So here it is. I’m not what you would say as knowledgeable about blues, but I do love and feel this music. so maybe those here with more formal training or knowledge can point me to some great Blues music.
I’m no expert, but I was raised by my father who LOVES the blues. The cool thing about most blues music is that you can find the same song done by multiple artists who each give it their own unique spin. for example, I have 3 different versions of “St James Infirmary Blues”. One by Harry Connick Jr (Which gives me goosebumps every time I hear it), one by Joe Cocker, and one by Cab Calloway. I guess I 'll just list some of my favorites:
Muddy Waters- Just about any of his songs, but especially Mannish Boy
Ray Charles- Again any of it. I Got A Woman (sampled by Jamie Foxx in Kanye West’s “Gold Digger”) is a fine example. (John Mayer Trio does a good version of this as well. Yeah, I know, John Mayer. But seriously, his blues stuff is much better than his pop stuff.)
Lead Belly- Where Did You Sleep Last Night, and plenty of others
Willie Dixon- I Can’t Quit You Baby (Yup, later redone by Led Zeppelin)
And of course, Jimi Hendrix did some fantastic bluesy stuff.
Dave Hole- Short Fuse Blues is a great album
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble- The Sky is Crying is a classic.
Alright, I’ll stop now. If I think of any other great ones, I’ll let you know.
My to-do list for the year includes getting into Muddy Waters. Start with “Mannish Boy” – which you’ve probably heard a zillion times. But when you take a good, close listen, it’ll really put the zap on your head.
Tangent: It’s not classic-form blues, but Hendrix’s “Hey Joe” certainly comes from the tree.
ps. Scorses’s blues doc, The Blues: A Musical Journey might be a good curated tour.
Probably the deepest non compilation blues album out there is Junior Wells’ “Blues Hit Big Town”. Wells - who became sort of goofy later in his career - is at the height of his singing and harmonica playing powers. (FYI, Wells replaced Little Walter on the harmonica in Muddy Waters’ band. It seems like eveybody played in Muddy Waters’ band.) If you get the CD, make sure you listen to the non LP record of the title song - last track on the CD - and get yourself some “hot dogs and beer”. Also listen for the yelling in the background, when Wells really goes nuts on his harp towards the end of “Eagle Rock”.
You also should consider Elmore James’ album “The Sky Is Crying”. James probably was the greatest of the early slide guitarists. In addition to an unbelievable version of “Can’t Hold On” in a two for one you get the famous Elmore James/Sonny Boy Williamson 2 version of Robert Johnson’s “Dust My Broom”. In another 2 for - you also get James with Big Joe Turner - the famous “blues shouter” from KC - version of “TV Mama” (lyrics - she’s the one “with the big wide screen”).
Then to round things out, get the Chess 50th Anniversary compilations of the music of Muddy Waters (“Young Fashioned Ways” is my favorite), Howlin’ Wolf (his best version of “How Many More Years” the song The Stones insisted he be allowed to sing on Hulabaloo - or whatever - about 40 years ago - if they were to perform on the show) and Little Walter (“Key to the Highway” and “Just Your Fool” - unbelievable).
One more - Robert Nighthawk’s “Live on Maxwell Street 1964”. Before the soon to come “urban renewal”, Maxwell Street was a, if not the, retail hub on Chicago’s South Side. Weekends the bluesmen would show up and play on the sidewalks, etc. This is the only known commercial recording of such a performance and it is fantastic. While it does not include Nighthawk’s most well known song (“Bricks In My Pillow”), what is on the CD is great by one of the greatest of the blues guitarists -and you can even hear the traffic in the background!
I am no expert, but I agree with everything stated thus far. The only artist I would add is Keb 'Mo, who is a youngin comparatively but incredibly talented and a pleasure to listen to.