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Buddy Moss Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 1, Vol. 2 & Vol. 3
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Eugene "Buddy" Moss was one of 12 children born to a family of sharecroppers living in Jewel, Georgia, midway between Atlanta and Augusta. His exact date of birth has never been verified but it was sometime between 1906 and 1914. He taught himself to play the harmonica at an early age, and when his family moved to Augusta, he was playing at local parties and picnics before he reached his teens. By 1928, he was busking around the streets of Atlanta and he was good enough to be noticed by Curley Weaver and Robert "Barbecue Bob" Hicks, who began working with him. It was Weaver and Hicks that got Moss his first recording date, at the age of 16, as a member of their group the Georgia Cotton Pickers, Moss doing four songs for Columbia. Nothing more was heard from Buddy Moss on record until three years later.
In 1933, however, he made his debut as a recording artist in his own right for ARC in New York, cutting three songs for them. In the three years leading up to that date, he'd taught himself the guitar, at which he became so proficient that he was a genuine peer and rival to Weaver. He frequently played with Barbecue Bob Hicks, and after Hicks died in 1931, he found a new partner and associate in Blind Willie McTell, performing with the Atlanta blues legend at local parties in the Atlanta area. Moss's records were released simultaneously on various labels owned by ARC, and were so successful that he returned to New York, along with Weaver and Blind Willie McTell to record twelve more songs for the company, this time accompanied by Curley Weaver, while he accompanied Weaver and McTell on their numbers. Following further recordings on his own, when Moss returned to the studio in the summer of 1935, it was with a new partner, Josh White.
At the height of his popularity disaster struck Moss when he was convicted of the murder of his wife and sentenced to a long prison term. Moss consistently protested his innocence but he served six years in prison before a combination of good behaviour and pleas made on his behalf gained his led to his release in 1941. It was while working under parole arrangements that Moss met a group of blues musicians that included Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Moss recorded with Terry and McGhee for Okeh and three songs were released before America's entry into the second world war cut short this recording comeback. Hard times then followed for Moss and although he continued performing he was force to take a series of manual jobs to make ends meet. Buddy Moss was largely forgotten and it was not until 1964 when he visited Josh White, now an established star, backstage in Atlanta that he was "re-discovered". He resumed performing at colleges and blues and folk festivals but was unable to resurrect his recording career. Buddy Moss died in Atlanta in 1984, once again largely forgotten by the public. However the re-issue of his early recordings have helped to establish a reputation he deserves as a major influence on better known blues performers such as Blind Willie McTell and Blind Boy Fuller.
These three CDs contain all of Moss's recordings made between January 1933 and October 1941. The sound is generally good to excellent, and as for the material, it is just about the most sophisticated and beautifully played Atlanta blues of its period.
