Leroy Carr was one of the most important of all the early blues singers and songwriters. Music historian Elijah Wald called him "the most influential male blues singer and songwriter of the first half of the 20th century”. 

He was a pianist and singer, developing a distinctive and sophisticated laid-back style with a hip urban feel that was different from most of his country blues contemporaries. 

Working for much of his career with guitarist Scrapper Blackwell, he produced a substantial body of work in a few short years – his impact and influence is made all the more extraordinary by the fact that he succumbed to the effects of alcohol addiction in 1935 at the age of 31. 

This 130-track 6-CD collection comprises just about all his releases on the Vocalion and Bluebird labels, plus some titles that were not released at the time, and featuring many performances with Scrapper Blackwell, plus some with Josh White. 

It includes famous compositions like “How Long, How Long Blues”, “Blues Before Sunrise”, “Papa’s On The House Top”, “When The Sun Goes Down”, “Midnight Hour Blues”, “Shady Lane Blues”, “Hurry Down Sunshine” and more. 

It’s a substantial and comprehensive showcase for the work and talents of one of the genre’s true greats.

Tracks

CD 1
1. MY OWN LONESOME BLUES (Vocalion 1191) 1928 
2. HOW LONG, HOW LONG BLUES (Vocalion 1191) 1928 
3. BROKEN SPOKE BLUES (Vocalion 1200) 1928 
4. TENNESSEE BLUES (Vocalion 1200) 1928 
5. MEAN OLD TRAIN BLUES (Vocalion 1214) 1928 
6. LOW DOWN DIRTY BLUES (Vocalion 1214) 1928 
7. TRUTHFUL BLUES (Vocalion 1232) 1928 
8. YOU GOT TO REAP WHAT YOU SOW (Vocalion 1232) 1928 
9. HOW LONG, HOW LONG BLUES NO. 2 (Vocalion 1241) 1928 
10. PRISON BOUND BLUES (Vocalion 1241) 1928 
11. THINK OF ME THINKIN OF YOU (Vocalion 1259) 1929 
12. HOW ABOUT ME (Vocalion 1259) 1929 
13. BABY, DON'T YOU LOVE ME NO MORE (Vocalion 1261) 1929 
14. TIRED OF YOUR LOW DOWN WAYS (Vocalion 1261) 1929 
15. HOW LONG, HOW LONG BLUES NO. 3 (Vocalion 1279) 1929 
16. YOU DON'T MEAN ME NO GOOD (Vocalion 1279) 1929 
17. STRAIGHT ALKY BLUES (Vocalion 1290) 1929 
18. STRAIGHT ALKY BLUES PT.2 (Vocalion 1290) 1929 
19. TRUTH ABOUT THAT THING (Vocalion 1400) 1929 
20. NAPTOWN BLUES (Vocalion 1400) 1929 
21. THAT'S ALL RIGHT FOR YOU (Vocalion 1405) 1929 
22. WRONG MAN BLUES (Vocalion 1405) 1929

CD 2
1. GAMBLER'S BLUES (Vocalion 1412) 1929 
2. THERE AIN'T NOBODY GOT IT LIKE SHE'S GOT IT (Vocalion 1412) 1929 
3. JUST WORRYIN' BLUES (Vocalion 1423) 1929 
4. GETTIN' ALL WET (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 1423) 1929 
5. CHRISTMAS IN JAIL (Vocalion 1432) 1929 
6. PRISON CELL BLUES (Vocalion 1432) 1929 
7. LOVE HIDES ALL FAULTS (Vocalion 1435) 1929 
8. NEW HOW LONG, HOW LONG BLUES (Vocalion 1435) 1929 
9. WORKHOUSE BLUES (Vocalion 1454) 1930 
10. DIRTY DOZEN (Vocalion 1454) 1930 
11. I'M GOING BACK TO TENNESSEE (Vocalion 1460) 1930 
12. DON'T YOU GET TIRED OF RIDING THAT SAME TRAIN (Vocalion 1460) 1930 
13. RAINY DAY BLUES (Vocalion 1473) 1930 
14. I WON'T MISS YOU WHEN YOU'RE GONE (Vocalion 1473) 1930 
15. GOODBYE BLUES (Vocalion 1483) 1930 
16. THAT'S TELLIN' 'EM (Vocalion 1483) 1930 
17. LIFEBOAT BLUES (Vocalion 1499) 1930 
18. BLUE WITH THE BLUES (Vocalion 1499) 1930 
19. I KNOW THAT I'LL BE BLUE (Vocalion 1519) 1930 
20. BABY, YOU DONE PUT THAT THING ON ME (Vocalion 1519) 1930 
21. MEMPHIS TOWN (Vocalion 1527) 1930

CD 3
1. MY NATIVE HOME (Decca 5241) 1936 
1. DON'T SAY GOODBYE (Vocalion 1527) 1930 
2. SLOPPY DRUNK BLUES (Vocalion 1541) 1930 
3. HARD TIMES DONE DROVE ME TO DRINK (Vocalion 1541) 1930 
4. FOUR DAY RIDER (Vocalion 1549) 1930 
5. ALABAMA WOMAN BLUES (Vocalion 1549) 1930 
6. I AIN'T GOT NO GAL (Vocalion 1561) 1930 
7. PAPA WANTS A COOKIE  (with Scrapper Blackwell)  (Vocalion 1561) 1930 
8. LONG ROAD BLUES (Vocalion 1574) 1930 
9. JAIL CELL BLUES (Vocalion 1574) 1930 
10. NEW HOW LONG, HOW LONG BLUES PT.2 (Vocalion 1585) 1931 
11. BIG HOUSE BLUES (Vocalion 1585) 1931 
12. PAPA'S ON THE HOUSE TOP (Vocalion 1593) 1931 
13. CARRIED WATER FOR THE ELEPHANT (Vocalion 1593) 1931 
14. LOW DOWN DOG BLUES (Vocalion 1605) 1931 
15. NINETEEN THIRTY ONE BLUES (Vocalion 1605) 1931 
16. LET'S DISAGREE (Vocalion 1624) 1931 
17. LET'S MAKE UP AND BE FRIENDS AGAIN (Vocalion 1624) 1931 
18. PAPA'S GOT YOUR WATER ON (Vocalion 1636) 1931 
19. LOVE CRYING BLUES (Vocalion 1636) 1931 
20. PAPA WANTS TO KNOCK A JUG  (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 1651) 1931 
21. WHAT MORE CAN I DO (Vocalion 1651) 1931 
22. DEPRESSION BLUES (Vocalion 1693) 1932

