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Blues Books - Recommendations
There are many fine books on the Blues, so I thought I would share with you my recommendations.
The list starts with general books of the blues (essential reading), followed by blues artists (in alphabetical order), interjected with blues books on particular themes. I will also be adding books on Gospel music, Zydeco and R&B. I hope you find the list useful. You may not agree with all my recommendations - if not let me know. If you have any recommendations of your own, again, let me know.
Several of the books listed are now out of print and hence unavailable to buy new. You may be lucky and come across an old copy. If you have any blues books you don't want, please let me know.
Whilst I have taken every care to ensure details are
correct, you may spot a mistake. If you do, please let me know
and I will correct it as soon as I can. Thanks, Alan White.
Email: alan.white@earlyblues.com
| General | |
| Title: | The Story of the Blues |
| Author: | Paul Oliver |
| Publisher: | Pimlico, London (Revised edition published 1997) |
| Date Published: | 1969 (Original publisher Barrie & Rockliff, The Cresset Press) |
| ISBN: | 0-7126-7492-6 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | The Land Where the Blues Began |
| Author: | Alan Lomax |
| Publisher: | Delta Trade Paperbacks, New York, USA |
| Date Published: | 1995 |
| ISBN: | 0-385-31285-7 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | The Country Blues |
| Author: | Samuel B. Charters |
| Publisher: | Da Capo Press, New York (Revised edition published 1975) |
| Date Published: | 1959 (Original publisher Rinehart, New York) |
| ISBN: | 0-306-80014-4 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | Blues Fell This Morning : Meaning in the Blues |
| Author: | Paul Oliver |
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press (Revised edition published 1990) |
| Date Published: | 1960 (Original publisher Cassell & Company, London) |
| ISBN: | |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | Big Road Blues : Tradition & Creativity in the Folk Blues |
| Author: | David Evans |
| Publisher: | Da Capo Press, New York |
| Date Published: | 1982 |
| ISBN: | 0-306-80300-3 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | Songsters and Saints : Vocal Traditions on Race Records |
| Author: | Paul Oliver |
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press, |
| Date Published: | 1984 |
| ISBN: | 0 521 26942 3 |
| Catalogues (Blues Reference Bibles) | |
| Title: | Blues & Gospel Records 1890 - 1943 |
| Author: | Dixon, Godrich and Rye |
| Publisher: | Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK |
| Date Published: | 1993 (Fourth Edition) |
| ISBN: | 0-19-816239-1 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | The Blues Discography 1943-1970 |
| Author: | Les Fancourt & Bob McGrath |
| Publisher: | Eyeball Productions |
| Date Published: | 2006 |
| ISBN: | 0-9686445-7-0 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | The Gospel Discography 1943-1970 |
| Author: | Cedric Hayes & Robert Laughton |
| Publisher: | Eyeball Productions |
| Date Published: | 2007 |
| ISBN: | 0-9686445-7-0 |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Title: | All Music Guide to The Blues : The Definitive Guide to the Blues |
| Author: | Edited by Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra and Stephen Thomas Erlewine |
| Publisher: | Backbeat Books |
| Date Published: | 2003 |
| ISBN: | 0-87930-736-6 |
| African Roots | |
| Title: | Savannah Syncopators : African Retentions in the Blues |
| Author: | Paul Oliver |
| Publisher: | Studio Vista (November Books Ltd), London (Series edited by Paul Oliver) |
| Date Published: | 1970 |
| ISBN: | 289.79828.0 |
| Big Bill Broonzy | |
| Title: | Big Bill Blues |
| Author: | Big Bill Broonzy as told to Yannick Bruynoghe |
| Publisher: | Cassell, London |
| Date Published: | 1955 |
| ISBN: | pre ISBN |
| Carolina Blues | |
