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Wirz' AMERICAN MUSIC

J A M E S   'G U I T A R   S L I M'   S T E P H E N S; source: Back cover of L+R 42.038; photographer: Axel Küstner
source: Front cover of LRCD 712027; photographer: Axel Küstner

James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens
né James Stephenson
b. March 10, 1915 near Spartanburg, South Carolina
d. February 10, 1991 in Greensboro, North Carolina

buried in Greensboro, NC
discography

#year
of release
title / label / notes
11978Guitar Slim: Greensboro Rounder@ youtube (full album)

- Worried Blues #   @ youtube
- Little Boy //
- War Service Blues *   @ youtube
- Lonesome Blues \\
- The Blood Has Made Me Whole #

- Lovin Home Blues \\   @ youtube
- Penitentiary Moan Blues #
- Guitar Slim Blues *
- Trouble Blues §   @ youtube
- Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning #

rec. 1974/75 by Kip Lornell
§ rec. October 3, 1974 in Greensboro, NC; James 'Guitar Slim' Stephenson, voc, g
# rec. November 23, 1974 in Greensboro, NC; James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens, voc, g
* rec. March 2, 1975 in Greensboro, NC; James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens, voc, p
// rec. July 23, 1975 in Chapel Hill; James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens, voc, g
\\ rec. September 9, 1975 in Greensboro, NC; James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens, voc, g

notes by Kip Lornell

Flyright FLY 538 (UK 1978)

Flyright Records discography

21978Eight Hand Sets & Holy Steps
Traditional Black Music of North Carolina

James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens - Wildwood Blues Speak *
Elizabeth "Babe" Reid - Corrina
Odell & Joe Thompson - Georgia Buck
Roosevelt May - Breakaway
Cora Phillips & Elizabeth "Babe" Reid - John Henry   @ youtube
Odell & Joe Thompson - Going Downtown
Algia Mae Hinton - Buckdance
Percy Lassiter - Chicken
Elester Anderson - Out On The Farm
Algia Mae Hinton - Honeybabe
Percy Lassiter - Boll Weevil
Algia Mae Hinton - Chicken, Lord, Lord

Second St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church - When You See Me Praying
Thomas Burt - Lord, What Shall I Do Roosevelt May
Thomas Burt - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens - Your Close Friend #   @ youtube
Rev. Rassie Moore - Death Is Coming Back After You
Second St. Paul Junior Choir - Satan, We're Gonna Tear Your Kingdom Down
Algia Mae Hinton - Sweet Home
The Badgett Sisters - Traveling Shoes
The Gospel Jubilators - Joshua


prod. by the North Carolina Museum of History and the Office of Folklife Programs (Glenn Hinson and Patricia M. Gantt)

James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens tracks rec. 1977 or 1978 poss. in Greensboro, NC by Glenn Hinson & Charles Ellertson; James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens, # voc, slide g, * sp

notes (25 pp. brochure) by Glenn Hinson

Crossroads C-101 (US 1978)

26 pp. history of the music and the artists included

= Longleaf LL001RE (US 1989) "Early Dance Tunes and Songs of Praise from North Carolina's Black Tradition"

31979Ain't Gonna Rain No More
Blues and Pre-Blues from Piedmont North Carolina

- Snow A Little, Rain A Little - John Snipes
- Old Joe Clark - Joe & Odell Thompson
- Little Brown Jug - Dink Roberts
- Roustabout - Dink Roberts
- Rya's House - Joe & Odell Thompson
- McKinley - Jamie Alston
- Can't Get A Letter From Down The Road - Wilbert Atwater
- Molly Put The Kettle On - Joe & Odell Thompson
- Ain't Gonna Rain No More (banjo version) - Jamie Alston
- Julie - Dink Roberts
- Six White Horses - Jamie Alston

