• 180-GRAM VIRGIN VINYL - LIMITED EDITION
• THE COMPLETE LP + 5 BONUS TRACKS

A stinging guitar vibrato and gospel-like voice are the definitive trademarks of bluesmen, as attested by left-handed guitar giant, Otis Rush. One of the founders of the Westside Chicago blues sound in the 1950s, Rush fused deep Mississippi blues with modern urban styles to produce a formidable guitar technique combined with vocals capable of agonized high falsetto shouts.

During the blues revival of the 1960s, Rush emerged as a mentor for musicians ranging from Mike Bloomfield to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to name just a few. Presented here are Rush’s best sides for the Cobra label, backed by master players like Willie Dixon, Little Walter and Ike Turner.

PERSONNEL:

OTIS RUSH, vocals & lead guitar, plus:

ON TRACKS A1 & A4:
Walter Horton (hca), Wayne Bennett (g), Willie Dixon (b), Lafayette Leake (p), Al Duncan (d), James “Red” Holloway (ts).
Chicago, July 1956.

ON TRACKS A2 & B3:
Walter Horton (hca), Wayne Bennett (g), Willie Dixon (b), Lafayette Leake (p), Al Duncan (d), Harold Ashby and Lucious Washington (ts).
Chicago, Autumn 1956.

ON TRACKS A3, A5, A9 & B1:
Ike Turner (g), Willie Dixon (b), Willie D. Warren (el b, g), Harold Burrage or Little Brother Montgomery (p), Odie Payne (d), Eddie Jones and Carlson Oliver (ts), Jackie Brenston (bar).
Chicago, 1958.

ON TRACKS A6-A7:
Little Walter (hca), Louis Myers (g), Willie Dixon (b), Little Brother Montgomery (p), Odie Payne (d), Harold Ashby (ts).
Chicago, Autumn 1956.

ON TRACK A8:
Little Walter (hca), Jody Williams (g), Willie Dixon (b), Lafayette Leake (p), Odie Payne (d), Harold Ashby (ts). Chicago, Autumn 1956.

ON TRACKS B2 & B4:
Louis Myers (g), Willie Dixon (b), Little Brother Montgomery (p), Fred Below (d), Harold Ashby (ts, bar). Chicago, 1958.

(*) BONUS TRACKS:

B5 & B8: Lefty Bates (g), Jack Meyers (b), Lafayette Leake (p & org), K. C. Jones (d), Johnny Board and Abe Locke (ts), King Kolax, Sonny Turner, and Murray Watson (tp), Milton Bland (tb). Chicago, September 6 & 7, 1962.
B6: Matt “Guitar” Murphy (g), Willie Dixon (b), Lafayette Leake (p), Odie Payne (d), Bobby Neely (ts).
Chicago, September 29, 1960.
B7 & B9: Matt “Guitar” Murphy (g), Willie Dixon (b), Lafayette Leake (p), Odie Payne (d), Bobby Neely (ts).
Chicago, January 1960.

TRACKS:

A1 I CAN’T QUIT YOU BABY
A2 VIOLENT LOVE
A3 MY BABY IS A GOOD ‘UN
A4 SIT DOWN BABY
A5 KEEP ON LOVING ME BABY
A6 JUMP SISTER BESSIE
A7 I LOVE THAT WOMAN
A8 IF YOU WERE MINE
A9 ALL YOUR LOVE (I MISS LOVING)

B1 DOUBLE TROUBLE
B2 CHECKING ON MY BABY
B3 MY LOVE WILL NEVER DIE
B4 IT TAKES TIME
B5 HOMEWORK (*)
B6 YOU KNOW MY LOVE (*)
B7 I’M SATISFIED (*)
B8 I HAVE TO LAUGH (*)
B9 SO MANY ROADS, SO MANY TRAINS (*)