The Best of the Memphis Jug Band

• Artist: Memphis Jug Band
• Rating:
• Release Date: June 12, 2001
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Blues

Review

The liner notes implicitly state that no other jug band surpassed the Memphis Jug Band in breadth and scope. They played all styles -- blues, rags, and pop -- and performed them better than their competitors. Since few listeners or reviewers are experts on jug bands, there is little use in arguing the point. All one need do is place The Best of the Memphis Jug Band in the disc player and listen. There are classics like "Cocaine Habit Blues" ("Hey, hey honey take a whiff on me") and the Jimmie Rodgers hit "He's in the Jailhouse Now." Utilizing banjo, guitar, harmonic, a jug, and a kazoo, Will Shade and a number of cohorts stick to a relaxed groove on catchy pieces like "She Stays Out All Night Long" and the bluesy "Meningitis Blues." Deadheads will also recognize old favorites like "On the Road Again" and "Stealin' Stealin'," leftover from the Grateful Dead's jug band days. The Memphis Jug Band plays with a tranquil surety, perfectly in sync with one another on songs like "State of Tennessee Blues." A helpful essay by Don Kent and Bengt Olsson reviews the history of the band, while the song notes list the individual players on each track (a non-existent piece of knowledge on many early recording sessions). The recording quality is also good. The Best of the Memphis Jug Band offers 70 minutes of first-rate traditional music and is a fine introduction to the band. It's also a necessary addition to the music library of anyone who appreciates old-time music. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Tired of You Driving Me		Memphis Jug Band	(3:09)
A Black Woman Is Like a Black Snake	Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(2:32)
Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues	Jennie Mae Clayton	Memphis Jug Band	(2:51)
Papa's Got Your Bath Water On	Hattie Hart	Memphis Jug Band	(2:35)
On the Road Again	Bob Dylan, Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(2:52)
K.C. Moan	Tewee Blackman	Memphis Jug Band	(3:30)
Cocaine Habit Blues	Jennie Mae Clayton	Memphis Jug Band	(3:05)
Coal Oil Blues	Vol Stevens	Memphis Jug Band	(2:54)
You May Leave But This Will Bring You Back	Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(3:05)
Memphis Yo Yo Blues	Jenny Pope	Memphis Jug Band	(3:06)
Memphis Shakedown	Charlie Burse, Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(3:18)
She Stays Out All Night Long	Will Shade, Johnny Parth	Memphis Jug Band	(2:59)
Meningitis Blues	Minnie McCoy	Memphis Jug Band	(3:14)
Stealin' Stealin'	Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(3:16)
He's in the Jailhouse Now	Jimmie Rodgers	Memphis Jug Band	(2:44)
Taking Your Place	Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(3:08)
Ambulance Man		Memphis Jug Band	(2:27)
Beale Street Mess Around	Vol Stevens	Memphis Jug Band	(3:36)
Going Back to Memphis	Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(3:10)
State of Tennessee Blues	Will Shade, Jennie Mae Clayton	Memphis Jug Band	(2:51)
Insane Crazy Blues	Charlie Burse	Memphis Jug Band	(3:10)
Memphis Jug Blues	Will Shade	Memphis Jug Band	(2:43)
Got a Letter from My Darlin'		Memphis Jug Band	(3:00)

Credits

Will Weldon (Mandolin), Memphis Minnie (Guitar), Charlie Burse (Mandolin), Vol Stevens (Banjo), Charlie Polk (Vocals), Will Weldon (Guitar), Ben Ramey (Kazoo), Richard Nevins (Producer), Ben Ramey (Vocals), Tewee Blackman (Guitar), Hambone Lewis (Jug), Will Shade (Harmonica), Jennie Mae Clayton (Vocals), Hattie Hart (Vocals), Charlie Pierce (Fiddle), Will Weldon (Vocals), Vol Stevens (Mandolin), Richard Nevins (Compilation Producer), Will Shade (Vocals), Ben Ramey (Kazoo), Jab Jones (Vocals), Charlie Burse (Vocals), Robert Burse (Drums), Will Shade (Guitar), Charlie "Bozo" Nickerson (Vocals), Robert Burse (Percussion), Charlie Burse (Guitar), Vol Stevens (Vocals), Charlie Polk (Vocals), Charlie Pierce (Fiddle), Memphis Minnie (Vocals), Richard Nevins (Remastering), Vol Stevens (Guitar), Charlie Polk (Jug)