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Angola Prisoners' Blues CD
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$ 14.89
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In the '50s, Harry Oster made several recordings of African-American inmates at the penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana. These sessions are primarily remembered for the discovery of Robert Pete Williams, but Oster also found several other acoustic blues performers of merit. Several of them are featured on this 20-track, 80-minute CD (which includes three tracks by Williams). Although these singers had hard daily lives and went through hard times before they were jailed, this is hardly a downer record. It's largely first-class acoustic blues with a relaxed (if sometimes sad) dignity. The lyrics are sometimes related to prison life, as in Robert Pete Williams' minor-keyed "Prisoner's Talking Blues" and Guitar Welch's "Electric Chair Blues." Yet much of the material is simply the usual songs of struggle and hope common to the blues, mixed in with some a cappella, spiritual-flavored cuts by female prisoners, and one male vocal group performance clearly derived from doo wop. Guitar blues is the predominant style, though, and country-blues fans will find much to enjoy here, whether they're interested in the folklore aspect or not. Thirteen of the tracks on the CD version were previously unreleased. ~ Richie Unterberger
Recording information: Angola State Peniteniary, Angola, LA (1952-1959).
Editors: Chris Strachwitz; Harry Oster; Chris Stachwitz.
Photographers: Harry Oster; Wayne Pope.
Personnel: Hogman Maxey, Robert Pete Williams (vocals, guitar, 12-string guitar); Guitar Welch, Otis Webster (vocals, guitar); Clara Young, Odea Mathews, Roosevelt Charles, Thelma Mae Joseph (vocals).
Liner Note Authors: Chris Strachwitz; Harry Oster.
Angola Prisoners' Blues Music
Angola Prisoners' Blues Songs
| 1 | Prisoner's Talking Blues See All 3
(with Robert Pete Williams) | | | |
| 2 | Stagolee See All 15 
(with "Hogman" Maxey, “Hogman" Maxey, Hogman Maxey, Hogman Maxey / Hogman Maxey) | | | |
| 3 | Electric Chair Blues See All 4
(with Guitar Welch, Guitar Welch / Guitar Welch) | | | |
| 4 | Black Night Is Fallin'
(with "Hogman" Maxey, “Hogman" Maxey, Hogman Maxey, Hogman Maxey / Hogman Maxey) | | | |
| 5 | Some Got Six Months
(with Robert Pete Williams) | | | |
| 6 | I'm Gonna Leave You Mama
(with Guitar Welch, Guitar Welch / Guitar Welch) | | | |
| 7 | I'm Lonesome Blues
(with Robert Pete Williams) | | | |
| 8 | Angola Bound
(with Capella Group, Capella Group / Capella Group) | | | |
| 9 | Worried Blues * See All 44
(with "Hogman" Maxey, “Hogman" Maxey, Hogman Maxey, Hogman Maxey / Hogman Maxey) | 3:21 | $0.99 | (From different album) |
| 10 | Josephine * See All 54
(with Guitar Welch, Guitar Welch / Guitar Welch) | 3:57 | $0.99 | (From different album) |
| 11 | Soldier's Plea See All 4
(with Clara Young, Clara Young / Clara Young) | | | |
| 12 | Moon Is Rising See All 12
(with Odea Mathews, Odea Mathews / Odea Mathews) | | | |
| 13 | I'm Still In Love With You * See All 88
(with Thelma Mae Joseph, Thelma Mae Joseph / Thelma Mae Joseph) | 2:45 | $0.99 | (From different album) |
| 14 | I Miss You So * See All 34
(with Vocal Group, Vocal Group / Vocal Group) | 0:23 | | (From different album) |
| 15 | Hello, Sue See All 3
(with Butterbeans, Butterbeans / Butterbeans) | | | |
| 16 | Fast Life Woman
(with "Hogman" Maxey, “Hogman" Maxey, Hogman Maxey, Hogman Maxey / Hogman Maxey) | | | |
| 17 | Careless Love * See All 117
(with Otis Webster, Otis Webster / Otis Webster) | | $0.99 | (From different album) |
| 18 | Have You Ever Heard the Church Bells Tone
(with Otis Webster, Roosevelt Charles, Roosevelt Charles & Otis Webster / Roosevelt Charles / Otis Webster) | | | |
| 19 | 61 Highway See All 22
(with Guitar Welch, Guitar Welch / Guitar Welch) | | | |
| 20 | Strike At Camp I
(with Roosevelt Charles, Roosevelt Charles / Roosevelt Charles) | | | |
| (*) MP3 for this song is from a different CD. Listen to the sound sample to be sure this is the version you're looking for. |
Angola Prisoners' Blues Music Review
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