Reviewed by Martin I Smith

Fred McDowell though born in Tennessee became known as "Mississippi" Fred McDowell for the Delta style blues he faithfully adhered to after being discovered on a field trip by Alan Lomax. The searing, bottleneck blues guitar is the man's trademark, and he plays it with an earthly grit that carries the genuine heart of early blues and reflects a humble passion for making the guitar sing. His classic cuts are here including the lively "Shake 'Em On Down" and "You Gotta Move" which was eventually covered by the Rolling Stones. While such a package normally caters solely to the newcomer, long-time fans are offered an unreleased live recording as a closer. If you are a newcomer who has just read the Getting The Blues book and wants to explore the extraordinarily powerful music, be assured, this compilation won't fail to lovingly acquaint you with this blues legend who was a committed Christian and always included songs of gospel truth in his extensive repertoire.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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