The Definitive Blind Willie McTell [Columbia/Legacy] (CD - 1994)

Recorded in Atlanta, Georgia and New York between October 1929 and September 1933. Includes liner notes by David Evans and Lawrence Cohn.

This is part of Legacy's "ROOTS 'N' BLUES" series.

This double-CD set is a little misleading. It is definitive, but only in terms of McTell's Columbia and Okeh sides -- you won't find "Statesboro Blues" or his other earliest sides here, because they were done for Victor. But the material that is here is all worthwhile, and this is the best single source for McTell's work for those labels (done under a variety of names) from the mid-'30s, very nicely remastered and thoroughly annotated, although producer Lawrence Cohn concedes that even Sony Legacy was unable to locate sources on a handful of songs that McTell is known to have recorded. ~ Bruce Eder

Blind Willie McTell distinguished himself stylistically from other Southern bluesmen of the same era (such as Charlie Patton and Robert Johnson) by his remarkably fluid 12-string guitar style and his highly controlled, mellifluous tenor. The story of McTell's rambling life sounds itself much like a blues song, as he recorded under several names and under all manner of circumstances. With tracks culled from the numerous recordings of McTell's prolific and dramatically changeable career, THE DEFINITIVE is just that.

The wide range of McTell's palette, which incorporates hillbilly country, rags, religious material, and blues with a tremendous variety in style and mood, is represented here. Highlights among the 41 tracks include "Atlanta Strut," "Southern Can Is Mine," "Broke Down Engine Blues," and "Don't You See How This World Made A Change." McTell's precise, fleet-fingered picking and soulful croon are augmented with contributions of various partners, all of whom lending backup instrumentation and/or vocals. Ruth Mary Willis' sweet wail is especially notable. This two-disc set is a must for any blues enthusiast. minimize