoodoo Lady -   5. Caught Me Wrong Again -   6. If You See My Rooster -   7. Out In The Cold -   8. I Don't Want You No More -   9. It's Hard To Be Mistreated -   10. I'm A Bad Luck Woman -   11. Black Cat Blues -   12. Down In The Alley -   13. Hot Stuff -   14. No Need You Doggin' Me -   15. Wants Cake When I'm Hungry -   16. My Baby Don't Want Me No More -   17. Walking And Crying Blues -   18. Has Anyone Seen My Man -   19. Good Biscuits -   20. I Hate To See The Sun Go Down -   21. Long As I Can See You Smile -   22. Black Widow Stinger -   23. Low Down Man Blues -   24. Keep Your Big Mouth Closed -   25. Call The Fire Wagon -  

CD4:
Memphis Minnie: 1. Worried Baby Blues -   2. Poor And Wonderin' Woman Blues -   3. Nothing In Ramblin' -   4. It's Hard To Please My Man -   5. Fingerprint Blues -   6. Ma Rainey -   7. Me And My Chauffeur -   8. Can't Afford To Lose My Man -   9. In My Girlish Days -   10. Pigmeat On The Line -   11. It Was You Baby -   12. Looking The World Over -   13. When You Love Me -   14. I'm So Glad -   15. Lean Meat Won't Fry -   16. Hold Me Blues -   17. Three Times Seven Blues -   18. True Love -   19. Daybreak Blues -   20. Western Union Blues -   21. Jump Little Rabbitt -   Memphis Minnie With Sunnyland Slim: 22. Why Did I Make You Cry -   23. Kidman Blues -   Memphis Minnie With Little Joe & His Band: 24. Broken Heart -   Memphis Minnie & Her Combo: 25. Kissing In The Dark -   26. World Of Trouble -