• Track Listing

Blind Lemon Jefferson - Complete Releases 1926-29 / Blind Lemon Jefferson was one of the most important, influential and successful of the early bluesmen, a singer, songwriter and guitarist who has been called "The Father Of Texas Blues", and he was one of the earliest and most prominent figures in the blues movement that developed in the Deep Ellum area of Dallas. He was one of the first solo guitarist/vocalists in the commercial recording world, being invited to Chicago in early 1926 to do his first sessions for Paramount. His high-pitched voice and unusual guitar style made him a distinctive performer, writing songs about everyday life and experiences, and his skilful guitar playing and impressive vocal range created opportunities for other solo performers like Charley Patton and Furry Lewis. This substantial and excellent-value 87-track 4-CD collection comprises, as far as we are aware, every recording he made which was commercially released, primarily comprising his releases on Paramount, but also featuring titles he made in a brief foray to the Okeh label, and including a couple of titles he made as a member of the Paramount All Stars. He wrote and recorded many classics of the genre, all of which are featured here, and the collection is a comprehensive and definitive showcase for an innovative blues pioneer.