Instrument

Show 18: The Blues Harp Tradition

This is a harp show: train whistle, moan, shout, and bite all packed into one small instrument. The set argues that the harmonica did not just decorate the blues; it became one of its main voices, especially once players learned to bend and amplify it.

Host Narration

In honor of today's theme of Harmonica Blues, I have prepared a brief composition on my harmonica here that pays a little tribute to Guthrie's sound. Here's my song entitled "I've Got Those Copacetic Communion Blues." Here it is.

33Tracks

26Artists

5Theme Tags

5Genre Tags

SeriesInstrument

Tagsharmonica bluesblues harpChicago bluescountry bluesamplified

Genresharmonica bluestraditional bluesblueschicago bluescountry blues

Tracklist

#	Track	Artist
1	Pastures of Plenty	Woody Guthrie
2	Better Day	Sonny Terry,Brownie McGhee
3	Viola Lee Blues	Cannon's Jug Stompers
4	He's in the Jailhouse Now	Memphis Jug Band
5	Got The Bottle Up And Gone	Sonny Boy Williamson I
7	Beale Street Blues	Jesse Fuller
8	Key To The Highway	Jesse Fuller
9	Freight Train Blues bridge	Bob Dylan
10	Goin' Down Slow bridge	Snooky Pryor & Mel Brown
11	Bone Orchard	Golden Big" Wheeler"
12	Ride and Roll	Sonny Terry
13	I Wish I Had Somebody	Good Rockin' Charles
14	Leaving Trunk	Taj Mahal
15	Shake Your Hips bridge	Slim Harpo
16	Rub-A-Dub bridge	Billy Boy Arnold
17	I Wish You Would	Billy Boy Arnold
18	You Don't Have to Go	Sam Myers
19	Texas Flood	Whispering Smith
21	Pledging My Time	Bob Dylan
22	Have A Good Time	Big Walter Horton
23	I'm a King Bee	Muddy Waters
24	I'm Feeling Alright bridge	Big Mama Thornton
25	Down Home Shake-Down bridge	Big Mama Thornton
26	Juke 📖 Story	Little Walter
27	Help Me 📖 Story	Sonny Boy Williamson II
28	Bring It On Home	Sonny Boy Williamson II
29	Hoochie Coochie Man 📖 Story	Muddy Waters
30	Snatch It Back and Hold It	Junior Wells' Chicago Blues Band,Buddy Guy
31	Down Home Blues	James Cotton,Billy Branch,Carey Bell,Junior Wells
32	What My Mama Told Me	Carey Bell
33	Another Man Done Gone	Sugar Blue
	Good Morning School Girl	Sonny Boy Williamson I
	High And Lonesome	Jimmy Reed