John Adam Estes, born in Tennessee in 1899, was a blues singer, guitarist and songwriter whose work influenced later artists from The Beatles and Bob Dylan to Led Zeppelin. Working as a field hand, he started performing at parties and picnics around the age of 19, often accompanied by harmonica player Hammie Nixon and guitarist, mandolin player James Rachell, who sometimes featured on his recordings. He recorded his first sessions for Victor in Memphis in 1929, followed by more Memphis sessions for Victor/Bluebird in 1930, then sessions for Decca in Chicago in 1935 and New York in 1937, 1938 and 1940, and back with Bluebird in Chicago in 1941. He then largely disappeared from the scene until being rediscovered in 1962, after which he performed and recorded during the folk/blues revival. This 50-track 2-CD collection comprises just about all his releases from those early sessions on which he performs as the lead vocalist, and includes most of the titles he recorded as a member of The Delta Boys towards the end of this era. It features performances with Hammie Nixon, Robert Lee McCoy, (harmonica), John Hardge, Jab Jones (piano), James Rachell (mandolin), Charlie Pickett (guitar), Ham Lewis (jug), Son Bonds (guitar, kazoo) and Raymond Thomas (bass). It naturally includes the songs for which he is best-known like “Milk Cow Blues”, “Some Day Baby Blues”, “Working Man Blues”, “Lawyer Clark Blues” and others. It’s an enlightening and substantial overview of the career and music of a notable and important bluesman.

Tracks

CD 1
1. DIVING DUCK BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38549) 1929 
2. THE GIRL I LOVE GOT LONG CURLY HAIR Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38549) 1929 
3. BROKEN HEARTED, RAGGED AND DIRTY TOO Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38582) 1929 
4. BLACK MATTIE BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38582) 1929 
5. STREET CAR BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38614) 1930 
6. MILK COW BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38614) 1930 
7. WHATCHA DOING Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38628) 1930 
8. POOR JOHN BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Victor 38628) 1930 
9. SWEET MAMA Sleepy John Estes (Victor 23318) 1930 
10. EXPRESSMAN BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Victor 23318) 1930 
11. STACK O' DOLLARS Sleepy John Estes (Victor 23397) 1930 
12. MY BLACK GAL BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Victor 23397) 1930 
13. SOMEDAY BABY BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7279) 1935 
14. WHO'S BEEN TELLIN' YOU, BUDDY BROWN Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7279) 1935 
15. MARRIED WOMAN BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7289) 1935 
16. DROP DOWN MAMA Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7289) 1935 
17. DOWN SOUTH BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7325) 1935 
18. STOP THAT THING Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7325) 1935 
19. I WANT TO TEAR IT ALL THE TIME Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7342) 1937 
20. VERNITA BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7342) 1937 
21. AIRPLANE BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7354) 1937 
22. HOBO JUNGLE BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7354) 1937 
23. JACK AND JILL BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7365) 1937 
24. NEED MORE BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7365) 1937

CD 2
1. I AIN'T GONNA BE WORRIED NO MORE Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7414) 1937 
2. GOVERNMENT MONEY Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7414) 1937 
3. POOR MAN'S FRIEND (T MODEL) Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7442) 1937 
4. FLOATING BRIDGE Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7442) 1937 
5. NEW SOMEDAY BABY Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7473) 1938 
6. BROWNSVILLE BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7473) 1938 
7. LIQUOR STORE BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7491) 1938 
8. SPECIAL AGENT (RAILROAD POLICE BLUES) Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7491) 1938 
9. EASIN' BACK TO TENNESSEE Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7516) 1938 
10. CLEAN UP AT HOME Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7516) 1938 
11. EVERYBODY OUGHTA MAKE A CHANGE Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7571) 1938 
12. FIRE DEPARTMENT BLUES (MARTHA HARDIN) Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7571) 1938 
13. DROP DOWN (I DON'T FEEL WELCOME HERE) Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7766) 1940 
14. TELL ME HOW ABOUT IT (MR. TOM'S BLUES) Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7766) 1940 
15. MAILMAN BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7789) 1940 
16. TIME IS DRAWING NEAR Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7789) 1940 
17. MARY, COME ON HOME Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7814) 1940 
18. JAILHOUSE BLUES Sleepy John Estes (Decca 7814) 1940 
19. YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT The Delta Boys  (Bluebird 8852) 1941 
20. BLACK GAL SWING The Delta Boys  (Bluebird 8852) 1941 
21. LITTLE LAURA BLUES John Estes (Bluebird 8871) 1941 
22. LAWYER CLARK BLUES John Estes (Bluebird 8871) 1941 
23. EVERYTIME MY HEART BEATS The Delta Boys  (Bluebird 8891) 1941 
24. DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW The Delta Boys  (Bluebird 8915) 1941 
25. GET UP AND GO The Delta Boys  (Bluebird 8915) 1941 
26. WORKING MAN BLUES John Estes (Bluebird 8950) 1941