| Title: | Crying for the Carolinas |
| Author: | Bruce Bastin |
| Publisher: | Studio Vista (November Books Ltd), London (Series edited by Paul Oliver) |
| Date Published: | 1971 |
| ISBN: | 289.70210.0 |
| Willie Dixon | |
| Title: | I Am The Blues : The Willie Dixon Story |
| Author: | Willie Dixon with Don Snowden |
| Publisher: | Quartet Books, London |
| Date Published: | 1989 |
| ISBN: | 0 7043 2707 4 |
| W. C. Handy | |
| Title: | Father of the Blues |
| Author: | W. C. Handy |
| Publisher: | Jazz Book Club (Original publisher Sidgwick and Jackson) |
| Date Published: | 1961 |
| ISBN: | |
| Alberta Hunter | |
| Title: | Alberta : A Celebration In Blues |
| Author: | Frank C. Taylor with Gerald Cook |
| Publisher: | McGraw-Hill |
| Date Published: | 1987 |
| ISBN: | 0-07-063171-9 |
| Skip James | |
| Title: | I'd Rather be the Devil : Skip James and the Blues |
| Author: | Stephan Calt |
| Publisher: | Da Capo Press |
| Date Published: | 1994 |
| ISBN: | 0-306-80579-0 |
| Tommy Johnson | |
| Title: | Tommy Johnson |
| Author: | David Evans |
| Publisher: | Studio Vista (November Books Ltd), London (Series edited by Paul Oliver) |
| Date Published: | 1971 |
| ISBN: | 289.70151.1 |
| Robert Johnson | |
| Title: | Love in Vain : A Vision of Robert Johnson |
| Author: | Alan Greenberg |
| Publisher: | Da Capo Press (Revised edition published 1994) |
| Date Published: | 1983 (Original publisher Doubleday, New York) |
| ISBN: | 0-306-80557-X |
| Leadbelly | |
| Title: | The Life and Legend of Leadbelly |
| Author: | Charles Wolfe and Kip Lornell |
| Publisher: | Da Capo Press |
| Date Published: | 1999 |
| ISBN: | 0-306-80896-X |
| Blind Willie McTell | |
| Title: | Hand Me My Travellin' Shoes : In Search of Blind Willie McTell |
| Author: | Michael Gray |
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury, London |
| Date Published: | 2007 |
| ISBN: | 9780747565604 |
| Little Brother Montgomery | |
| Title: | Deep South Piano : The Story of Little Brother Montgomery |
| Author: | Karl Gert zur Heide |
| Publisher: | Studio Vista (November Books Ltd), London (Series edited by Paul Oliver) |
| Date Published: | 1970 |
| ISBN: | 289.70028.0 |
| Charlie Patton | |
| Title: | King of the Delta Blues : The Life and Music of Charlie Patton |
| Authors: | Stephen Calt and Gayle Wardlow |
| Publisher: | Rock Chapel Press, New Jersey, USA |
| Date Published: | 1988 |
| ISBN: | 0-9618610-0-2 |
| Railroads and the Blues | |
| Title: | Railroadin' Some : Railroads in the Early Blues |
| Authors: | Max Haymes |
| Publisher: | Music Mentor Books |
| Date Published: | 2006 |
| ISBN: | 0-9547068-3-8 Click here for more details |
| Ma Rainey | |
| Title: | Mother of the Blues : A Study of Ma Rainey |
| Authors: | Sandra Lieb |
| Publisher: | University of Massachusetts Press |
| Date Published: | 1981 |
| ISBN: | 0-87023-334-3 |
| Bessie Smith | |
| Title: | Bessie : Empress of the Blues |
| Author: | Chris Albertson |
| Publisher: | Abacus |
| Date Published: | 1975 |
| ISBN: | 0 349 10054 3 |
| Muddy Waters | |
| Title: | Can't Be Satisfied : The Life and Times of Muddy Waters |
| Author: | Robert Gordon |
| Publisher: | Pimlico, London |
| Date Published: | 2002 |
| ISBN: | 0-7126-3999-3 |
| Peetie Wheatstraw | |
| Title: | The Devil's Son-in-Law : The Story of Peetie Wheatstraw and his Songs |
| Author: | Paul Garon |
| Publisher: | Studio Vista (November Books Ltd), London (Series edited by Paul Oliver) |
| Date Published: | 1971 |
| ISBN: | 289.70212.7 |
| Howlin' Wolf | |
| Title: | Moaning at Midnight : The Life & Times of Howlin' Wolf |
| Author: | James Segrest and Mark Hoffman |
| Publisher: | Thunder's Mouth Press, New York (Revised edition published 2005) |
| Date Published: | 2004 (Original Publisher Pantheon Books) |
| ISBN: | 289.70212.7 |
| Zydeco Music | |
| Title: | The Kingdom of Zydeco |
| Author: | Michael Tisserand |
| Publisher: | Avon Books |
| Date Published: | 1998 |
| ISBN: | 0-380-73238-6 |
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