Rollin Stone: Golden Anniversary Collection
Having achieved success with his landmark 1941 recordings for John and Alan Lomax and the Library of Congress (released under his given name, McKinley Morganfield), Muddy Waters moved to Chicago two years later--and took the future of American popular music with him. In 1947, he began recording for Aristocrat Records with piano wizardSunnyland Slimand band, then alone with bassist Ernest "Big" Crawford and sometimes two or three more sidemen, turning out a body of work unmatched by any other postwar bluesman. This brilliant compilation, produced by Andy McKaie, spans the five years during which Aristocrat became the legendary Chess Records and Muddy emerged as a preeminent blues master known for his raw vocals and vital guitar. Showcased here are such seminal gems as "I Can't Be Satisfied," "Feel Like Goin' Home," "Mean Red Spider," "All Night Long," and "Long Distance Call," plus two takes of the cultural cornerstone "Rollin' Stone."--Alan Greenberg