Week 26
Memphis Minnie, Hoodoo Lady 1933 - 1937
(Columbia/Legacy 46775)

A prolific composer, superb guitar player, and spirited singer, Memphis Minnie enjoyed a recording career that spanned nearly three decades. For much of this she was one of the most popular blues artists around, and her influence has resonated beyond the style with artists ranging from Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys to Led Zeppelin.

Widely remembered as holding her own in the male-dominated field of blues performance and recording, Minnie's exceptionality has also caused her legacy to be frequently understated. Neither a "Classic Blues" singer of the 20s, nor an R&B shouter of the 50s, she does not conveniently fit into the historic categories most frequently assigned to blueswomen.

The 20 tracks on this recording, however, are a persuasive and rightful reminder of Memphis Minnie's skills and status as one of the most important blues artists of either gender. Compiled as part of Columbia's pioneering Roots and Blues series, they span Minnie's recorded transition from an unadorned country blues style to the fuller and more urbane "Bluebird" arrangements of the later 30s. The result is eminently entertaining, and a wonderful introduction to this seminal artist.

Listen: Memphis Minnie - "Caught Me Wrong Again"
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