• 180-gram VIRGIN VINYL

• LIMITED EDITION

• The Complete Album + 6 Bonus Tracks

Known as the “King of the Slide Guitar,” Elmore James was the most influential slide guitarist of the postwar period. His music went far beyond his untimely death in 1963 at the age of 45. He has been credited with helping to invent blues rock and his style influenced a generation of blues-rock players like Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Duane Allman, and The Rolling Stones. Blues After Hours was James’ debut album, and it’s one of the all-time cornerstones of the blues.

PERSONNEL:

• ELMORE JAMES - (vocals and guitar) plus:

• A1, B3-B5: THE BROOM DUSTERS: Frank Fields (b), Edward Frank (p), Earl Palmer (d), unknown backing vocals.
• Recorded by Cosimo Matassa at J&M Studios, New Orleans, August 1955.

• A2-A3, A5 & B1-B2: THE BROOM DUSTERS: Ralph “Chuck” Hamilton (b), Willard McDaniel (p), Jesse Sailes (d), Maxwell Davis (ts), Jewel Grant (bs), James Parr (tp).
• Recorded at Modern Studio, Culver City, Los Angeles, California, August-September 1954.

• A4: THE BROOM DUSTERS: Ransom Knowling (b), Little Johnny Jones (p), Odie Payne, Jr. (d), J. T. Brown (ts), Boyd Atkins (as).
• Recorded at Universal Studios, Chicago, Illinois, August 1953.

• (*) BONUS TRACKS: ELMORE JAMES - (vocals and guitar) plus:

• A6: Johnny “Big Moose” Walker (p), Sammy Lee Bully (b), Sam Myers (d).
• J&M Studios New Orleans, June-September, 1961.

• A7-A8 & B7: J. T. Brown (sax), Little Johnny Jones (p), Odie Payne (d), Homesick James (b, g).
• Chicago, April 14, 1960.

• B6: J. T. Brown (sax), Little Johnny Jones (p), Wayne Bennett, Eddie Taylor (g), Homesick James (b), Odie Payne (d).
• Chicago, April 12, 1957.

• B8: J. T. Brown (sax), Little Johnny Jones (p), Odie Payne (d), Homesick James (b)
• Chicago, November 3-4, 1959.

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1 DUST MY BLUES [aka DUST MY BROOM]
• A2 SUNNYLAND
• A3 MEAN AND EVIL
• A4 DARK AND DREARY
• A5 STANDING AT THE CROSSROADS
• A6 SHAKE YOUR MONEYMAKER (*)
• A7 THE SUN IS SHINING (*)
• A8 I CAN’T HOLD OUT [aka TALK TO ME BABY] (*)

• SIDE B
• B1 HAPPY HOME
• B2 NO LOVE IN MY HEART (FOR YOU)
• B3 BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE
• B4 I WAS A FOOL
• B5 GOODBYE BABY
• B6 IT HURTS ME TOO (*)
• B7 MADISON BLUES (*)
• B8 THE SKY IS CRYING (*)