LEDBELLY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 1 · 1939-1940 | DOCD-5226 (1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Austrian Document Records label begins its series of CDs presenting Leadbelly's commercial recordings in chronological order from 1939, although annotator Ken Romanowski acknowledges that the singer "had recorded a combined total of well over two hundred titles" prior to that date, tracks made either for the Library of Congress or ARC Records under the auspices of John Lomax. Still, most of those tracks had not been issued, and, contrarily, most became readily available later on either Elektra or Columbia Records. Two exceptions are 1935 alternate takes of "Daddy I'm Coming Back to You" (take three) and "Shorty George" (take two), which lead this album off as bonus tracks. Otherwise, the remaining 23 tracks comprise two sets of sessions from 1939 and 1940, first a bunch of recordings Leadbelly made as a solo performer for Musicraft Records, which issued them as an album called Negro Sinful Tunes, and second the first group of tracks for RCA Victor, some featuring the Golden Gate Quartet, and issued either on the album The Midnight Special and Other Prison Songs or on singles on the discount-priced Bluebird Records subsidiary. Many of Leadbelly's better-known songs are included in these sessions, among them "The Bourgeois Blues," "The Boll Weevil," "The Gallis Pole," "Pick a Bale of Cotton," "Midnight Special," "Alabama Bound," "Rock Island Line," and "Good Morning Blues." The singer is in prime shape, and his guitar playing is typically forceful. The tracks have been transferred from old vinyl discs, with hiss and crackles audible throughout, but the sound quality is generally good. William Ruhlmann
Tracklist :
– BONUS TRACKS – Alternate Takes (1935)    
1. Daddy I'm Coming Back To You (Take 3)    2:56
2. Shorty George (Take 2)    3:02
        -    
3. Fannin Street    2:36
4. Frankie And Albert - First Half    2:49
5. Frankie And Albert - Completion    3:04
6. De Kalb Blues    2:49
7. Looky Looky Yonder / Black Betty / Yellow Women's Door Bells (On A Monday)    2:57
8. The Bourgeois Blues    3:12
9. Poor Howard / Green Corn    3:09
10. The Boll Weevil    3:04
11. The Gallis Pole    2:59
12. Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No Mo' / Go Down Old Hannah    3:13
13. Pick A Bale Of Cotton    3:00
14. Whoa Back, Buck    3:05
15. Midnight Special    3:03
16. Alabama Bound    3:03
17. Rock Island Line    2:35
18. Good Morning Blues    2:51
19. Leaving Blues    3:02
20. T. B. Blues    3:07
21.  Red Cross Store Blues    3:05
22.  Sail On, Little Girl, Sail On    3:14
23.  Roberta    2:59
24.  Alberta    3:08
25.   I'm On My Last Go Round    3:09
Credits : 
Compiled By, Producer – Johnny Parth
Guitar – Leadbelly (tracks: 1 to 6, 8 to 11, 13 to 16, 18 to 25)
Liner Notes – Ken Romanowski
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Tap Dance – Leadbelly (tracks: 9)
Vocals – Henry Owens (tracks: 13 to 17), Leadbelly, Arlandus Wilson (tracks: 13 to 17), William Langford (tracks: 13 to 17), Willis Johnson (tracks: 13 to 17)
Vocals [Vocal Quartet] – The Golden Gate Quartet (tracks: 13 to 17)

LEDBELLY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 2 · 1940-1943 | DOCD-5227 (1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Austrian Document Records label continues its series of CDs presenting Leadbelly's commercial recordings in chronological order from 1939 with this second volume, which picks up with the second day of the singer's two days of sessions for RCA Victor Records in June 1940, some of the tracks featuring the Golden Gate Quartet, material issued either on the album The Midnight Special and Other Prison Songs or on singles on the discount-priced Bluebird Records subsidiary. These recordings (tracks one through ten) marked the end of Leadbelly's work for major record labels for the time being. His next, far more informal, commercial sessions were made for the tiny Asch Records label run by Moses Asch (later the founder of Folkways Records) and initially issued on the Asch albums Play Parties in Song and Dance as Sung by Lead Belly; Work Songs of the U.S.A. Sung by Leadbelly; Leadbelly & His Guitar; and Songs by Lead Belly. (Leadbelly also