BROWNIE McGHEE & SONNY TERRY BLUES IS A STORY 1st UK ToP AuDiO DeLtA BlUeS

	£		205
	$		272

Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry ''Blues Is A Story''

1st UK Pressing 1960 ((Mono)) Vogue Records 'Microgroove' Cat No. LAE 12247

Fantastic Top Audio! No Clicks or Pops!

1st issue fully Laminated 'West Brothers' Flip back cover absolutely stunning condition throughout!

'-1B' '-1B' Matrix Endings ''1''to''1'' Mother Stampers!

Rare Delta Blues lp. 53 years old Like This!!

Another from my personal collection! Rare and very scarce 1st UK pressing of Brownie McGhee & Sonny Boy Terry released in 1960 on the Vogue record labels! Especially in this absolutely top top condition throughout! The awesome very thick chunky and heavy slab of vinyl looks barely ever played and on visual inspection of the playing surface of the vinyl it is also hard for me to even see a blemish! Importantly there are no loud clicks or pops during the play of this vinyl! Incredibly rare any interference is minimal in the form of light static background noise only heard in some isolated places on perhapes two or three tracks only! The original 1st issue fully laminated cover is also in exceptional condition and has certainly stood the test of time considering this is also 53 years old! The most important thing is the audio quality is superb considering that the  recording would have been taken from tape and mastered to vinyl back in the 50s. Rare and scarce delta blues album!

Brownie McGhee

At age 22, Brownie McGhee became a travelling musician, working in the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and befriending Blind Boy Fuller, whose guitar playing influenced him greatly. After Fuller's death in 1941, J. B. Long of Columbia Records had McGhee adopt his mentor's name, branding him "Blind Boy Fuller No. 2." By that time, McGhee was recording for Columbia's subsidiary Okeh Records in Chicago, but his real success came after he moved to New York in 1942, when he teamed up with Sonny Terry, whom he had known since 1939 when Sonny was Blind Boy Fuller's harmonica player. The pairing was an overnight success; as well as recording, they toured together until around 1980. As a duo, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee did most of their work from 1958 until 1980, spending 11 months of each year touring, and recording dozens of albums.

Despite their later fame as "pure" folk artists playing for white audiences, in the 1940s Terry and McGhee also attempted to be successful black recording performers, fronting a jump blues combo with honking saxophone and rolling piano, variously calling themselves "Brownie McGhee and his Jook House Rockers" or "Sonny Terry and his Buckshot Five," often with Champion Jack Dupree and Big Chief Ellis. They also appeared in the original Broadway productions of Finian's Rainbow and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

During the blues revival of the 1960s, Terry and McGhee were very popular on the concert and music festival circuits, occasionally adding new material but usually remaining faithful to their roots and their audience. With Sonny Terry, he appeared in the 1979 Steve Martin comedy The Jerk. In 1987, McGhee gave a small but memorable performance as ill-fated blues singer Toots Sweet in the supernatural thriller movie, Angel Heart. He appeared in a 1988 episode of "Family Ties" titled "The Blues Brother" in which he played fictional blues musician Eddie Dupre, as well as a 1989 episode of "Matlock" entitled "The Blues Singer."

Happy Traum, a former guitar student of Brownie's, edited a blues guitar instruction guide and songbook for him. Using a tape recorder, Traum had McGhee instruct and, between lessons, talk about his life and the blues. Guitar Styles of Brownie McGhee was published in New York in 1971. The autobiographical section features Brownie talking about growing up, his musical beginnings, and a history of the early blues period (1930s onward).

Sonny Terry

Terry was born in Greensboro, Georgia. His father, a farmer, taught him to play basic blues harp as a youth. He sustained injuries to his eyes and lost his sight by the time he was 16, which prevented him from doing farm work himself. In order to earn a living Terry was forced to play music. He began playing in Shelby, North Carolina. After his father died he began playing in the trio of Piedmont blues-style guitarist Blind Boy Fuller. When Fuller died in 1941, he established a long-standing musical relationship with Brownie McGhee, and the pair recorded numerous songs together. The duo became well-known among white audiences, as they joined the growing folk movement of the 1950s and 1960s. This included collaborations with Styve Homnick, Woody Guthrie and Moses Asch, producing Folkways Records (now Smithsonian/Folkways) classic recordings.

In 1938 Terry was invited to play at Carnegie Hall for the first From Spirituals to Swing concert, and later that year he recorded for the Library of Congress. In 1940 Terry recorded his first commercial sides. Some of his most famous works include "Old Jabo" a song about a man bitten by a snake and "Lost John" in this he demonstrates his amazing breath control .

Despite their fame as "pure" folk artists, in the 1940s, Terry and McGhee fronted a jump blues combo with honking saxophone and rolling piano that was variously called Brownie McGhee and his Jook House Rockers or Sonny Terry and his Buckshot Five.

Terry was also in the 1947 original cast of the Broadway musical comedy, Finian's Rainbow.

Terry died from natural causes at Mineola, New York, in March 1986, the year he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He died three days before Crossroads was released in theaters.

The Matrix

Side 1. ''VMGT-1690-1B''

Side 2.''VMGT-1691-1B''

The Mother Stampers

Side 1.''1 '' ''U'' (Look Earliest ''1'' to ''1'' Mothers)

Side 2.''1'' ''C'' (Look Earliest ''1'' to ''1'' Mothers)

The Vinyl

This is the original typical thick heavy and chunky slab of vinyl only found like this on the earliest pressings! This lays perfectly flat on the turntable and is free of any warps! On initial inspection the vinyl looks absolutely stunning in fact I find it hard to even see a blemish on the playing surface! Any marks that could possibly be seen angled to the light would be Light whyspy sleeve removal lines only,, importantly there are no deep scratches or marks that would cause any loud constant clicks or pops!

