Josh White was an entertainer, singer, songwriter, guitarist, actor and civil rights activist, who became a very public face of protest in the 1940s and was well-known and popular in showbiz circles. However, his early career, having been born in South Carolina in 1914, was as a street performer working with blind blues singers, dancing, singing and collecting money. Making his way with Blind Joe Taggart to Chicago in 1927, he made his first recordings with Taggart in 1929, and a couple of years later started recording in his own right as a solo artist.

He recorded under various names for the American Record Corporation (ARC) which owned several imprints releasing records for dime store chains as well as the mainstream market, and his records came out variously on the Melotone, Banner, Perfect, Oriole, Romeo and Conqueror labels. He recorded initially as Joshua White, and then in blues style as Pinewood Tom, sometimes with a group The Blue Hounds, and in gospel style as Joshua White (The Singing Christian). This 48-track set features one title for Paramount with Blind Joe Taggart, and then selected sides on the labels mentioned in his various guises through to 1936, when his career was interrupted for a couple of years by a hand injury until he returned to record for major labels.

From 1947 through the mid-1960s, White was caught up in the anti-communist Red Scare, and as a consequence his career suffered. Nonetheless, White’s musical style would go on to influence several generations of musical artists.

This compilation includes many of his notable compositions, and underlines his authenticity as a blues performer.

TRACKS