John Lee Hooker

INCLUDES 2 BONUS TRACKS

This collector’s edition includes one of Hooker’s most difficult to find LPs, The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker – a rare gem originally released by the Vee Jay label in 1961, and long unavailable on vinyl. The album combines acoustic tunes like the spine-chilling “Tupelo” and “The Hobo” (both recorded live at the Newport Folk Festival in 1960, accompanied by bassist Bill Lee) with electric numbers such as “I’m Mad Again,” “I’m Going Upstairs,” and “Hard-Headed Woman.” Hooker is accompanied here by a full band with the great Jimmy Reed on guitar and harmonica. This album also contains the naughty “Want Ad Blues” – an excellent example of Hooker’s tremendously influential “boogie” style.

In addition, this 180-gram vinyl release includes 2 bonus tracks from the same period: “You’ve Taken My Woman,” and the great “Send Me Your Pillow” – here backed by The Funk Brothers’ (the Motown studio band) James Jamerson, Joe Hunter, Benny Benjamin, Henry Cosby, and Andrew “Mike” Terry.

PERSONNEL:

JOHN LEE HOOKER, vocals, lead guitar and foot stomping, plus:

SIDE 1, TRACK 1 / SIDE 2, TRACK 1:
Bill Lee (string bass).
Recorded live at the Newport Folk Festival, Newport, Rhode Island, June 25, 1960.

SIDE 1, TRACKS 2-4 / SIDE 2, TRACK 2:
Jimmy Reed (harmonica and guitar), William “Lefty” Bates (guitar),
Quinn Wilson (bass), Earl Phillips (drums).
Recorded at Universal Recording Studios, Chicago, Illinois, January 4, 1961.

SIDE 1, TRACKS 5 & 6 / SIDE 2, TRACKS 3-6:
Solo recordings by John Lee Hooker.
Recorded at Universal Recording Studios, Chicago, Illinois, January 4, 1961.

SIDE 1, TRACK 7: The Blockbusters, featuring
Sonny Terry (harmonica), Bob Harris (bass), Bob Gaddy (piano),
George Wood (drums).
Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, June 1958.

SIDE 2, TRACK 7:
Larry Veeder (second guitar), James Jamerson (bass), Joe Hunter (piano),
Benny Benjamin (drums), Henry Cosby (tenor saxophone),
Andrew “Mike” Terry (baritone saxophone).
Recorded in Chicago, 1962.

SIDE 1

1. TUPELO
2. I’M MAD AGAIN
3. I’M GOING UPSTAIRS
4. WANT AD BLUES
5. FIVE LONG YEARS
6. I LIKE TO SEE YOU WALK
7. YOU’VE TAKEN MY WOMAN (*)

SIDE 2

1. THE HOBO
2. HARD-HEADED WOMAN
3. WEDNESDAY EVENING BLUES
4. TAKE ME AS I AM
5. MY FIRST WIFE LEFT ME
6. YOU’RE LOOKING GOOD TONIGHT
7. SEND ME YOUR PILLOW (*)

(*) Bonus Tracks