Memphis-based country bluesman Furry Lewis recorded a number of sides during the 1920s for the Vocalion and Victor labels, and he toured the Deep South medicine-show circuit throughout the decade. When the Great Crash of 1929 put many a bluesman out of work (since they primarily made their living from live performances), Lewis went to work for the city of Memphis as a street-sweeper.
Lewis spent over three decades working for the city, only to have his pension denied him when he retired. Luckily, Sam Charters "rediscovered" Lewis and got him into the studio in 1961 to record some of the old songs. One of the oldest survivors of the '20s-era blues boom, Furry possessed a wealth of knowledge of traditional songs and styles, coupled with a unique guitar style and no little amount of personality.
Good Morning Judge
Outside of Memphis, Furry Lewis isn't the best-known of blues artists, but there are a handful of very good Lewis recordings still in print. The Fat Possum label released the excellent Good Morning Judge CD in 2004, featuring long-lost recordings from 1962 and 1967 produced by folklorist George Mitchell. That collection includes performances of some of Furry's signature songs, including "Furry's Blues," "Blues Around My Bed," and "Furry Lewis Rag."
The Fantasy Records 1995 CD release of Shake 'Em On Down offers some fine recordings from 1961, but if you can find one of the many CD versions of Fourth & Beale, produced in 1969 by Terry Manning (ZZ Top, Jason & the Scorchers), grab it up if you care a whit about the country blues.
Heroes Of The Blues: The Very Best Of Furry Lewis
For my money, one of the best Lewis comps available is The Very Best Of Furry Lewis. Unlike many budget blues comps that dredge up the worst versions of an artist's songs, The Very Best Of Furry Lewis was created by the folks at Shout! Factory, founded by Rhino Records founder Richard Foos, as part of the label's low-priced "Heroes Of The Blues" series, and the disc offers nothing but primo Furry.
The collection offers 16 classic Furry Lewis tunes culled from a bunch of different 1960s-era albums, including the aforementioned Shake 'Em On Down, and kicks off with three vintage 1920s recordings. Among the tracks here, you'll find Furry's trademark tune "Furry's Blues," as well as songs like "Judge Harsh Blues" and its so-called sequel "Judge Boushe;" "St. Louis Blues;" a classic take on the traditional "John Henry;" "Shake 'Em On Down;" and a cover of Sleepy John Estes' "I'm Going To Brownsville."
The sound quality is very good across the tracks, musician Sid Selvidge's liner notes are informative and entertaining without being too academic (a problem with blues collections), and the Robert Crumb cover art is ultra-cool. Other albums in the "Heroes Of The Blues" include vital collections of Son House, Ma Rainey, Skip James and Mississippi Fred McDowell.
The Reverend's Bottom Line
Furry's enormous charisma pours out of these songs, his uniquely soulful vocals wrapped around pinpoint traditional and original songs that showcase his skills as a songwriter and guitarist. A natural-born storyteller, Lewis paired a strong but subtle voice with a highly individual guitar style that defied accompaniment. This is a rock-solid collection and a great place for newcomers and expert collectors alike to latch onto the work of Walter "Furry" Lewis, a talented and underrated blues artist. (Shout! Factory Records, released August 26, 2003)
