BLIND BOY FULLER — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 3 • 1937 | DOCD-5093 (1992) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 22 sides which comprise the third volume in Document's Blind Boy Fuller retrospective were all culled from sessions cut in the latter half of 1937; the first session, from mid-July, was recorded under the auspices of the Decca label, a situation which left Fuller's longtime manager J.B. Long -- as well as ARC Records -- none too happy. As a result, at the bluesman's next session, Long insisted he re-record many of the titles earlier cut for Decca, resulting in alternate takes of "Bulldog Blues," "Throw Your Yas Yas Back in Jail" (a.k.a. "Put You Back in Jail") and "Steel Hearted Woman" (a.k.a. "Why Don't My Baby Write to Me"); for blues historians, the chance to compare and contrast the sessions will be irresistible, although more casual fans might find this particular release less engaging than the others in the series. Jason Ankeny

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. By 1937 Blind Boy Fuller had already emerged as one of the best-selling blues artists recording at that time. Willie Trice recalled (in an article by Bruce Bastin for the British magazine Blues Unlimited) that Fuller was unhappy with ARC at that time. In any case, sometime early in the year, Decca Records was contacted and an inquiry made regarding their possible interest in recording Fuller. Decca responded and sent their agent, Mayo Williams, to Durham in early July 1937. Williams auditioned Blind Boy Fuller Fuller and the Trice brothers and sent them all on to New York to record.

The session commenced with Blind Boy Fuller recording ten titles on July 12, 1937 before an electrical storm halted the activity. But by that time Fuller had cut his stripped-down version of Blind Blake‘s first release: “Early Morning Blues”, recast by Fuller as You Never Can Tell (see Document Records DOCD-5092 Blind Boy Fuller Vol. 2). Also recorded that day were Why Don’t My Baby Write To Me? — which Willie Trice claims as his own — and Working Man Blues — similarly claimed by Richard Trice. There is a distinct possibility that these claims are genuine since the Trice brothers were present at the session and had little to gain by their assertions. On July 13 the Trices recorded and, from all accounts, had a difficult and unpleasant time of it. Their session progressed so slowly that Fuller had to return the following day to record his last two numbers: the beautiful Weeping Willow with its lilting minor-IV chord change, and Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So? — a reworking of the blues standard “Careless Love”.

Decca immediately released two 78s from the sessions (Decca 7330 and 7331) and when J. B. Long realized what had taken place, he wrote to the company and threatened to take legal action, whereupon they withdrew the two records from circulation. Long really had no contract with Blind Boy Fuller, but after he wrote to Decca he wasted no time rectifying that situation and even pacified the singer by buying him an inexpensive car.

Long was also understandably eager to get Blind Boy Fuller back into the ARC studio. This he accomplished in early September at which time he had Fuller redo some of the titles he recorded for Decca. Bulldog Blues was rerecorded; “Put You Back In Jail” became Throw Your Yas Yas Back In Jail; “Why Don’t My Baby Write To Me” was redone as Steel Hearted Woman; “Weeping Willow” became Ain’t No Gettin’ Along; “Corinne What Makes You Treat Me So?” reverted back to Careless Love. The remakes even continued at the December session where “Some Day You’re Gonna Be Sorry” was recast as Mistreater, You’re Going To Be Sorry. DOCD-5093
Tracklist :
1        Put You Back In The Jail    3:17
2        Walking And Looking Blues    2:58
3        Bulldog Blues (62359)    3:11
4        Where My Woman Usta Lay    3:03
5        Working Man Blues    3:18
6        Weeping Willow    3:08
7        Corrine What Makes You Treat Me So?    2:57
8        Stealing Bo-Hog    2:48
9        Worried And Evil Man Blues    2:51
10        Bull Dog Blues (21629)    2:55
11        Break Of Day Blues    2:44
12        Oh Zee Zas Rag    2:41
13        Throw Your Yas Yas Back In Jail    2:49
14        Snake Woman Blues    2:46
15        Mojo Hidin' Woman    2:43
16        Steel Hearted Woman    2:35
17        Ain't No Gettin' Along    2:48
18        Careless Love    2:41
19        New Louise Louise Blues    2:48
20        Mistreater, You're Going To Be Sorry    2:23
21        Bye Bye Baby Blues    2:32
22        Looking For My Woman No. 2    2:40

