First ever U.S. vinyl release!
 
Rare live recordings from the mentor of Muddy Waters, and a major musical influencer!
 
Inspiration for artists such as Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Rod Stewart!
 
Mastered from the original analog tape at Infrasonic Mastering
 
Out of print for more than 40 years (1978 U.K. pressing)
 
Born in Mississippi, "Big Bill Broonzy" — the name refers to his 6' 6" physical stature — remains largely unsung as far as a household name, despite recording several hundred songs. From the late 1920s through the late 1950s, this immensely prolic blues performer won over fellow musicians and "race music" fans alike. Nearly every label (including Okeh, Paramount, Vocalion, Folkways, Mercury, Victor, and Columbia) released Broonzy records during and after his lifetime. As mentor to Muddy Waters and a major inuence on artists like Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Rod Stewart, Broonzy's impact on music cannot be understated.
 
This solo performance captures Big Bill's aable personality and ability to hold the attention of an appreciative audience with his storytelling, acoustic guitar licks, and a strong singing voice that leaves an indelible impression that this man had experiences in the elds, the factories, and the railroads. The 1957 Nottingham set list largely consists of folk standards including "The Midnight Special," and "This Train," on which you can hear a little Elvis Presley swing, as Broonzy's introduction slyly alludes to some "rockin' and rollin'" cultural appropriation; we know what came first. Exhibiting the talent of any great song stylist, Broonzy makes all his own "The Glory of Love," an often-covered chestnut since the 1930s. On "What Kind Of Man Jesus Is," Broonzy harks back to his religious roots.