Fourth & Beale (CD - 1975)

Recorded at his home in Memphis in 1969, towards the end of his life, this poignant album functions more as a historical document than a recording of the blues legend at his best, but Furry Lewis's voice and guitar-pickin' still have the ability to transport the listener, imbued with both the ruefulness and the bemusement of a man who's seen it all. On standards like "Saints," "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," and "St. Louis Blues," one gets the distinct sense that he's no longer singing the blues from the standpoint of an individual with problems, but as a representative of the human condition who is about to shuffle off this mortal coil.

Recorded in Memphis on March 5, 1969, with Furry Lewis in bed -- essentially an impromptu concert for the microphone and whoever happened to be there -- these nine tracks show Lewis to fairly good advantage. They're more laid-back than his work at the other end of the decade for Prestige/Bluesville, with Lewis playing more slowly and singing more roughly than those earlier sessions. However, his slide work is still stingingly effective, his voice is still highly expressive, and he knows how to put over a song even at this late date, playing with an almost hypnotic intensity. The songs include new renditions of "John Henry" and "Casey Jones," as well as "When the Saints Go Marching In" and W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues." ~ Bruce Eder minimize