made many recordings for the Library of Congress [issued separately by Document] and airchecks during this period that do not fit into the series' concept of commercial recordings and thus are not included.) Many of Leadbelly's better-known songs are included in these sessions, among them "Easy Rider," "Grey Goose," "Stew Ball," "Skip to My Lou," "Rock Island Line," and "John Henry" (the last featuring Sonny Terry on harmonica). Particularly notable are two 1943 takes of "(Good Night) Irene," a song that would be popularized by the Weavers shortly after Leadbelly's death in 1949. The singer is in prime shape; his guitar playing is typically forceful, and he even plays concertina on some songs. The tracks have been transferred from old vinyl discs, with hiss and crackles audible throughout (and even, in the case of some of the Asch tracks, skips), but the sound quality is generally fair. William Ruhlmann
Tracklist :
1.        Easy Rider    3:10
2.        New York City    3:00
3.        Worried Blues    3:08
4.        Don't You Love Your Daddy No More?    3:03
5.        You Can't Lose-A Me Cholly    3:03
6.        Grey Goose    3:01
7.        Stew Ball    2:58
8.        Take This Hammer    2:59
9.        Can't You Line 'Em    2:55
10.        Ham An' Eggs    2:55
11.        Ha Ha Thisaway    2:38
12.        Little Sally Walker    2:41
13.        Redbird    2:41
14.        Christmas Song    2:41
15.        Skip To My Lou    2:21
16.        You Can't Lose Me Cholly    2:32
17.        Take This Hammer    2:13
18.        Haul Away, Joe    2:12
19.        Rock Island Line    2:04
20.        Ol' Riley    2:31
21.        Corn Bread Rough    2:04
22.        Old Man    2:30
23.        On A Monday    1:46
24.        John Henry    2:14
25.        How Long    2:10
26.        (Good Night) Irene (Tk. 1)    2:21
27.        (Good Night) Irene    2:36
28.        Ain't You Glad    2:01
29.        Good Morning Blues    2:23
Credits : 
Accordion [Button Accordion] – Leadbelly (tracks: 21)
Compiled By, Producer – Johnny Parth
Guitar – Leadbelly (tracks: 1 to 5, 7, 11 to 20, 22 to 29)
Harmonica – Sonny Terry (tracks: 23 to 26, 28, 29)
Liner Notes – Ken Romanowski
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Vocals – Leadbelly, The Golden Gate Quartet (tracks: 6 to 10)

LEDBELLY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 3 · 1943-1944 | DOCD-5228 (1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Austrian Document Records label continues its series of CDs presenting Leadbelly's commercial recordings in chronological order from 1939 with this third volume, which picks up with a session for record company owner Moses Asch (whose label was now called Disc, but who would later found Folkways) probably held in October 1943, material issued on the album Negro Folk Songs as Sung by Leadbelly (tracks one through six). The singer's contract with Asch was nonexclusive, and in February 1944 he returned to Musicraft Records (for which he had recorded in 1939) for sessions that resulted in the album Leadbelly Sings Ballads of Beautiful Women and Bad Men/With the Satin Strings (tracks seven through 14). Asch was back to calling his label Asch Records by April 1944, when Leadbelly cut a series of sessions (tracks 15-26) that appeared on different Asch collections and, after the company's bankruptcy, on Stinson, the company controlled by Asch's partner, who took away some of the masters. Some of Leadbelly's better-known songs are included in these sessions, among them "Bring Me Lil Water Silvy," "In the Pines," and "In New Orleans" (aka "House of the Rising Sun"), and two versions of "John Hardy," and the recordings also are notable for featuring his piano and concertina playing on some tracks and for the presence of Josh White (who duets on "I've a Pretty Flower" and takes lead vocals on "Don't Lie Buddy") and Sonny Terry here and there. On "Blind Lemon (Memorial Record)," Leadbelly demonstrates the style of Blind Lemon Jefferson, whom he used to accompany. The singer is in prime shape, and his guitar playing is typically forceful. The tracks have been transferred from old vinyl discs, with hiss and crackles audible, but the sound quality is generally good. William Ruhlmann
Tracklist :
1.        Cow Cow Yicky Yea / Out On The Western Plains    3:07
