William Moore – “One Way Gal”
“One Way Gal” was recorded in Chicago in 1928 by the legendary “barber bluesman,” William Moore. A 78 RPM vinyl copy of this lovely record is almost impossible to find, but you can enjoy this nice clean mp3. The lyrical twist in the song is hilarious, and Bill Moore’s voice and picking style delivers it perfectly. Like Blind Blake and other folk-blues greats of his time, Moore accompanied himself solo on acoustic guitar, dropping gems like this into a single microphone with no effects or post-production. A brilliant moment, captured forever.
It is impossible to overstate the importance of Charley Patton’s music and its lasting influence. Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and other key figures in American music were directly and profoundly inspired by Patton in his lifetime. This recording of his own “Poor Me” – made shortly before his passing in 1934, captures Charley Patton’s masterful guitar technique and unique vocal style in a sublime solo performance.
Skip James’ recordings are instantly recognizable as much for his peculiar guitar style as for his utterly unique voice. He does this other-worldly falsetto wail kind of thing, and the way he tuned his 6-string acoustic steel string influenced many later music legends, including Eric Clapton. “Cherry Ball Blues” is a classic lament about losing love. This nice clean mp3 copy of the original vinyl side is free, and priceless.
What a lovely track by this classy classic performer. Lottie Kimbrough brings a message that rings true through the ages, with humor and a voice of gold.
“Cocaine” by Dick Justice is a lighthearted account of the effects that drug addiction can have on life. Originally written and recorded by Luke Jordan in 1927, Justice re-made his own version of the song blending a little folk with some blues and speeding up the tempo.