Barbara forged her own path, singing for peace and justice and refusing to recognize music-biz boundaries between folk, jazz and blues. The 40-page booklet and 150 minutes of music here take us... more

Six decades of bending, blowing, wailing blues beauty—20 tracks including eight unissued performances at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Gillum Blues Jazz Gillum; Crow Jane Blues Sonny Terry;... more

These artists formed the blues backbone of Folkways: Big Bill Broonzy (Mule-Ridin' Blues), Leadbelly (Leaving Blues), Rev. Gary Davis (Candy Man), Big Joe Williams (Don't Leave Me Here), Lightnin'... more

The last living link to Robert Johnson had a raw Delta Blues sound all his own. This 1979 Folkways LP captures Honeyboy (who died in 2011) in relaxed, unplugged fashion, playing fantastic guitar as... more

Recorded in '59 (before the height of the folk/blues revival), Hopkins' first acoustic session has since been recognized as an out-and-out blues classic. He's as witty and charming as he is... more

A 36-page booklet guides you through these '50s Folkways tracks, concert recordings and radio performances by this acoustic-blues giant. You get 73 minutes of Big Bill's best: Key to the Highway;... more

Here are 20 classic cuts from the blues kings of the Mississippi Delta, the land where the blues began: "C.C. Rider" Big Bill Broonzy, "Death Letter Blues," "Sun Goin' Down" Son House, "Married Woman... more

These 21 tracks span from Folkways' first recordings to riveting performances at the Folklife Festival. You'll hear Brownie McGhee (Pawn Shop Blues), Josh White (Outskirts of Town) Doc Watson... more

That title recalls the fact that Snooks was discovered by a folklorist who heard him on the streets of the French Quarter. The singer they called "Li'l Ray Charles" and guitarist who's one of the... more

Rural and urban, black and white, country and coastal—it all blended together in Piedmont blues. Here's a stellar set of classics in that fascinating blues style: "Mamie" John Cephas and Paul... more

From N'awlins to Chicago, here are 20 vintage blues cuts full of famous flying fingers! Includes Hesitation Blues James P. Johnson; No Special Rider Blues Little Brother Montgomery; Pinetop's Boogie... more

The disappearing life on the range was memorialized by these cowboy odes composed from 1905–35. Bring these into your bunkhouse: Rain on the Range; The Moonshine Steer; The Strawberry Roan; When... more

Fans of this amazing guitarist/singer, a blind preacher caught between the blues and the church, will find these 1954 cuts to be a revelation; recorded at the Reverend's home with Davis, his wife and... more

These mid-'40s Folkways sessions capture the all-time great blues guitarist/folk singer at his prime. He ruminates about civil rights, World War II and labor struggles as he sings The House I Live... more

Raised in a large, musical farm family in Rappahannock County, VA, John Jackson (1924 - 2002) was the most important black Appalachian musician to come to broad public attention during the mid-60s.... more

This new comp brings together, for the first time, three generations (and dominant styles) of New Orleans brass bands. Traditional sounds give way to injections of funk, rap and "bounce" as you hear... more

Lucinda Williams' take on Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor joins 21 more by these blues titans: Just a Dream Memphis Slim; Jelly Jelly Josh White; Tell Me, Baby Lightnin' Hopkins; When Things Go Wrong... more

The fleet fingers of this mighty piano man still stun. Here's a 32-page booklet plus 21 solo and group tracks (three unissued): "Joogie Boogie," "San Juan Blues," "Midnight Special," "Just a Dream,"... more

In RICHMOND BLUES, guitarist/singer John Cephas and his harmonica-player partner Phil Wiggins personify the century-old blues sound of the Piedmonth, the Appalachian loothills running from Richmond... more