Muddy Waters - The Real Folk Blues (Mono)
Compilation of early Chicago recordings
Muddy Waters – vocals, guitar [click here to see more vinyl featuring Muddy Waters]
Jimmy Rogers – guitar (A3, B4)
Pat Hare – guitar (A4)
Little Walter – harmonica (A1-2, A5, B1, B3, B6)
Otis Spann – piano (A1-2, A4-5, B1, B3-6)
Willie Dixon – bass (A1-2, A4-5, B1, B3-6)
Fred Below – drums (A1-2, A4-5, B1, B3-6)
Big Crawford – bass (A3, B2)
Written by Muddy Waters (A1-2, A4, A6, B2-3, B5-6), Bo Diddley (A1), Mel London (A1), Bernard Roth (A3, B4), Robert Johnson (A5), Willie Dixon (B1)
1 LP, tip-on gatefold jacket
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12’’
Mono
Studio
Record Press : Quality Record Pressings (QRP)
Label : Chess Records - Acoustic Sounds Series (Chess Records 75 Series)
Original Label : Chess
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois between September 1947 and 1964 at various Chess and Aristocrat recording sessions
Editing and archival preparation by Ron Malo
Produced by Marshall Chess
Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab
Photography by Don S. Bronstein
Liner notes by Willie Dixon
Design by Don S. Bronstein
Originally released in 1966
Reissued in 2026
Tracks:
Side A:
- Mannish Boy
- Screamin' & Crying
- Just To Be With You
- Walking In The Park
- Walking Blues
- Canary Bird
Side B:
- Same Thing
- Gypsy Women
- Rollin' & Tumblin'
- 40 Days & 40 Nights
- Little Geneva
- You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had
Awards:
Inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame (Classics of Blues Recordings – Album) in 2017.
Reviews :
“Once Chess discovered a white folk-blues audience ripe and ready to hear the real thing, they released a series of albums under the Real Folk Blues banner. This is one of the best entries in the series, a mixed bag of early Chess sides from 1949-1954, some of it hearkening back to Muddy's first recordings for Aristocrat with only Big Crawford on strings in support, with some wonderful full band sides rounding out the package to give everyone the big picture. A couple of highlights to pay special attention to are the cha cha/shuffle strut of the band charging through "Walkin' Through the Park" and the "I'm a Man"-derived nastiness of "Mannish Boy."” AllMusic Review by Cub Koda
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4.5 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.56 / 5