- I Think I Heard The Chilly Wind Blow - John Snipes
- Rich Girl Ride In An Automobile - Wilbert Atwater
- Ain't Gonna Rain No More (guitar version) - Jamie Alston
- Georgia Buck - Joe & Odell Thompson
- Old Blue - Dink Roberts
- Buffalo - Wilbert Atwater
- Went Up On The Mountain - Jamie Alston
- Going Down The Road Feeling Bad - Joe & Odell Thompson

- Come On Down To My House - Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Goin' Away - Jamie Alston

rec. between January 1974 & June 1976 by Kip Lornell; mixed by Pete Lowry & Kip Lornell
LP jacket design and illustration by Susan Marsh

notes by Kip Lornell

Rounder 2016 (US 1979)

notes (in Portuguese) by Kip Lornell

= Rounder 2016 (Portugal 1979, distributed by Dargil)

Rounder Records discography
John Snipes discography

41980Living Country Blues USA
The Introduction
@ youtube (full double album)

LP 1:
Guitar Frank - Lonesome Road Blues   @ youtube
Memphis Piano Red - The Train Is Coming   @ youtube
Flora Molton & The Truth Band - What's The Matter Now   @ youtube
Flora Molton & The Truth Band - The Titanic   @ youtube
Lottie Murell - Trouble Late Last Night (4:13)   @ youtube
Sam Chatmon - Sittin' On Top Of The World   @ youtube

James "Son" Thomas - Rock Me Mama   @ youtube
Hammie Nixon - Corinna, Corinna   @ youtube
Cora Fluker & Ola Mae Bell - Talkin' 'Bout Jesus   @ youtube
Walter Brown - So Hard To See   @ youtube
Archie Edwards - Bear Cat Mama Blues   @ youtube


LP 2:
Bowling Green John Cephas & Harmonica Phil Wiggins - Reno Factory   @ youtube
Lonnie Pitchford - My Babe   @ youtube
Sam "Stretch" Fields - Bluebird Blues   @ youtube
Joe Savage - Mean Ol' Frisco   @ youtube
Arzo Youngblood - I Can't Be Successful   @ youtube

CeDell "Big G" Davis - I Don't Know Why   @ youtube
Othar Turner & the Rising Star Five & Drum Band - Tango Twist   @ youtube

Guitar Slim - Come On In My Kitchen (voc, g) ##   @ youtube
Guitar Slim - Lula's Back In Town (voc, p) #   @ youtube
Boyd Rivers - You Got To Move   @ youtube
Boogie Bill Webb - Big Road Blues   @ youtube


rec. October/November 1980 by Siegfried Christmann
rec. October 13, 1980 in Greensboro, NC by Siegfried A. Christmann; Guitar Slim, voc, # p, ## g
photos by Axel Küstner

"none of the takes included in this double album will re-appear in further releases"

= on Evidence 3 CD set (US 1999)

DLP
notes by Axel Küstner

L+R 42.030 (Germany 1980)

3 CD set
48-pp. booklet with notes by Jerry Gordon, Axel Küstner & Brett Bonner

some tracks reissued on Evidence ECD 26105-2 (US 1999) "Living Country Blues - An Anthology"

2 CD set
notes by Axel Küstner

[CD notes do *not* contain liner photos that were part of the original LP release!]
= Bellaphon CDLR 711921 (Germany 2008)

= Bellaphon LR 713014 (Germany 2014) (180 g DLP) (includes download code)

L+R Records discography
Guitar Frank Hovington discography
Flora Molton discography
Lattie Murrell discography
Sam Chatmon discography
Son Thomas discography
Hammie Nixon discography
Archie Edwards discography
Lonnie Pitchford discography
Boyd Rivers discography

51981Memphis Piano Red / Guitar Slim: Play It A Long Time, Daddy resp. Walkin' Boogie
Old Time Barrelhouse Blues

Ornament CH-7.516 track sequence:
Memphis Piano Red
- Rocky Mountain Blues
- Red's Boogie
- Red's Delight
- Mr. Grinder
- My Life Is So Miserable
- Blues With A Feelin'


Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Walkin' Boogie #
- Outdoor Weather Blues ###
- Betty & Dupree #
- Did You Get That Letter #
- Hard Headed Blues ##

