Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee with Peppermint Harris - Going Down Slow

SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE McGHEE with PEPPERMINT HARRIS
Going Down Slow
1952
256+ VBR LAME mp3
Vinyl rip & scans from MRL 407

Key To The Highway



Shad pulls out some old chestnuts from his Sittin' In catalogue by premier bluesmen Sonny & Terry and slaps on some Peppermint Harris (whom he discovered) to round things out. No surprises here, just some juke-joint country blues from some of the best in the business. Most S&T fans more than likely have these versions on one of the many repackages of their Sittin' In material but for those unfamiliar with the duo it's a pretty good intro and features one of my favourite versions of "Key To The Highway." Mind you, that's a subjective assessment and not a judgment on the definitive version so Charlie Segar and Bill Broonzy fans don't need to get all defensive.

Speaking of which, you'll note Shad shadily cops the publishing rights to these tunes, likely bought from the artists for next-to-nothing. All songs are credited to "R. Ellen" which is a pseudonym Bobby used when trying to assert publishing rights, sometimes without consent of the performer. Considering both Broonzy and Segar versions of "Key" are traced back to at least 7 years prior, this is one of the best examples of the questionable practices label owners (not just Shad) pulled with Blues, R&B and Jazz artists over the years. More on that subject tomorrow...


Sonny Terry - Harmonica, Vocals
Brownie McGhee - Guitar, Vocals
Bob Gaddy - Piano, Vocals
Bobby Harris - Bass, Vocals
George Wood - Drums
Peppermint Harris - Vocals (10 & 11)


1 Key To The Highway
2 Goin' Down Slow
3 Pawn Shop Blues
4 Bulldog Blues
5 Bicycle Boogie
6 Ease My Worried Mind
7 I Believe
8 C.C.Rider - Where Did She Go
10 Lord Have Mercy
11 Sweet Happy Home

Recorded by Bob Shad 7/31/52 except 10 & 11 recorded 11/2/50


Soundological goes down on you slowly HERE or HERE.