BLIND BOY FULLER — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 4 • 1937-1938 | DOCD-5094 (1992) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Beginning with the mid-December, 1937 session which kicks off this fourth volume in Document's retrospective, Blind Boy Fuller entered into a recording partnership with the legendary harpist Sonny Terry that continued for the remainder of Fuller's studio career. Terry's blistering harmonica and falsetto interjections lent an exciting new dynamic to Fuller's sound, as classic sides like "Pistol Snapper Blues," "Mean and No Good Woman" and "Georgia Ham Mama" amply prove, each musician pushing the other to new creative heights. Jason Ankeny

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Perhaps the most noticeable change in Blind Boy Fuller’s sessions of December 1937 was the addition of Sonny Terry on harmonica. Sonny Terry’s pyrotechnic and often percussive country-styled harp and his exuberant falsetto “whoops” have long since become one of the most identifiable sounds in the blues. In 1937, however, his first session was with Blind Boy Fuller, and he was to be present on all of Fuller’s recording dates from that time on. Sonny Terry was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. Terry’s brother lived in Wadesboro, where Fuller still had relatives, and it was there that they met while playing on opposite sides of the street. Fuller invited him to come to Durham, stating that they might possibly record together. After Sonny Terry arrived in Durham he continued performing on the street with Blind Boy Fuller and was introduced to J. B. Long, who agreed with Fuller that Sonny would be an asset on the recordings.

Sonny Terry’s first recordings with Blind Boy Fuller took place at the December 15, 1937 session on the three titles that began the date (see Vol. 3 DOCD-5093). He also appeared on the last track of Blind Boy Fuller’s session: I’m Going To Move (To The Edge of Town), which was cut the following day. In between, Fuller cut Hungry Calf Blues (combining elements of Kokomo Arnold’s “Milk Cow Blues” and Robert Johnson’s “Milkcow’s Calf Blues”) and three guitar rags with Dipper Boy Council (Oozin’ You Off My Mind, Shake That Shimmy and Heart Ease Blues). At the April 1938 session Sonny Terry repeated the pattern by accompanying Blind Boy Fuller on his first three titles, including the popular Pistol Slapper Blues. Fuller also recorded another of his lively dance pieces: Piccolo Rag (piccolo was a then-current slang term for a jukebox). In late October Long scheduled the first of two sessions away from the usual location in New York. The explanation he gave for this was that there were problems with the musician’s union in New York where union dues had to be paid if a group of three recorded. That being the case, Columbia, South Carolina was the chosen location, where Blind Boy Fuller, Sonny Terry, and Bull City Red rerecorded some of their classic themes. DOCD-5094
Tracklist :
1        Shaggy Like A Bear 2:35
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
2        Ten O'Clock Peeper 2:34
Guitar – Dipper Boy Council
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
3        Hungry Calf Blues 2:42
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
4        Too Many Women Blues 2:37
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
5        Oozin' You Off My Mind 2:42
Guitar – Dipper Boy Council
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
6        Shake That Shimmy 2:44
Guitar – Dipper Boy Council
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
7        Heart Ease Blues 2:26
Guitar – Dipper Boy Council
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
8        I'm Going To Move (To The Edge Of Town) 2:38
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
9        Pistol Slapper Blues 2:40
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
10        Mean And No Good Woman 2:30
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
11        Georgia Ham Mama 2:45
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
12        Piccolo Rag 2:47
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
13        Funny Feeling Blues 2:48
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
14        Painful Hearted Blues 2:47
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
15        You've Got To Move It Out 2:49
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
16        Mama Let Me Lay It On You No. 2 2:57
Harmonica – Charlie Austin
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
17        Meat Shakin' Woman 2:42
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
18        I'm A Good Stem Winder 2:39
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
19        What's That Smells Like Fish 2:43
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
20        She's A Truckin' Little Baby 2:27
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
21        Jivin' Woman Blues 2:31
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
22        You're Laughing Now 2:40
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller