Various - The Songsters Tradition - Before The Blues (2008)

In the 20th century, along with gospels, the songster tradition (and those who hawked the songs around) probably represented the source of most of the music that came from the South. These itinerant singers and musicians refined existing folk songs, invented new ones, and gave comment on topical events of the day, from the gory news in brief to catastrophes like the sinking of the Titanic. It was these Black songsters who, in answer to the demands of their audience crushed by segregation, would gradually relate their stories in the first person singular, thereby creating a new form of folk song: the blues.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Mississippi John Hurt - Spike Driver's Blues (3:17)
1.02 - Dick Justice - Cocaine (3:12)
1.03 - Frank Hutchison - Cannon Ball (3:24)
1.04 - Gus Cannon - Poor Boy, A Long Way From Home (2:54)
1.05 - Furry Lewis - Casey Jones (3:06)
1.06 - Luke Jordan - Pick Poor Robin Clean (3:14)
1.07 - Henry Thomas - John Henry (2:46)
1.08 - Lead Belly - Pick A Balle Of Cotton (3:12)
1.09 - Hobart Smith - Railroad Bill (3:06)
1.10 - Papa Harvey Hull - The France Blues (3:03)
1.11 - Long Cleve Reed - Original Stackolee (2:37)
1.12 - Richard "Rabbit" Brown - Sinking Of The Titanic (3:57)
1.13 - Jack Kelly - Doctor Medicine (2:59)
1.14 - Andrew & Jim Baxter - The Moore Girl (3:01)
1.15 - Peg Leg Howell - Beaver Slide Rag (3:21)
1.16 - Alabama Sheiks - Travellin' Railroad Man (3:01)
1.17 - Joe Evans & Arthur McClain - Two White Horses In A Line (2:55)
1.18 - Frank Stokes - Chicken You Can Roost Behind The Moon (3:00)
1.19 - De Ford Bailey - Dixie Flyer Blues (3:07)
1.20 - Taylor's Kentucky Boys - Sourwood Mountain (2:35)
1.21 - Bo Carter - Beans (2:52)
1.22 - Pink Anderson & Simmie Dooley - Gonna Trip Out Tonight (3:12)
1.23 - Freeman Stowers - Railroad Blues (3:22)
1.24 - Tom Darby & Jimmie Tarlton - Frankie And Johnnie (3:17)