The Audio Quality

I have play tested this vinyl two times prior to this listing at very loud volume on a top system!,, Importantly using a dedicated mono cartride! Important note! Allowances must be made for the fact that the audio was taken from early 1950s and were probably pressed from the original master tapes of course mastered in glorious mono! The audio is clear and very vibrant throughout and this plays through with out any distortion! Typical blues basey feel! There were light isolated static background noise heard in isolated quiet places only that I noticed,  but nothing too detrimental to the awesome audio quality effect in my opinion! Importantly i heard no annoying loud constant clicks or pops! The fact that this vinyl has obviously barely ever been played makes all the difference considering this is an astounding 53 years old is quite amazing! I would rate the audio at least excellent to excellent plus  in my opinion (isolated minor light static surface background noise only)!

Please note! I always add this disclaimer! Please allow for the odd minor isolated static,  perhaps only  heard in an isolated quiet places (not consistent through out the audio) perhaps caused by dirt or dust build up over the years of laying dormant in my opinion!  Please remember that this is a genuine 43 year old vinyl that would have originally have been played on a 43 year old system! Also allowances must be made in that some of these early recordings were made from early tapes in the 50s! 

A constant clean is recommended before each play! ,, this would drastically reduce any static and would greatly improve the audio quality!

The Labels

These are the original 'Vogue (minigroove)' Records labels (only 1st UK press) nice and clean. Amazingly it is hard for me to see any real spidering see angled to the light only. Little if no spindle ware the hole is perfectly round and tight on the spindle. Just very minimal play only in my opinion. 

The Record Sleeve

This is the original Polly lined Decca Sleeve issued with this album. It is in exceptional condition no splits or tares just light creasing with age slight staining //fading/// yellowing with age only (See photos)!

The Cover

This is the original fully laminated front and rear, rear flipbacked cover. Printed in  England' by 'West Brothers'   The condition, again is exceptional for a 53 year old cover. This is strong, tidy and straight without any edge splits or tares super glossy in appearance. Amazingly I can't see any real creases to mention  There is some very very slight laminate lifting beginning at the opening edge to mention and is becoming very fragile with age.  (see photos) At the rear the flipbacks are very secure. This cover is exceptional throughout! I dought that you will see a better looking original of this cover than this one after 53 years, This is certainly the best one that I have seen on offer on the internet!

Exceptional condition in my opinion must grade at least excellent! 

HOW I SEND MY RECORDS!

THIS ALBUM WILL BE SENT IN A LARGE BOX WITH CARDBOARD STIFFENERS THE ALBUM IS ALWAYS PUT IS A POLLY SLEEVE AND ENCASED IN THE BOX WITH PLENTY OF BUBBLEWRAP FOR ADDED PROTECTION (SEE PHOTOS)

As always I have tried to give my honest personal opinion when describing items listed! Although it is my honest opinion! I always urge others to do their own personal research on any items that they are interested in purchasing, before, they commit to bidding!) I have Highlighted all aspects as clearly as possible!! I have taken time to play this vinyl track for track to give a clear and accurate description of the audio quality as i hear it. (please look at my completed listings of albums that I have sold of this calaber (more than 1000 items) and you will see that I normally get it right) I have also provided as many photos as I can and supersized so that all aspects can be seen clearly in strong light!!!!!Please note! These photos are the actual item for sale and not copies of other items!!!!!!!

Please do not hesitate to email me with any questions regarding this item or any other items that I have listed!

I HAVE 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK SO PLEASE BID WITH TOTAL CONFIDANCE!!!!

SHIPPING TO THE USA\CANADA\JAPAN\AUSTRALIA IS 11.76GBP INCLUDES INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR DELIVERY WITH INSURANCE AND TRACKING

SHIPPING TO EUROPE IS 8.76GBP INCLUDES INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR DELIVERY WITH INSURANCE AND TRACKING

POSTAGE WITHIN ENGLAND IS FREE SENT BY RECORDED DELIVERY

(ALL ITEMS ARE COVERED BY AN INSURANCE UP TO A VALUE OF £42.00 FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF GOODS IN TRANSIT. AN ADDITIONAL (OPTIONAL) FEE WILL BE CHARGED FOR ANY INSURANCE OF A HIGHER VALUE. PLEASE NOTE, THAT SOME COUNTRIES HAVE A MAXIMUM AMOUNT ONLY TO A CERTAIN VALUE THAT CAN BE INSURED! 

Please note! All items are now despatched by Royal Mail signed for 1st class delivery!!!! I normally despatch weekdays within the next working day on receipt of cleared funds!!!I POST ON WEEKDAYS ONLY (NOT OVER THE WEEKEND)!! Tracking details are always emailed to the winning bidder after despatch.

All items are despatched securely with ample reinforcement (It is my prime interest to make sure that the items arrive in the same condition that they left me!!!!

I offer a postage discount for multiple purchases!!!,, but i do insist that the buyer pay for the items as they are won! I can not any longer allow winning bidders to run up a large bill and then not pay! I do not have a problem with holding the goods to be despatched untill they are ready (at the buyers request), for multiple items purchased!!!!!

MY NEW POLICY! Because of the unfortunate recent problems that I have had with non payments, Any new ebayers with low,poor or no real history,  Please do not bid on my records without first contacting me! These bids will be cancelled and the bidder will be blocked from further attempts to bid on my items.   

PLEASE LOOK AT MY OTHER RARE 1ST UK PRESSINGS LISTED NOW!!!! (click the link bellow)

>>>>     <<<<