CDs track sequence:
Guitar Slim - Walkin' Boogie #
Memphis Piano Red - Rocky Mountain Blues
Memphis Piano Red - Red's Boogie

Guitar Slim - Outdoor Weather Blues ###
Guitar Slim - Betty & Dupree #
Memphis Piano Red - Red's Delight
Memphis Piano Red - Mr. Grinder

Guitar Slim - Did You Get That Letter #
Memphis Piano Red - My Life Is So Miserable
Guitar Slim - Hard Headed Blues ##
Memphis Piano Red - Blues With A Feelin

Memphis Piano Red (John Williams) tracks rec. November 3 & 6, 1980 in Memphis, TN by Siegfried A. Christmann; Memphis Piano Red, voc, p
Guitar Slim (James Stephens) tracks rec. October 13, 1980 in Greensboro, NC by Siegfried A. Christmann; Guitar Slim, voc, # p, ## g; ### 12str g
photos by Axel Küstner

notes by No-Nothing Slim (Siegfried A. Christmann) and Even-Less Fats (Axel Küstner)

Ornament CH-7.516 (Germany 1981)


(=) Comerta FC 5303 (Switzerland 1989) "Walkin' Boogie"


= CMA/Ornament CD CM-8002 (Germany 1991) "Old Time Barrelhouse Blues"


= Drive CD 3225 (Switzerland 1991) "Walkin' Boogie"


= CMA/Ornament CD CM-8002 (Germany 1992)


= Chrisly CD CM-30002 (Germany 2000)

Ornament Records discography

61982Living Country Blues USA Vol. 8
Lonesome Home Blues


Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Jazz Boogie
Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- Fly Right Baby   @ Spotify

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Lookout Blues
- I'm Feelin' Lonesome
Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- Chimney Hill Breakdown (instr)   @ youtube   @ Spotify
- Railroad Bill   @ Spotify


Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- Jelly Roll Baker   @ Spotify
- Freight Train   @ Spotify

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Lonesome Home Blues
Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- Diggin' My Potatoes   @ Spotify

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Bad Luck Blues
- Got To Find Me A Woman

Guitar Frank (Hovington) tracks rec. October 11, 1980 in Frederica, DE by Siegfried Christmann
Guitar Slim (Stephens) tracks rec. October 13, 1980 in Greensboro, NC by Siegfried Christmann
photos by Axel Küstner

= on Evidence 3 CD set (US 1999)

notes by Axel Küstner

L+R 42.038 (Germany 1982)

3 CD set
48-pp. booklet with notes by Jerry Gordon, Axel Küstner & Brett Bonner

some tracks reissued on Evidence ECD 26105-2 (US 1999) "Living Country Blues - An Anthology"


= L+R LRCD 712423 (Germany 2008)

L+R Records discography
"Guitar Frank" Hovington discography

71982Living Country Blues USA Vol. 10
Country Boogie


Lottie Murrell - Spoonful #   @ youtube
Napoleon Strickland - That's The Boogie   @ youtube

Guitar Slim - Lovin' Blues #   @ youtube
James "Son" Thomas - Mama Don't 'Low No Guitar Playin' Here   @ youtube
Othar Turner & the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band - Bouncin' Ball   @ youtube
Lonnie Pitchford - One String Boogie   @ youtube

Bowling Green John & Harmonica Phil Wiggins - Burn Your Bridges   @ youtube
Memphis Piano Red - Pinetop's Boogie Woogie   @ youtube
Archie Edwards - Sellin' That Stuff   @ youtube
Lonnie Pitchford - Shake Your Moneymaker   @ youtube
Cora Fluker - Shotgun Boogie   @ youtube
Arzo Youngblood - Swing, Swing   @ youtube
Cedell "Big G" Davis - You Got To Do The Boogie Woogie   @ youtube


# rec. October 13, 1980 in Greensboro, NC by Siegfried Christmann and Axel Küstner; James "Guitar Slim" Stephens, voc, p
photos by Axel Küstner

