Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee: Mr. Brownie and Mr. Sonny

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Prestige continues its impressive Bluesville series culled from their hallowed vaults. Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee reveal their uncanny chemistry on Mr. Brownie & Mr. Sonny (Prestige 99913-2; 71:39). These recordings from 1960 and 1962, including classic renditions of “Everyday I Have The Blues,” “Diggin’ My Potatoes” and “I Ain’t Gonna Be Your Dog No More,” capture the folk blues duo at the peak of their rootsy magic. Blues Sweet Carolina Blues (Prestige 9914-2; 70:43) focuses on great Piedmont stylists like Pink Anderson, Baby Tate, Reverend Gary Davis and Larry Johnson in a collection of material recorded between 1960 and 1965. Blues, Blue, Blues, White (Prestige 9915-2; 68:10) answers the question “Can white people sing the blues” in the affirmative, highlighting important contributions by participants in the early ’60s folk-blues boom like Tom Rush, Eric Von Schmidt, Geoff Muldaur, Tracy Nelson and Dave Van Ronk, all progeny of such profound blues artists as Rev. Gary Davis, Bukka White, Tampa Red and Bessie Smith. And Roll Over, Ms. Beethoven (Prestige 9916-2; 57:00) highlights the contributions of important blues divas like Alberta Hunger, Victoria Spivey and Lucille Hegamin.

Originally Published April 1, 1997