If you’re a fan of the blues, you should pay attention to two categories on the Best Live Albums Blog – blues (where you are) and Blues Rock.
I wasn’t originally expecting to have two categories for the original blues singers and for the rock music strongly influenced by the blues but the more I tried to categorise live albums, the more it became helpful.
Let’s deal with a sensitive issue.
Is there a racial issue here? Many of the blues artists are black, many of the blues rock artists are white.
Can a white man play the blues?
Yes he can but the common tendency is to reduce the emphasis on the feelings in the blues songs and rock out and show off instrumental prowess.
Cream are blues rock, some of the later work by Eric Clapton I might be classing as blues.
I believe live albums are the natural setting for the blues rather than a sterile studio setting where it’s harder to find the right emotions.
The blues has its originals in the late 19th century and early 20th century and which, when combined with the fact that many blues artists often mature well with age, make its history and influences harder to define than many forms of rock and pop music.
To help understand the development, I’ve a post on the history of the blues through the birth, deaths and careers of the major blues artists.
Blues Live Albums By Decade – 1960s – 1970s – 1980s – 1990s – 2000s – 2010s
Live blues albums include:
Bobby Bland and BB King Together Again Live 1976
Eric Clapton Unplugged 1992
Gary Clark Jr Live 2013
Albert Collins – Frozen Alive 1981
Buddy Guy Live At The Checkerboard Lounge 1979
Buddy Guy Live! The Real Deal 1996
Buddy Guy Live At Legends 2010
Buddy Guy and Junior Wells Live In Montreux 1974
John Lee Hooker Live At The Café Au Go-Go 1966 & 1972
Etta James – Rocks The House 1963
Albert King Live Wire Blues Power 1968
Albert King Wednesday Night In San Francisco 1968
Albert King Thursday Night In San Francisco 1968
BB King Live at the Regal 1964
BB King Live & Well 1969
BB King Live In Cook County Jail 1970
BB King Live In Japan 1971
BB King Now Appearing At Ole Miss 1979
BB King Live At The Apollo 1990
BB King Live At San Quentin 1990
BB King & Bobby Bland Together For The First Time Live 1974
Freddie King Live At The Electric Ballroom 1974
John Mayall The Turning Point 1969
John Mayall Jazz Blues Fusion 1971
John Mayall 70th Birthday Concert 2003
Van Morrison – It’s Too Late To Stop Now 1973
Hound Dog Taylor Beware Of The Dog 1974
Muddy Waters At Newport 1960
Sonny Boy Williamson & The Yardbirds Live In London 1963
Howlin’ Wolf Live & Cookin’ At Alice’s Revisited
What Are The Best Live Blues Albums?
To help you to find the best live albums in these categories I have two readers polls you should look at and vote in:
Best Blues Albums
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Beware Of The Dog is a live album by Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers.
It was recorded at two concerts – Northwestern University of Evanston,Illinois and at the Smiling Dog Saloon in Cleveland, Indiana in 1974. He died aged 60 on December 17, 1975 and this album was released posthumously in 1976.
Live At The Electric Ballroom is a live album by Freddie King
It was recorded at the Electric Ballroom in Atlanta, Georgia in 1974 but not released until 1996.
There are also two acoustic songs recorded for a Dallas based radio station and interviews with Freddie King.
According to Discogs, this has also been released under the title This Is The Blues!
Set List
1. Introduction
2. That’s Alright (Solo Acoustic)
3. Interview
4. Dust My Broom (Solo Acoustic)
5. Interview
6. Big Legged Woman
7. Woman Across The River
8. Key To The Highway
9. Let The Good Times Roll
10. Ain’t Nobody’s Business
11. Sweet Home Chicago
12. Dust My Broom
13. Hide Away Medley
14. Interview
Playing on the album are:
Freddie King – Vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Sam ? – Rhythm guitar
Alvin Hemphill – Organ
Lewis Stephens – Piano
Benny Turner – Bass
Mike Kennedy – Drums
The full band only played on tracks 6 to 13.
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To help you to find the album quickly and easily, I’ve given you the following links:
It’s still worth checking around on the websites to make sure that there isn’t a more up-to-date or less expensive option.
Do you think this album is the best live album by Freddie King?
What do you like or dislike about it?
Live albums by Freddie King include:
1968 Live And Loud – 1974 Live At The Electric Ballroom – 1975 Live In Europe – 1975 Live Texas & Oklahoma Club Date – ? The Blues Live! – ? Live At Liberty Hall – ? Cannoball Live In Concert – ? I’m Tore Down Live In Texas – ? Live At The Texas Opry House
This album is included in the poll to find the best live blues albums.
Loading ...My aim is to help you to find the best live albums through readers polls, my own reviews and from bringing in Amazon reviews.
You can see the complete list of readers polls at Live Album Polls.
Live in Cook County Jail is a live album by blues legend BB King.
It was recorded at Cook County Jail, Chicago, Illinois on September 10, 1970 and it was released in 1971.
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Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison) is a live compilation album by John Lee Hooker.
The first eight songs are recorded at the Cafe Au Go-Go in Greenwich Village, New York in 1966. The last five songs are from a concert at Soledad Prison in California in 1972.
With some effort you can buy these two recordings separately and you’ll get two extra songs from the Soledad concert with John Lee Hooker Jr. singing.
Muddy Waters At Newport 1960 is a live album by blues singer and guitarist Muddy Waters.
It was recorded at Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island on July 3, 1960 and was released in November 1960.
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Live at Legends is a live album by Buddy Guy.
It was recorded at his club in Chicago in January 2010.
Unplugged is a live album by Eric Clapton which was recorded in January 1992.
Clapton earned six Grammy Awards for the Unplugged and the song Tears In Heaven including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Rock Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song.
It’s also one of the best selling live albums ever going Diamond in the USA and Canada and Platinum in other countries,
Not bad at all for putting down the electric guitar and playing the blues.
Thursday Night in San Francisco is a live album by Albert King. These are the leftover tracks from the concerts that first produce Live Wire / Blues Power.
There is also Wednesday Night In San Francisco which also comes from the same concerts.
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Live & Cookin’ At Alice’s Revisited is a live album by Howlin’ Wolf.
It was recorded at Alice’s Revisited in Chicago on January 26, 1972.
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Wednesday Night in San Francisco is a live album by blues guitarist and singer Albert King. It was recorded at the 1968 same concerts at the Fillmore that provided the highly acclaimed Live Wire / Blues Power album.
Leftovers from the following night have been released as Thursday Night In San Francisco.
Albert King Wednesday Night In San Francisco
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