= on Evidence 3 CD set (US 1999)

notes by Axel Küstner

L+R 42.040 (Germany 1982)

3 CD set
48-pp. booklet with notes by Jerry Gordon, Axel Küstner & Brett Bonner

some tracks reissued on Evidence ECD 26105-2 (US 1999) "Living Country Blues - An Anthology"


[CD notes do *not* contain liner photos that were part of the original LP release!]
= L+R LRCD 712225 (Germany 2008)

L+R Records discography
Lattie Murrell discography
Son Thomas discography
Lonnie Pitchford discography
Memphis Piano Red discography
Archie Edwards discography

81982Living Country Blues USA Vol. 11
Country Gospel Roots


L+R 42.041 track sequence:
Boyd Rivers
- You Gonna Take Sick And Die   @ youtube
- When The World Seems Cold   @ youtube
- Jesus On The Mainline   @ youtube
- I'm Wrapped Up   @ youtube
- O Lord I Wanna Be Your Child   @ youtube
- Precious Lord   @ youtube
Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- Go Down Moses   @ youtube
Cora Fluker
- The World, She's Winding Up   @ youtube
- Yonder Comes Jesus   @ youtube
Walter Brown
- Mother Bowed   @ youtube

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- What A Friend We Have In Jesus   @ youtube
Othar Turner
- When I Lay My Burden Down   @ youtube
Flora Molton
- When The War Is Over   @ youtube


L+R LRCD 712126 track sequence:
Boyd Rivers - You Gonna Take Sick And Die   @ youtube
Guitar Frank (Hovington) - Go Down Moses   @ youtube
Cora Fluker - The World, She's Winding Up   @ youtube
Boyd Rivers - When The World Seems Cold   @ youtube
Walter Brown - Mother Bowed   @ youtube
Boyd Rivers - Jesus On The Mainline   @ youtube

Guitar Slim (Stephens) - What A Friend We Have In Jesus   @ youtube
Boyd Rivers - I'm Wrapped Up   @ youtube
Othar Turner - When I Lay My Burden Down   @ youtube
Cora Fluker - Yonder Comes Jesus   @ youtube
Boyd Rivers - O Lord I Wanna Be Your Child   @ youtube
Boyd Rivers - Precious Lord   @ youtube
Flora Molton - When The War Is Over   @ youtube

= on Evidence 3 CD set (US 1999)

rec. October/November 1980 by Siegfried A. Christmann
photos by Axel Küstner

notes by Axel Küstner

L+R 42.041 (Germany 1982)

3 CD set
48-pp. booklet with notes by Jerry Gordon, Axel Küstner & Brett Bonner

some tracks reissued on Evidence ECD 26105-2 (US 1999) "Living Country Blues - An Anthology"


= L+R LRCD 712126 (Germany 2008)

L+R Records discography
Boyd Rivers discography
Guitar Frank Hovington discography
Flora Molton discography

91982Living Country Blues USA Vol. 12
East Coast Blues


Bowling Green John Cephas
- Reno Factory

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Lula's Back In Town (3:45)   @ youtube
Bowling Green John Cephas & Harmonica Phil Wiggins
- Louise
Archie Edwards
- Three Times Seven
Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- 90 Goin' North
Archie Edwards
- Everybody's Blues

Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- Trouble In Mind
Archie Edwards
- East Virginia John Henry
- Sittin' On Top Of The World

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Won't You Spread Some Flowers On My Grave   @ youtube
Guitar Frank (Hovington)
- Mama Don't Allow
- Key To The Highway


rec. 1980 by Siegfried A. Christmann and Axel Küstner

notes by Axel Küstner

L+R 42042 (Germany 1982)


= L+R LRCD 712027 (Germany 2008)

L+R Records discography
Guitar Frank Hovington discography
Archie Edwards discography