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

BLIND BOY FULLER — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 5 • 1938-1940 | DOCD-5095 (1992) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume five in Document's Blind Boy Fuller series is comprised primarily of two prolific sessions, the first recorded in Columbia, South Carolina on October 29, 1938 with harpist Sonny Terry and washboard player Bull City Red, the second a Memphis date from July 12, 1939 with Terry, Bull City Red (now going as Oh Red) and second guitarist Sonny Jones. The latter is perhaps the most impressive, yielding the signature song "I Want Some of Your Pie" as well as "You've Got Something There" (a rewrite of Buddy Moss' "Daddy Don't Care") and Fuller's immortal rendition of J.B. Long's "Step It Up and Go." Jason Ankeny

Abridged from this album’s booklet notes. In Blind Boy Fuller, students of the Piedmont blues have the good fortune of having an artist whose eclectic repertory was regularly and extensively documented during the course of his five year recording career. Much like Robert Johnson in the Mississippi delta, Fuller was most adept at consolidating a number of disparate stylistic elements and welding them into a unified structure that was simultaneously unique and paradigmatic for future bluesmen. Fuller was also like Johnson in that he had come to maturity during the recording boom of the 1920s and was as likely to draw material from recorded sources as from his local folk tradition. These new, post-depression stylistic amalgamations were to follow the black migratory patterns northward. In Johnson’s case, his fusion of styles ultimately became the foundation for the post-war electric styles of Chicago and Detroit, while in Fuller’s instance his blend became the basis for much of the north eastern sound typified by the group of musicians associated with Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry. The components of Fuller’s style are divided equally between local elements and recorded sources. Firmly set in the east-coast, Piedmont style of ragtime guitar, Blind Boy Fuller had any number of recorded models from the surrounding states. Blind Blake, Blind Willie McTell, Buddy Moss and Julius Daniels all contributed indirectly to Fuller’s style, most likely via records and recognizable bits of their work are scattered throughout his repertory. Similarly, Fuller drew upon the records of the most popular blues artists of that time so that elements of the styles of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe, Tampa Red, and Big Bill Broonzy are present in his work as well. Couple this with the impact of a major local performer, Gary Davis, from whom Fuller took lessons for a time, and several able contemporaries like Dipper Boy Council and the Trice brothers, and a picture begins to emerge of an artist who was a virtual melting-pot of blues styles. The only session in 1939 took place in Memphis with Fuller, Terry, Red (now calling himself Oh Red in the wake of his and Fuller’s popular record) and possibly guitarist Sonny Jones. On Red’s Got The Piccolo Blues, they reprised “New Oh Red” while You’ve Got Something There was a thorough rewrite of Buddy Moss’ “Daddy Don’t Care”. Those were the only Fuller titles that included Sonny Jones. I Want Some of Your Pie, which became another of the little group’s signature tunes was clearly modelled on Buddy Moss’ and Pinewood Tom’s “You Got To Give Me Some Of It” from 1935. Jivin’ Big Bill Blues was a good-natured put-on as well as stylistic page out of Bill’s fake-book. While they were in Memphis, Long apparently saw Charlie Burse record “Oil it Up and Go” and the song stayed with him. By the time of Fuller’s next recording date Long had rewritten it as Step It Up and Go. It was ideally suited for him and became yet another of the signature pieces associated with Blind Boy Fuller from then on. DOCD-5095
Tracklist :
1        Stop Jivin' Me Mama 2:35
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
2        Long Time Trucker 2:32
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
3        Big House Bound 2:40
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
4        Flyin' Airplane Blues 2:26
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
5        Get Your Yas Yas Out 2:24
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
6        Jitterbug Rag 2:30
Kazoo – Unknown Artist
Speech, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
7        Screaming And Crying Blues 2:31
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
8        Blacksnakin' Jiver 2:33
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
9        I Don't Care How Long 3:03
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
10        You've Got Something There 2:45
Guitar [2nd g.] – Sonny Jones
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red (Bull City Red)
11        Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways 2:32
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
12        Baby Quit Your Low Down Ways 2:48
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
13        It Doesn't Matter Baby 2:49
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
14        Black Bottom Blues 2:29
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
15        I Crave My Pig Meat 2:47
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red (Bull City Red)
16        Big Leg Woman Gets My Pay 2:43
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red (Bull City Red)
17        I'm A Stranger Here 2:53
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
18        Red's Got The Piccolo Blues 2:34
Guitar [2nd g.] – Sonny Jones
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard, Speech – Oh Red (Bull City Red)
19        I Want Some Of Your Pie 2:42
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red (Bull City Red)
20        Jivin' Big Bill Blues 2:51
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
21        Woman You Better Wake Up 2:51
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
22        Step It Up And Go 2:55
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red (Bull City Red)
23        Worn Out Engine Blues 3:00
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller

BLIND BOY FULLER — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 6 • 1940 | DOCD-5096 (1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The sixth and final volume in the series assembles the fruits of Blind Boy Fuller's final studio sessions, all dating to the first half of 1940. Despite failing health, Fuller is at his most incendiary on these sides -- "Shake It, Baby" is among his most galvanizing dance tunes, while "Little Woman You're So Sweet" stands as one of his finest originals. Most energetic, however, are the sanctified songs, including "No Stranger Now," "Jesus Is a Holy Man" and "Twelve Gates to the City" -- with his death less than a year away, Fuller burns with spiritual intensity, clearly yearning for some kind of redemption in his final months.  Jason Ankeny

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. At the beginning of 1940 Blind Boy Fuller was experiencing the medical problems that would eventually lead to his death early the following year. If his health was indeed failing, the sessions that took place in March 1940 gave no evidence of it. Step It Up And Go and Shake It, Baby were as spirited as any of the dance pieces Fuller ever recorded, J. B. Long contributed the powerful Three Ball Blues, and Little Woman You’re So Sweet was one of the most original songs associated with the guitarist. In addition, the religious pieces that were being released as by Brother George And His Sanctified Singers now included Fuller for the first time. A version of Gary Davis’ Twelve Gates To The City was recorded and, although it lacked the intensity of Davis’ performance, it still had a nice commercial swing to it that was helped along by Sonny Terry’s harmonica and Oh Red’s (Bull City Red) washboard. By the time of the June session, though, Fuller was sounding somewhat tired on the blues numbers. The four sanctified titles were in marked contrast with this. The particular standouts were No Stranger Now and Jesus Is A Holy Man which appear to bear more than a passing resemblance to the Chicago Sanctified Singers 1935 ARC release of “I Ain’t No Stranger Now”/”Tell Me What Kind of Man Jesus Is”. Both of the Fuller tracks are high energy, storefront gospel performances with guitar, washboard, and group vocals, and there is a palpable emotional atmosphere that compares favourably with the originals (no mean feat in itself). Perhaps Blind Boy Fuller was becoming concerned with his health and turning toward religion for relief. This hypothesis is supported by Richard Trice, who recalled that, before he died, Fuller swore that if he recovered he would forsake blues singing. He was in and out of the hospital for the last six months of his life during which time his bladder infection worsened until he died on February 13, 1941. A major chapter in the history of the blues had come to an end. DOCD-5096
Tracklist :
1    Blind Boy Fuller–    Blue And Worried Man 2:46
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
2    Blind Boy Fuller–    Passenger Train Woman 2:45
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
3    Blind Boy Fuller–    Shake It, Baby 2:48
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
4    Blind Boy Fuller–    Somebody's Been Talkin' 2:46
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
5    Blind Boy Fuller–    Three Ball Blues 2:53
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
6    Blind Boy Fuller–    Little Woman You're So Sweet 2:44
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
7    Sonny Terry And Oh Red - (Blind Boy Fuller's Boys)–    Harmonica Stomp 2:46
Guitar, Speech – Blind Boy Fuller
Vocals, Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Washboard – Oh Red
8    Blind Boy Fuller–    Good Feeling Blues 2:37
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
9    Brother George And His Sanctified Singers–    You Can't Hide From The Lord 2:50
Vocals – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard, Vocals – Oh Red
10    Brother George And His Sanctified Singers–    Twelve Gates To The City 2:41
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
11    Blind Boy Fuller–    Crooked Woman Blues 2:43
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
12    Blind Boy Fuller–    I Don't Want No Skinny Woman 2:45
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
13    Blind Boy Fuller–    Bus Rider Blues 2:41
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
14    Blind Boy Fuller–    You Got To Have Your Dollar 2:41
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
15    Blind Boy Fuller–    Lost Lover Blues 2:44
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Oh Red
16    Blind Boy Fuller–    Thousand Woman Blues 2:44
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
17    Blind Boy Fuller–    Bye Bye Baby 2:58
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
18    Blind Boy Fuller–    When You Are Gone 2:45
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
19    Brother George And His Sanctified Singers–    No Stranger Now 2:54
Vocals – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard, Vocals – Oh Red
20    Brother George And His Sanctified Singers–    Must Have Been My Jesus 2:54
Vocals – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard, Vocals – Oh Red
21    Brother George And His Sanctified Singers–    Jesus Is A Holy Man 2:47
Vocals – Sonny Terry
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard, Vocals – Oh Red
22    Brother George And His Sanctified Singers–    Precious Lord 2:46
Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Harmonica – Sonny Terry
Vocals [possibly] – Brownie McGhee
Washboard, Vocals [possibly] – Oh Red
23    Blind Boy Fuller–    Night Rambling Woman 2:47
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller