USA Folk Music on Records: The Alan Lomax Collection. Fred McDowell: , The First Recordings

There are clear distinctions between different kinds of blues, blues singing, and playing. The chief distinction is between country and urban blues. The former is often described as raw, primitive, and (mistakenly) unsophisticated. The latter usually has quite complex accompaniment designed with the concert stage and recording contract in mind. These early recordings are of a man who later became something of a showbiz celebrity in the USA and Europe. But Fred McDowell’s transition from country singer to celebrity did not change the nature of his performance.

The tracks on this CD were recorded by Alan Lomax, again assisted by...