101991The Real Blues Sampler

- Bull Cow Blues - Big Joe Williams
- Red's Delight - Memphis Piano Red

- Hard Headed Blues - Guitar Slim [Ornament CH-7.516]
- You're So Fine - John Lee Hooker
- St. James Infirmary - Blind John Davis
- Ethel Mae - Louisiana Red
- Reminiscing Fats W. - Champion Jack Dupree
- Hobo Blues - Doctor Ross
- I'm the Fixer - Willie Mabon
- Don't Cry No More - Fernest Arceneaux
- Foot Race - Johnny "Big Moose" Walker
- Hard Luck Blues - Tommy Tucker


CMA / Ornament CM 8000 (Germany 1991)

= Chrisly CD CM-39??? (Germany 2000)

Ornament Records discography
Big Joe Williams discography
Champion Jack Dupree discography
Doctor Ross discography
Willie Mabon discography

111992The Ultimate Blues Collection Volume 1

CD 1:
Big Joe Williams
- Bull Cow Blues
- When The Saints Go Marchin' In
Doctor Ross
- My Little Woman °°
- Cat Squirrel °°
Blind John Davis
- Everyday I Have The Blues
- Limehouse Blues
John Lee Hooker
- You're So Fine
- It Serve Me Right To Suffer

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Early Mornin' Blues # °°   @ youtube
Tommy Tucker
- Come Back Baby / What Did I Say
- Hi Heel Sneakers
Tommy Tucker & Louisiana Red
- Early Morning Blues °°


CD 2:
Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Outdoor Weather Blues ### [Ornament CH-7.516 et al.]
Richard Bargel
- Dancing Up That Country Road

Guitar Slim (Stephens)
- Hard Headed Blues ## [Ornament CH-7.516 et al.]
Richard Bargel
- Blue Steel
- Me And The Devil Blues
Big Joe Williams
- Down In The Bottom
- Boogie Woogie All Night Long
- I'm Gonna Do It This Time, Ain't Gonna Do It No Mo'
- In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down
- In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down
Dr. Ross
- Chicago Breakdown
- 30:20 Blues
- Sweet Black Angel
- China Blues

CD 3:
Memphis Piano Red
- Rocky Mountain Blues
- Red's Boogie
- My Life Is So Meserable
Champion Jack Dupree
- I Ain't Good Lookin'
- Reminscing Fats W.
Blind John Davis
- Dippermouth Blues
- Cow Cow Blues
- Moanin' The Blues
Big Moose Walker
- Would You Baby
- Somebody Got To Go


# rec. October 13, 1980 in Greensboro, NC; James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens, # p, ## g, ### 12-str g; prod. by Siegfried A. Christmann & Axel Küstner

°° previously unreleased

3 CD set
 
Chrisly CM 11001 (Germany 1992) "Chrisly Records Blues Box"

Ornament Records discography
Big Joe Williams discography
Doctor Ross discography
Champion Jack Dupree discography



Additional information appreciated !!!

 

Sources / Further reading:
- own record collection
- Bob Eagle & Eric S. LeBlanc: Blues - A Regional Experience.- Santa Barbara (Praeger Publishers) 2013, p. 288
- Robert Ford: A Blues Bibliography, 2nd Edition (Routledge Music Bibliographies) 2007, p. 175
- eBay auctions
- diverse internet resources

thanks to Max Hoeffner, Gaile Welker and Scott Barretta for additional info / scans

 

J A M E S   'G U I T A R   S L I M'   S T E P H E N S; source: Front cover of L+R 42.038; photographer: Axel Küstner
source: Front cover of L+R 42.038; photographer: Axel Küstner

 

J A M E S   'G U I T A R   S L I M'   S T E P H E N S, Greensboro, NC, October 1980; photographer: Axel Küstner
James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens, Greensboro, NC, October 1980
photographer: Axel Küstner

 

J A M E S   'G U I T A R   S L I M'   S T E P H E N S; source: Screen capture from 1989 documentary 'Step It Up And Go' @ youtube
1989 documentary "Step It Up And Go" @ youtube

 

 

 

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James 'Guitar Slim' Stephens discography (latest date of editing: 02/17/2020)
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