Elmore James - The Complete Singles As and Bs: 1951-62 (2015)

Before his untimely death in 1963, blues guitarist Elmore James was one of the most influential players in the genre, with a distinctive sound that would inspire everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughan to the Rolling Stones. Though he covered a variety of different blues styles throughout the 1950s, his unique, amped-up tone came from a standard acoustic guitar that he had modified with electric pick-ups. This two-disc collection from the Acrobat label covers all of James' A- & B-side singles from his 1951 debut to the year just before his death. His cover of Robert Johnson's "Dust My Broom" would become one of his signature songs and it leads off this 54-track collection, which also includes standouts like "The Sky Is Crying," "Rollin' and Tumblin'," and "Early in the Morning." This is a solid introduction to one of the post-war blues' biggest icons.

TRACKLIST

CD 1:

01. Dust My Broom (2:43)
02. Catfish Blues (2:52)
03. I Held My Baby Last Night (3:21)
04. I Believe (3:12)
05. Sinful Woman (2:50)
06. Baby, What's Wrong (2:53)
07. Dumb Woman Blues (3:15)
08. Sax-Ony Boogie (2:35)
09. She Just Won't Do Right (3:00)
10. Country Boogie (2:38)
11. Early In The Morning (2:46)
12. Hawaiian Boogie Pt. 2 (2:17)
13. Can't Stop Lovin' (2:24)
14. Make A Little Love (2:49)
15. Strange Kinda Feeling (2:32)
16. Please Find My Baby (3:06)
17. Make My Dreams Come True (2:41)
18. Hand In Hand (2:48)
19. Sho 'nuff I Do (2:49)
20. 1839 Blues (3:14)
21. Dark And Dreary (2:44)
22. Rock My Baby Right (2:32)
23. Standing At The Crossroads (2:44)
24. Sunnyland (3:15)
25. Late Hours At Midnight (2:45)
26. The Way You Treat Me (2:12)

CD 2:

01. Happy Home (2:43)
02. No Love In My Heart (2:23)
03. Dust My Blues (3:10)
04. I Was A Fool (2:48)
05. Goodbye Baby (2:55)
06. Blues Before Sunrise (2:43)
07. Long Tall Woman (2:51)
08. Wild About You (3:17)
09. Coming Home (2:25)
10. The 12 Year Old Boy (3:02)
11. It Hurts Me Too (3:02)
12. Elmore's Contribution To Jazz (2:16)
13. Cry For Me Baby (2:42)
14. Take Me Where You Go (2:18)
15. Knocking At Your Door (2:33)
16. Bobby's Rock (2:09)
17. The Sky Is Crying (2:48)
18. Held My Baby Last Night (2:50)
19. I Can't Hold Out (2:13)
20. The Sun Is Shining (2:43)
21. Rollin' And Tumblin' (2:30)
22. I'm Worried (2:48)
23. Done Somebody Wrong (2:19)
24. Fine Little Mama (2:30)
25. Look On Yonder Wall (2:25)
26. Shake Your Moneymaker (2:28)
27. Stranger Blues (3:12)
28. Anna Lee (2:50)