Railroad Bill (1999)

About this title: The "premier woman Piedmont blues guitar instrumentalist" is a wordy but accurate description of 87-year-old Etta Baker of Morganton, NC. One of the last pickers who was around when the music was first being recorded, Baker's 83 years of practice is manifested in these wonderful recordings of traditional folk ballads. One highlight follows another, and although "Brown's Boogie" trips up the album's gentle flow, the rest is front-porch perfect. This is music you never get tired of listening to. Newcomers to guitar should buy this album, both to marvel at the intricate technique and to amuse ... read more

Tracks:

1. Carolina Breakdown [Traditional]
2. Railroad Bill [Traditional]
3. I Get the Blues When It Rains [Johnson]
4. Careless Love [Handy/Koenig/Willia]
5. Don't Let Your Deal Go Down [Traditional]
6. Sunny Tennessee [Baker]
7. Mint Julep [Boynton]
8. Brown's Boogie [Baker]
9. Lonesome Road Blues [Traditional]
10. Goodbye Booze [Traditional]
11. Nobody's Business [Traditional]
12. One Dime Blues [Traditional]
13. Going Down the Road Feeling Bad [Traditional]
14. Candy Man [Traditional]
15. Miss a Little Miss [Baker]
16. Baby, Let Me Lay It on You [Traditional]
17. Chilly Winds [Traditional]
18. John Henry [Traditional]
19. Cripple Creek [Traditional]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.