Elmo James: The Sky Is Crying [CHARLY]

Why you'll love it

Charly gathers twelve of Elmore James' slide guitar classics on one LP, credited as on the original singles to Elmo James. "The Sky Is Crying" reached No. 15 on Billboard's R&B chart and was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1991.

About the album

Some songs are planned for months; "The Sky Is Crying" was inspired by a Chicago downpour during the session itself. Elmore James was born in Mississippi in 1918, crossed paths with Robert Johnson, and turned an electrified acoustic guitar he rigged up himself into the most ferocious slide sound of his generation. Bobby Robinson's Fire and Enjoy labels caught his later sessions in the late 50s and early 60s.

He cut the title track with his band the Broomdusters, J. T. Brown on saxophone, Johnny Jones on piano, Odie Payne on drums and Homesick James on bass, and producer Bobby Robinson called it "a magnificent vehicle" for his voice and ringing slide. "Dust My Broom," his top-ten R&B hit for Trumpet, is here alongside "Rollin' and Tumblin'," "One Way Out," "Standing at the Crossroads" and "My Bleeding Heart."

Electric slide guitar still starts here for a lot of players. Forecast for your living room, heavy showers and a strong chance of air guitar.

Also at Kops: more Elmore James on vinyl · browse Blues

Tracklist

Listen

On Charly.