Tag Archives: Midnight Special

Billy Bragg & Joe Henry: Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad

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On September 23, 2016, “Cooking Viny;” label released “Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad”, an album of field recordings made by Billy Bragg and Joe Henry, as they performed in waiting rooms and trackside at railway stations on a journey between Chicago and Los Angeles in March 2016. The album was produced by Billy Brag and Joe Henry.

Personnel:

  • Billy Bragg – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
  • Joe Henry – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica
  • Ryan Freeland – engineer, mixing

Track listing:

  1. Rock Island Line – traditional, arranged by Billy Bragg, Joe Henry
  2. The L&N Don’t Stop Here Any More – Jean Ritchie
  3. Midnight Special – Huddie Ledbetter
  4. Railroad Bill – traditional, arranged by Billy Bragg, Joe Henry
  5. Lonesome Whistle – Hank Williams; Jimmie Davis
  6. KC Moan – Tewee Blackman
  7. Waiting for a Train – Jimmie Rodgers
  8. In the Pines – traditional, arranged by Billy Bragg, Joe Henry
  9. Gentle on My Mind – John Hartford
  10. Hobo’s Lullaby – Goebel Reeves
  11. Railroading on the Great Divide – Sara Carter
  12. John Henry – traditional, arranged by Billy Bragg, Joe Henry
  13. Early Morning Rain – Gordon Lightfoot

Lead Belly

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On December 6, 1949, Huddie William Ledbetter aka Lead Belly died aged 61. He was musician (guitar, piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, windjammer), regarded as one of the pioneers of the blues and folk music. His songs covered a wide range of genres including folk, blues, and gospel, some of them like “Goodnight, Irene”, “Midnight Special”, “Cotton Fields”, and “Boll Weevil” became standards, and influenced generations of musicians. In 1988, Lead Belly was posthumously inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, and in 2008 in the “Louisiana Music Hall of Fame”.

Long John Baldry: Remembering Leadbelly

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On November 13, 2001, “Stony Plain Records” label released “Remembering Leadbelly”, the final Long John Baldry studio album, completed in his lifetime. It was recorded in 2001, at “Music Lab Recording”, “Sebastian and Dolly’s Hutch”, “Skeena’s Place” in Vancouver, Canada, and “Halve Recording Studios” in Hamburg, Germany.

Personnel:

  • Long John Baldry – vocals, 12-string guitar
  • Kathi McDonald – vocals
  • Hans Stamer- vocals, national steel guitar, harmonica, Jews harp, trumpet
  • Chris Nordquist – drums, Hans-on drums, finger cymbals
  • John Lee Sanders – vocals, piano, organ, keyboard tuba, keyboard accordion, harmonica, keyboards
  • Andreas Schuld – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, Russian  zither, e-bow, percussion, claps, foot, national steel, slide
  • Norm Fisher – acoustic bass
  • Jesse Zubot – fiddle, mandolin, violin
  • Butch Coulter – harmonica
  • Tom Colclough – clarinet
  • Sybel Thrasher- vocals
  • Tyee Montessori Elementary School – backing vocals
  • Peter Moore – mastering
  • Holger Peterson – executive producer
  • Holger Peterson – bonus track interviews
  • Special thanks to Alan Lomax

Track listing:

All tracks by Leadbelly.

  1. Lining Track
  2. Gallows Pole
  3. Midnight Special
  4. Take This Hammer
  5. Rock Island Line
  6. Good Morning Blues
  7. Go Down Old Hannah
  8. Birmingham Jail
  9. Here Rattler
  10. Easy Rider Blues
  11. We’re In The Same Boat Brother
  12. John Hardy
  13. Digging My Potatoes
  14. On A Christmas Day
  15. Mary Don’t You Weep
  16. We Shall Walk Through The Valley
  17. Alan Lomax Interview
  18. Long John Baldry Interview

Little Richard: The King Of Rock And Roll

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In October 1971, “Reprise” label released “The King of Rock and Roll”, the fifteen Little Richard album. It was recorded May – July 1971, and was produced by H.B. Barnum.

Personnel:

  • Little Richard– vocals, electric piano
  • B. Barnum – arrangements
  • Ed Thrasher – art direction
  • Dave Willerdson – design
  • Don Peterson – photography

Track listing:

  1. King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – Bradford Craig, B. Barnum
  2. Joy To The World – Hoyt Axton
  3. Brown Sugar – Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
  4. In The Name – Richard Penniman
  5. Dancing in the Street – Marvin Gaye, William “Mickey” Stevenson
  6. Midnight Special – traditional; arranged by Richard Penniman
  7. The Way You Do the Things You Do – Robert Rogers, William Robinson
  8. Green Power – B. Barnum, John “Skip” Anderson
  9. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Hank Williams
  10. Settin’ The Woods On Fire – Ed G. Nelson, Fred Rose
  11. Born on the Bayou – John C. Fogerty

Van Morrison: Blowin’ Your Mind

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In September 1967, “Bang” label released “Blowin’ Your Mind!, the debut Van Morrison studio album.  It was recorded in March 1967, and was produced by Bert Berns. “Rolling Stone” magazine included it in its list of the “40 Essential Albums of 1967”.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison – vocals, guitar
  • Al Gorgoniand Hugh McCracken – guitars
  • Paul Griffin- piano
  • Eric Gale– bass
  • Gary Chester– drums
  • Garry Sherman – conductor, organ, actual arranger, musical supervisor
  • Brooks Arthur – engineer
  • Vic Anesini – mastering
  • Bert Berns– arranger, liner notes
  • Adam Block – project director
  • Garry Sherman – music supervisor

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison, except where noted.

  1. Brown Eyed Girl
  2. He Ain’t Give You None
  3. B. Sheets
  4. Spanish Rose
  5. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) – Wes Farrell, Bert Russell
  6. Ro Ro Rosey
  7. Who Drove the Red Sports Car?
  8. Midnight Special – traditional