Best Country Blues

Delta Blues is a collection of recordings by Mississippi blues singer and guitarist Fred McDowell. It presents his vocal and guitar work within the northern Mississippi and Delta blues tradition, including songs such as Kokomo Blues; McDowell's playing is associated with slide guitar and a direct, r...

The Real Thing is a live double album by American blues musician Taj Mahal, recorded at the Fillmore East in New York and released in 1971. It presents Taj Mahal with a larger ensemble that includes horns and percussion, extending his blues, folk, and roots repertoire toward African and Caribbean rh...

Blind Willie McTell’s “The Early Years 1927-1933” presents a remarkable collection of recordings from the early career of this significant blues musician. These twelve-string acoustic tracks showcase his distinctive Piedmont style, a vital part of American roots music. The album offers a direct conn...

Ry Cooder’s 1974 album Paradise and Lunch showcases a masterful fusion of blues, country-blues, and gospel traditions. Featuring prominent session musicians, it delivers a deeply resonant acoustic experience rooted in the sounds of the 1930s. The album's extended “Reprise” track offers a particularl...

Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “King of the Country Blues” presents a vital collection of acoustic recordings from the 1920s. This album highlights Jefferson's pioneering role in shaping American blues music through his distinctive guitar style and emotive vocals. It is particularly significant for histori...

Ry Cooder’s *Chicken Skin Music* (1976) explores connections between American roots music and global traditions. The album features Cooder's distinctive acoustic guitar work alongside influences from Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, and blues styles. It is notable for its eclectic arrangements and thematic explor...

Leadbelly’s *Midnight Special*, released in 1964 by Rounder Records, showcases the powerful vocals and distinctive guitar work of Huddie Ledbetter, known as Leadbelly. This blues album features his renowned interpretations of traditional songs including the title track. It's notable for preserving a...

Taj Mahal’s “The Natch’l Blues” (1968) showcases the musician's distinctive style blending blues with diverse influences including folk, country, and African musical traditions. This Columbia Records release is notable for its eclectic arrangements and expanded sonic palette within the blues genre....

Wicked Grin is a 2001 studio album by American blues musician John Hammond. The album consists entirely of songs written by Tom Waits, and Waits also served as producer, making it a focused interpretation of one songwriter's catalog rather than a collection of original Hammond compositions. Hammond...

Taj Mahal’s 1969 album Giant Step / De Ole Folks at Home showcases a compelling exploration of American roots music. The double-length release presents two distinct sides: one featuring his band in an electric blues style and the other showcasing solo acoustic performances rooted in country blues tr...

Taj Mahal’s 1968 self-titled Columbia album represents a significant early work in American blues music. The collection showcases his distinctive style blending traditional blues with elements of country and world musical traditions. Primarily intended for listeners interested in roots music, partic...

Dave Alvin’s *King of California* offers a compelling look at roots-based music. Released in 1994 on Hightone Records, this acoustic album showcases Alvin's expertise in blues and country-blues traditions. The collection draws heavily from California’s musical landscape and is appreciated by fans of...

Lonnie Johnson’s *Blues and Ballads*, released in 1960, showcases the renowned blues guitarist's unique style. The album is notable for its sophisticated guitar work—particularly Johnson’s intricate single-note solos—and his refined vocal technique. Recorded on Prestige Records, it offers a compelli...

Spectacular Class is a 2019 blues album by American singer, guitarist, and songwriter Jontavious Willis. Released by Kind of Blue Music, it contains ten songs written by Willis and draws on Delta, Piedmont, Texas, country, gospel, and acoustic blues traditions. Willis performs vocals and acoustic gu...

Big Mama's Door is the debut album by American acoustic blues musician Alvin Youngblood Hart, released in 1996 on the Okeh label. The recording highlights Hart's mastery of country blues, featuring acoustic guitar and banjo performances that draw heavily on the styles of pre-war blues musicians like...

Boomer's Story is the third studio album by American roots rock musician Ry Cooder, released in 1972 by Reprise Records. The album consists largely of covers of traditional American folk, blues, and country songs, showcasing Cooder's slide guitar technique. It features contributions from musicians s...

"Today!" is a studio album by the American country blues singer and guitarist Mississippi John Hurt, released in 1966 by Vanguard Records. It was his first commercial recording following his rediscovery during the 1960s folk music revival. The album captures Hurt's intimate, rhythmic fingerpicking g...

Dave Van Ronk Sings the Blues is a 1960 folk and blues album by American singer and guitarist Dave Van Ronk. The album features Van Ronk's acoustic guitar work and gravelly vocals, focusing heavily on traditional country blues and ragtime standards. It was recorded during his time performing in the...

*So Many Roads* is a 1965 blues album by American singer and guitarist John Hammond Jr., released by Vanguard Records. A prominent figure in the blues revival of the 1960s, Hammond used this album to perform acoustic interpretations of classic country and Delta blues standards. The recording showcas...

"Country Blues" is a 1965 studio album by American blues musician John Hammond Jr., released by Vanguard Records. The album consists entirely of solo acoustic performances, featuring Hammond on vocals, guitar, and harmonica. It is dedicated to traditional rural blues styles of the American South, co...

"Sonny's Story" is an album by the American acoustic blues duo Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, released on the Storyville Records label. The duo was prominent in the American folk music revival and is known for their Piedmont blues style, characterized by complex fingerpicking guitar and distinctive...

John Hammond is the 1963 self-titled album by American blues singer and guitarist John Hammond Jr. The record presents Hammond in an acoustic blues setting, drawing on country-blues and folk-blues traditions rather than the electric band sound used on some of his later recordings. It belongs to the...

When a Woman Gets the Blues is a 1998 album by American acoustic blues guitarist and singer Rory Block, released on Rounder Records. The project serves as a tribute to pioneering women of early blues, featuring covers of songs originally popularized by artists such as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Si...

This 1996 release by American acoustic blues guitarist Rory Block showcases her intricate fingerpicking and soulful vocals on a curated collection of traditional blues standards.

Good Stuff is an album by American folk-blues guitarist and singer Eric Bibb, released in the 1990s on the Earthbeat label. The son of folk singer Leon Bibb, he blends acoustic Delta blues with traditional folk, roots, and gospel influences. His playing is distinguished by a warm, fingerstyle techni...

Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff is a 1972 album by American blues musician Taj Mahal, released by Columbia Records. The double LP combines live recordings with studio tracks, demonstrating his diverse musical interests that stretch beyond standard blues. It incorporates elements of folk, c...

Mississippi Moan is an album by American guitarist Erin Harpe, notable for its authentic revival of traditional 1930s Delta blues and Piedmont fingerpicking guitar techniques.

Last Sessions is a posthumous album by the American country blues singer and guitarist Mississippi John Hurt, released by Vanguard Records in 1972. The recordings were captured in February 1966, shortly before his death, and represent the final studio tracks of his musical career. The album features...

Lightnin' Hopkins is a 1959 album by the renowned Texas acoustic blues guitarist and singer Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins. The recordings were produced by folklorist Samuel Charters, who sought to capture Hopkins' traditional country blues style in a raw, stripped-down setting. Released during the mid-cen...