The Sky is Crying

"The Sky Is Crying" is a blues standard written and initially recorded by Elmore James in 1959. Called "one of his most durable compositions", "The Sky Is Crying" became a R&B record chart hit and has been interpreted and recorded by numerous artists.

"The Sky Is Crying" is a blues standard written and initially recorded by Elmore James in 1959. Called "one of his most durable compositions", "The Sky Is Crying" became a R&B record chart hit and has been interpreted and recorded by numerous artists.

"The Sky Is Crying" is a blues standard written and initially recorded by Elmore James in 1959. Called "one of his most durable compositions", "The Sky Is Crying" became a R&B record chart hit and has been interpreted and recorded by numerous artists.

When ‘Willie’ Rice Miller, aka Sonny Boy Williamson, made these intimate, casual recordings in 1963, he was already (probably) 66 years old. Most of his long career was over; only two years later he would die in his little apartment in Helena, Arkansas. He was recognized as a giant throughout the blues world as a harmonica player, vocalist, songwriter, prolific recording artist, live performer and wildly colorful personality. Starting in 1951 and continuing into the ‘60s, Sonny Boy made some of the most influential blues records of all time.

Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative song writing skills. One listen to Sonny Boy and you’ll know no one else was quite the same.

When ‘Willie’ Rice Miller, aka Sonny Boy Williamson, made these intimate, casual recordings in 1963, he was already (probably) 66 years old. Most of his long career was over; only two years later he would die in his little apartment in Helena, Arkansas. He was recognized as a giant throughout the blues world as a harmonica player, vocalist, songwriter, prolific recording artist, live performer and wildly colorful personality. Starting in 1951 and continuing into the ‘60s, Sonny Boy made some of the most influential blues records of all time.

Elmore's last great recordings occurred in the 1960s when he was signed by New York producer/label-owner Bobby Robinson (Fire, Fury & Enjoy Records). Unlike many of his contemporaries, James seemingly got better as the years progressed. These recordings have surfaced on so many different compilations - all with varying levels of sound quality. Fortunately, to make things easier we have this three-disc 58-song box set rounding up at least one extant take of everything Elmore recorded with Robinson at the helm. Along with standards, "Dust My Broom," "The Sky Is Crying" the classic "One Way Out," the majority of this box set breaks new ground and stands as some of Elmore's most emotion-laden work. Included our Elmore's last sessions before his death and several tracks he cut as a session guitarist for Bobby Robinson. On May 24, 1963, James suffered a heart attack, which took his life at the age of 45.

When Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, Dickey Betts, Duane Allman, Jaimoe, and Gregg Allman finally coalesced in 1969 as The Allman Brothers Band, after stints in other bands and musical endeavors – some alone, some with each other – the group’s very first informal jam together was the stomping Muddy Waters song, “Trouble No More.” Almost immediately the six musicians knew they were on to something special. Shortly after, it also became the very first song they officially demoed together for their eponymous debut record, an album that would begin their legendary, unparalleled, and often times, turbulent journey as one of the best American rock bands to ever exist.

George Thorogood's (and Rounder Record's) first gold record. Thorogood & the Destroyers take on a wider range of tunes than on their blues-based debut, here adding their distinctive stamp, er, stomp! to Johnny Cash's "Cocaine Blues," and their hit rendition of the title tune, originally done by Hank Williams. Plenty of the hard blues stuff, too, including "The Sky Is Crying," Chuck Berry's "It Wasn't Me," and more.