Document's Memphis Blues 1928-1935 contains the 14 Robert Wilkins sides that are currently in circulation, augmented with cuts by a pair of country bluesmen, Tom Dickinson and Allen Shaw. Since Wilkins' recordings are also available on Yazoo's Original Rolling Stone, which is easier to find than this disc, Memphis Blues 1928-1935 isn't a necessary purchase for Wilkins fans, unless they're serious country-blues fans who want the cuts by Dickinson and Shaw, as well. Thom Owens
Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. The city of Memphis has been linked with the blues since W.C. Handy updated ‘Boss’ Crump’s political campaign song of 1909 and published it as ‘The Memphis Blues’ in 1912. This was, of course, a formal composition but when ‘race’ recordings really took off in the 1920’s a whole underworld of blues activity was discovered to be in existence in the city, centered on the ‘black’ thoroughfare of Beale Street. Beale was rough; joints such as Pee Wee’s, The Hole In The Wall and Jim Canan’s reveling in a reputation for having a man for breakfast’ everyday – “even though ‘you never find a dead Nigger on Beale”. The implication being that bodies were quickly hauled out and dumped elsewhere before daybreak. But there was another side to the Memphis Blues. It was born from the “Country Blues” that were drawn in by Afro-Americans from outlying rural areas looking for work and bringing their music with them. This, the first of several volumes dedicated to Memphis Blues, covers the work of three outstanding musicians playing in the Country Blues genre. Robert Wilkins was born in Hernando, Mississippi but as soon as he was old enough relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, a city he had visited many times as a child whilst on the traditional “cotton run”. The evocative, Rolling Stone, has a story-line that builds verse by verse, gaining its momentum with a hypnotic guitar figure. The infectious, upbeat, New Stock Yard Blues was inspired by his day job at the local live stock auction. That’s No Way To Get Along is a song with a haunting melody and lyrical images like, “they treated me like my poor heart was made of a rock of stone, you know that was enough, mama, to make your son wish’d he’s dead and gone”. In 1964 Robert Wilkins, who had by then turned his back on “The Devil’s Music”, recorded and improvised reworking of That’s No Way To Get Along using the biblical theme of the “Prodigal Son” for the lyric base. This was subsequently covered by the Rolling Stones. Tom Dickson and Allen Shaw keep the standard high with Shaw (see also DOCD-5159) producing the fine, driving, Moanin’ The Blues with bottleneck slide guitar accompaniment. DOCD-5014
Tracklist :
1 Robert Wilkins– Rolling Stone - Part 1 2:51
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
2 Robert Wilkins– Rolling Stone - Part 2 3:27
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
3 Robert Wilkins– Jail House Blues 3:30
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
4 Robert Wilkins– I Do Blues 3:35
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
5 Robert Wilkins– That's No Way To Get Along 2:52
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
6 Robert Wilkins– Alabama Blues 2:35
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
7 Robert Wilkins– Long Train Blues 3:44
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
8 Robert Wilkins– Falling Down Blues 2:35
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
9 Robert Wilkins– Nashville Stonewall Blues 3:25
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
10 Robert Wilkins– Police Sergeant Blues 3:00
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
11 Robert Wilkins– Get Away Blues 3:29
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
12 Robert Wilkins– I'll Go With Her Blues 3:04
Vocals, Guitar – Robert Wilkins
13 Tim Wilkins – Dirty Deal Blues 3:14
Guitar [Prob.] – Little Son Joe
Spoons – Kid Spoons
Vocals, Guitar – Tim Wilkins
4 Tim Wilkins – Black Rat Blues 2:49
Guitar [Prob.] – Little Son Joe
Spoons – Kid Spoons
Vocals, Guitar – Tim Wilkins
15 Tim Wilkins – New Stock Yard Blues 2:55
Guitar [Prob.] – Little Son Joe
Spoons – Kid Spoons
Vocals, Guitar – Tim Wilkins
16 Tim Wilkins – Old Jim Canan's 2:50
Spoons – Kid Spoons
Vocals, Guitar – Tim Wilkins
17 Tim Wilkins – Losin' Out Blues 3:08
Spoons – Kid Spoons
Vocals, Guitar – Tim Wilkins
18 Tom Dickson– Death Bell Blues 3:09
Vocals, Guitar – Tom Dickson
19 Tom Dickson– Worry Blues 2:59
Vocals, Guitar – Tom Dickson
20 Tom Dickson– Happy Blues 2:59
Vocals, Guitar – Tom Dickson
21 Tom Dickson– Labor Blues 2:58
Vocals, Guitar – Tom Dickson
22 Allen Shaw– I Couldn't Help It 3:02
Vocals, Guitar – Allen Shaw
23 Allen Shaw– Moanin' The Blues 2:59
Guitar – Willie Borum
Vocals, Guitar – Allen Shaw