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 1 1933
Released: 1992
Label: Document Records
01. Bye Bye Mama (3:18 )
02. Daddy Don't Care (3:19)
03. Red River Blues (2:57)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : prob Fred McMullen gtr (track 1) Ruth Willis speech (track 2)
Recorded 16 January 1933 New York City
04. Cold Country Blues (3:29)
05. Prowling Woman (3:18 )
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : prob Curly Weaver 2nd gtr
Recorded 17 January 1933 New York City
06. TB's Killing Me (2:59)
07. When I'm Dead And Gone (3:01)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : prob Curly Weaver 2nd gtr
Recorded 18 January 1933 New York City
08. Hard Time Blues (3:13)
09. Prowlin' Gambler Blues (3:11)
10. Hard Road Blues (3:16)
11. Jealous Hearted Man (2:58 )
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : prob Curly Weaver 2nd gtr (tracks 8,9,10)
Fred McMullen gtr (track 11)
Recorded 19 January 1933 New York City
12. Midnight Rambler (2:47)
13. Best Gal (2:53)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : Curly Weaver 2nd gtr
Recorded 14 September 1933 New York City
14. Restless Night Blues (2:55)
15. Married Man Blues (2:50)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : Curly Weaver 2nd gtr
Recorded 15 September 1933 New York City
16. Somebody Keeps Calling Me (2:55)
17. Back To My Used To Be (2:43)
18. Back To Used To Be 2 (2:47)
19. Can't Use You No More (2:51)
20. Can't Use You No More 2 (2:49)
21. Travelin' Blues (3:02)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : Curly Weaver 2nd gtr , Blind Willie McTell speech (tracks 19,20)
Recorded 18 September 1933 New York City
22. Bachelor's Blues (3:11)
23. Broke Down Engine (2:50)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr : Curly Weaver 2nd gtr ,
Recorded 19 September 1933 New York City
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 2 1933-1934
Released: 1992
Label: Document Records
01. Broke Down Engine No. 2 Take 1 (3:07)
02. Broke Down Engine No. 2 Take 2 (3:09)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr, Curley Weaver gtr
Recorded 19 September 1933 New York City
03. B & O Blues No. 2 (3:06)
04. Some Lonesome Day Take 1 (2:48 )
05. Some Lonesome Day Take 2 (2:57)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr, Curley Weaver gtr
Recorded 21 September 1933 New York City
06. New Lovin' Blues (2:40)
07. Unkind Woman (2:54)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr,
Recorded 30 July 1934 New York City
08. When The Hearse Roll Me From My Door (2:57)
09. Insane Blues (2:37)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr,
Recorded 7 August 1934 New York City
10. Tricks Ain't Walking No More (2:56)
11. Stinging Bull Nettle (2:44)
12. Oh Lordy Mama (2:44)
13. Dough Rolling Papa (2:43)
14. Some Lonesome Day (2:46)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr,
Recorded 8 August 1934 New York City
15. Misery Man Blues (2:39)
16. Jinx Man Blues (2:48 )
17. Evil Hearted Woman (2:54)
18. Too Dog Gone Jealous (3:10)
19. Someday Baby (I'll Have Mine) (2:54)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr,
Recorded 9 August 1934 New York City
20. Love Me, Baby, Love Me (2:40)
21. Sleepless Night (2:37)
22. Shake It All Night Long (2:54)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr,
Recorded 11 August 1934 New York City
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 3 1935-1941
Released: 1992
Label: Document Records
01. Gravy Server (2:58 )
02. Going To Your Funeral In A V8 Ford (3:04)
03. My Baby Won't Pay Me No Mind (3:06)
04. Undertaker Blues (3:14)
05. Oh Lordy Mama No 2 (3:09)
06. Worrysome Woman (3:07)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr, Joshua White gtr (tracks 4,5,6)
Recorded 21 August 1935 New York City
07. Your Hard Head Will Bring You Sorrow Some Day (2:56)
08. Can't Use You No More (3:13)
09. See What You Done Done (2:54)
10. Sop Hanging Around (3:21)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr, Joshua White gtr
Recorded 23 August 1935 New York City
11. On My Way (3:06)
12. How About You (3:01)
13. Talking About My Time (3:00)
Joshua White , Buddy Moss vcl/gtr duet
Recorded 26 August 1935 New York City
14. You Got To Give Me Some Of It (3:11)
15. Mistreated Boy (3:00)
Buddy Moss vcl/gtr, Joshua White vcl (track 14)/gtr
Recorded 281 August 1935 New York City
16. You Need A Woman (2:51)
Buddy Moss vcl: acc, self or Brownie McGhee gtr
Recorded 22 October 1941 New York City
17. Joy Rag (2:36)
18. Little Angel Blues (2:47)
19. Struggle Buggie (2:45)
20. I'm Sittin' Here Tonight (2:50)
21. Baby You're The One For Me (2:47)
22. Unfinished Business (2:50)
Buddy Moss vcl: acc, Brownie McGhee pno (tracks17,19,20
Recorded 23 October 1941 New York City
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