2.        Noted Rider / Big Fat Woman / Borrow Love And Go    4:02
3.        John Hardy    4:15
4.        Meeting At The Building / Talking Preaching / We Shall Walk Through The Valley    3:19
5.        Fiddler's Dream / Yallow Gal / Green Corn    3:08
6.        Bring Me Lil Water Silvy / Julia Ann Johnson / Line 'Em / Whoa Back Buck    3:52
7.        Roberta    3:04
8.        Bill Brady    3:03
9.        Where Did You Sleep Last Night?    2:59
10.        Yellow Gal    3:03
11.        When The Boys Were Out On The Western Plains    2:54
12.        Pretty Flowers In Your Backyard    2:43
13.        In New Orleans    3:13
14.        John Hardy    3:10
15.        I've A Pretty Flowers    2:23
16.        Don't Lie Buddy    2:19
17.        How Do You Know / Don't Mind The Weather    2:14
18.        (What Are) Little Boys (Made Of) / Let Me Hold Your Hand (All For You) / Polly Wolly (Polly) Wee    2:16
19.        Skip To My Lou / Christmas Day (It's Almost Over)    1:59
20.        Little Sally Walker / Ha Ha Thisaway / Red Bird    2:34
21.        Outskirts Of Town    2:38
22.        Red River / Black Girl (In The Pines) / Don't Miss Your Water Blues    4:12
23.        Blind Lemon (Memorial Record)    1:23
24.        Leadbelly's Dance    0:50
25.        Mother's Blues (Little Children Blues)    2:30
26.        Mo' Yet / (Little Boy) How Old Are You / There's A Limb On The Tree (Green Grass Grows All Around)    2:51
Credits : 
Accordion [Button Accordion] – Leadbelly (tracks: 3)
Compilation Producer – Johnny Parth
Guitar – Josh White (tracks: 15, 16, 25), Leadbelly (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 26)
Harmonica – Sonny Terry (tracks: 21, 22)
Liner Notes – Ken Romanowski
Piano – Leadbelly (tracks: 2)
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Speech – Leadbelly (tracks: 23, 24)
Tap Dance – Leadbelly (tracks: 24)
Vocals – Josh White (tracks: 15, 16), Leadbelly

LEDBELLY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 4 · 1944 | DOCD-5310 (1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Austrian Document Records label continues its series of CDs presenting Leadbelly's commercial recordings in chronological order from 1939 with this fourth volume, which picks up with a series of sessions probably held in May 1944 for record company owner Moses Asch and eventually issued on various records by the labels Asch, Stinson, Folkways, and Arhoolie. The singer's contract with Asch was nonexclusive, and while residing on the West Coast later in the year, he recorded for Capitol Records in October, the tracks issued on singles and EPs. Many of Leadbelly's better-known songs are included in these sessions (in many cases as re-recordings), among them "Easy Rider" ("See See Rider"), "Bourgeois Blues," "Rock Island Line," and "Irene" ("Goodnight Irene"). There are also some newly written and timely tunes, such as "Army Life" (with a vocal chorus singing, "I don't want no more army life/Gee, but I want to go home") and "Mr. Hitler" ("Hitler Song"). The recordings also are notable for the presence of guest musicians including Woody Guthrie, who duets on "We Shall Be Free," and, curiously, Paul Mason Howard, who plays zither on the Capitol performances (tracks 20-27). Leadbelly is in prime shape, and his guitar playing is typically forceful. (He also plays piano on the last two Capitol tunes, the instrumental "Eagle Rock Rag" ["Hot Piano Rag"] and "The Eagle Rocks.") The tracks have been transferred from old vinyl discs, with hiss and crackles audible. The sound quality is generally good, though it's startling when the Capitol tracks begin and they turn out to have been mastered much louder than what came before them. William Ruhlmann
Tracklist :
1.    In The Evenin' When The Sun Goes Down    2:31
2.    Easy Rider (See See Rider)    2:48
3.    We Shall Be Free    2:33
4.    Keep Your Hands Off Her    2:50
5.    There's A Man Going Round Taking Names    1:23
6.    Red Bird    2:53
7.    Line 'Em    1:10
8.    T. B. Blues    3:40
9.    Jim Crow Blues    2:23
10.  Bourgeois Blues    2:17
11.  Army Life    1:45
12.  Mr. Hitler    3:04
13.  Juliana Johnson    1:06
14.  Jean Harlow    1:39
15.  Corn Bread Rough    2:06
16.  National Defense Blues    3:00
17.  Children's Blues (Little Children's Blues)    2:26
18.  The Blood Done Sign My Name (Ain't You Glad)    2:18
19.  Cow Cow Yicky Yicky Yea    1:31
20.  Ella Speed    2:43
21.  Rock Island Line    2:54
22.  Tell Me Baby    2:55
23.  Take This Hammer    2:51
24.   Irene    2:52
25.   Western Plain    2:41
26.   On A Christmas Day    2:51
27.   Backwater Blues    2:56
28.   Eagle Rock Rag    2:45
29.   The Eagle Rocks    2:45
Credits : 
Compilation Producer – Johnny Parth
Concertina – Leadbelly (tracks: 15)
Guitar – Leadbelly (tracks: 1 to 6, 8 to 14, 16 to 18, 20 to 27), Woody Guthrie (tracks: 4)
Harmonica – Sonny Terry (tracks: 1 to 3)
Liner Notes – Ken Romanowski
Piano – Leadbelly (tracks: 28, 29)
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Vocals – Leadbelly (tracks: 1 to 27, 29), Sonny Terry (tracks: 3), Woody Guthrie (tracks: 3)
Vocals [Vcl Group] – Unknown Artist (tracks: 11)
Zither – Paul Mason Howard (tracks: 20 to 27) 

LEDBELLY — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 5 · 1944-1946 | DOCD-5311 (1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Austrian Document Records label continues its series of CDs presenting Leadbelly's commercial recordings in chronological order from 1939 with this fifth volume, which picks up at the end of the singer's series of recordings for Capitol Records in Los Angeles in October 1944. Although the next batch of performances (tracks three through 14) come from a live performance for children in San Francisco in February 1945 that was broadcast on the radio, they fit into the "commercial recordings" framework because the tape was later pressed onto a disc by Folkways Records. By June 1946, Leadbelly was back in New York doing informal sessions for Moses Asch, soon to found Folkways, though most of these tracks were issued on its predecessor, Disc Records. Here, the singer is joined by such friends as Brownie McGhee, Woody Guthrie, and Cisco Houston, as well as jazz musicians Willie "The Lion" Smith and George "Pops" Foster. Many of Leadbelly's better-known songs are included in these sessions (in many cases as re-recordings), among them "Irene, Goodnight," "John Henry" (two versions), "Boll Weevil," "Rock Island Line" (a version that served as a blueprint for Lonnie Donegan's hit cover), "Alabama Bound," and "Midnight Special." The singer is in prime shape, and his guitar playing is typically forceful. The tracks have been transferred from old vinyl discs, with hiss and crackles audible occasionally, but the sound quality is generally good. William Ruhlmann
Tracklist :
1.        Sweet Mary Blues    2:55
2.        Grasshoppers In My Pillow    2:46
3.        Irene, Goodnight    1:22
4.        John Henry    3:59
5.        Boll Weevil    3:20
6.        When A Man's A Long Way From Home    3:00
7.        Good Morning Blues    2:51
8.        By And By When The Morning Comes    1:50
Medley    (3:23)
9a.        Everytime I Feel The Spirit    
9b.        Swing Low Sweet Chariot    
9c.        They Hung Him On The Cross    
10.        Swing Low Sweet Chariot    1:02
11.        Rock Island Line    2:30
12.        Julie Ann Johnson    3:20
13.        Haul Away Joe    2:19
14.        Christmas Is Coming    1:04
15.        We're In The Same Boat Brother    2:38
16.        Diggin' My Potatoes    2:33
17.        Defense Blues    3:16
18.        Easy Rider    2:47
19.        Pigmeat    2:16
20.        John Henry    2:20
21.        Alabama Bound    2:22
22.        Ham And Eggs    2:42
23.        Yellow Gal    2:23
24.        Stew Ball    2:27
25.        Gray Goose    1:33
26.        Midnight Special    2:12
27.        Green Corn    1:14
28.        Fiddler's Dram    2:27
Credits : 
Bass [String Bass] – Pops Foster (tracks: 16 to 19)
Chorus [Children Singing] – Unknown Artist (tracks: 5, 8, 9b, 9c, 15)
Compiled By, Producer – Johnny Parth
Guitar – Brownie McGhee (tracks: 16 to 20)
Harmonica – Sonny Terry (tracks: 17, 18, 20)
Liner Notes – Ken Romanowski
Piano – Willie "The Lion" Smith (tracks: 16 to 20)
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Trumpet, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Bass [String Bass], Drums – Unknown Artist (tracks: 7, 8)
Vocals, Guitar – Cisco Houston (tracks: 21 to 28), Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie (tracks: 21 to 28)