CD 4
1. MOONLIGHT BLUES (& Scrapper Blackwell)  (Vocalion 1693) 1932 
2. GONE MOTHER BLUES (& Scrapper Blackwell)  (Vocalion 1703) 1932 
3. MIDNIGHT HOUR BLUES (& Scrapper Blackwell)  (Vocalion 1703) 1932 
4. I KEEP THE BLUES (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 1709) 1932 
5. LONESOME NIGHTS (Vocalion 1709) 1932 
6. QUITTIN' PAPA (Vocalion 1716) 1932 
7. HOW LONG HAS THAT EVENING TRAIN BEEN GONE (with Scrapper Blackwell) (with Scrapper Blackwell)  (Vocalion 1716) 1932 
8. MEAN MISTREATER MAMA (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 2657) 1934 
9. BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE (Vocalion 2657) 1934 
10. YOU CAN'T RUN MY BUSINESS NO MORE (Vocalion 2681) 1934 
11. BLUES SHE GAVE TO ME (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 2681) 1934 
12. HURRY DOWN SUNDOWN (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 2741) 1934 
13. CORN LIKKER BLUES (& Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 2741) 1934 
14. HOLD THEM PUPPIES (Vocalion 2751) 1934 
15. COURT ROOM BLUES (Vocalion 2751) 1934 
16. MEAN MISTREATER MAMA #2 (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 2762) 1934 
17. SHADY LANE BLUES (Vocalion 2762) 1934 
18. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKA A MOTHERLESS CHILD 1934 
19. BLACK GAL, WHAT MAKES YOUR HEAD SO HARD (Vocalion 2791) 1934 
20. BARREL HOUSE WOMAN (Vocalion 2791) 1934 
21. BARREL HOUSE WOMAN NO.2 (Vocalion 2820) 1934

CD 5
1. I BELIEVE I'LL MAKE A CHANGE (Vocalion 2820) 1934 
2. IT'S TOO SHORT (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 2875) 1934 
3. I LONG FOR MY SUGAR (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 2875) 1934 
4. BABY COME BACK TO ME (Vocalion 2893) 1934 
5. CRUEL WOMAN BLUES (Vocalion 2893) 1934 
6. STORMY NIGHT BLUES (Vocalion 2922) 1934 
7. MY WOMAN'S GONE WRONG (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 02950A) 1934 
8. I AIN'T GOT NO MONEY NOW (Vocalion 02950B) 1934 
9. DON'T START NO STUFF (Vocalion 2969) 1934 
10. BO BO STOMP (Vocalion 2969) 1934 
11. TAKE A WALK AROUND THE CORNER (Vocalion 2986) 1934 
12. GEORGIA STREET BLUES (Vocalion 2986) 1934 
13. HUSTLER'S BLUES (Vocalion 3034) 1934 
14. TIGHT TIME BLUES (Vocalion 3034) 1934 
15. BLACK WAGON BLUES (Vocalion 3067) 1934 
16. SHINING PISTOL BLUES (Vocalion 3067) 1934 
17. MUDDY WATER (Vocalion 3107) 1934 
18. SOUTHBOUND BLUES (Vocalion 3107) 1934 
19. MY GOOD FOR NOTHIN' GAL (Vocalion 3157) 1934 
20. ELEVEN TWENTY NINE BLUES (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 3157) 1934 
21. FLORIDA BOUND BLUES (Vocalion 3233) 1934 
22. BLUE NIGHT BLUES (Vocalion 3233) 1934 
23. GOOD WOMAN BLUES (with Scrapper Blackwell) (Vocalion 3296) 1934

CD 6
1. BREAD BAKER BLUES (Vocalion 3296) 1934 
2. BIG FOUR BLUES (Vocalion 3349) 1934 
3. YOU GOT ME GRIEVING (Vocalion 3349) 1934 
4. HARD HEARTED PAPA 1934 
5. YOU LEFT ME CRYIN' 1934 
6. BROKEN HEARTED MAN 1934 
7. EVIL HEARTED WOMAN 1934 
8. LONESOME MAN BLUES 1934 
9. THE STUFF IS HERE (AND IT'S MELLOW) 1934 
10. ARLENA 1934 
11. SUICIDE BLUES 1934 
12. BOZETTA BLUES 1934 
13. CHURCH HOUSE BLUES 1934 
14. WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN (Bluebird 5877) 1935 
15. AIN'T IT A SHAME (Bluebird 5877) 1935 
16. ROCKS IN MY BED (Bluebird 5915) 1935 
17. BIG FOUR BLUES (Bluebird 5915) 1935 
18. BAD LUCK ALL THE TIME (Bluebird 5946) 1935 
19. JUST A RAG (Bluebird 5946) 1935 
20. SIX COLD FEET IN THE GROUND (Bluebird 5963) 1935 
21. GOING BACK HOME (Bluebird 5963) 1935