Trouble in Mind

Big Bill Broonzy was a master of adaptation, and his recording of "Trouble in Mind" proved he could handle sophisticated material as well as rural stomps. Originally a 1920s vaudeville-blues staple written by jazz pianist Richard M. Jones, Broonzy transformed the song into a smooth, urbane club number. Singing with clear, measured confidence alongside a polished ensemble, he refined the rough country edges of the genre. Recordings like this were crucial in transitioning acoustic country blues toward the swinging, professional rhythm and blues combos that would dominate the postwar Chicago music scene.