Singin' The Blues - 1934 - Leroy Carr (1973) (1LP Vinyl) - Very Good Plus (VG+)

Condition: Used

Media Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Sleeve Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Singin' The Blues - 1934 by Leroy Carr.

Few voices in the blues carry the weight of Leroy Carr, and this collection gathers a body of his work recorded across four days in New York, December 14 through 17, 1934. These were among the final sessions of a career that shaped the sound of urban blues, and the tracks here capture Carr at the height of his powers, moving through heartache and hard living with the quiet authority that made him one of the most influential artists of his era.

The twelve songs run the emotional gamut. Side A opens with "Hard Hearted Papa" and rolls through "You Left Me Crying," "Broken Hearted Man," and "Evil Hearted Woman," a run of titles that reads like a study in romantic ruin. "Good Woman Blues" and "Eleven Twenty-Nine Blues" close out the first side, the latter a reminder that Carr's world was never far from trouble and the shadow of a prison term.

Side B carries the same unflinching honesty, from "You've Got Me Grieving Mama" and the wry "Bread Baker" to "Tight Time Blues" and "Arlena." The set finishes with "My Good For Nothin' Gal" and the stark, unforgettable "Suicide Blues," a title that lands with particular gravity given how close these recordings came to the end of Carr's life.

The performances center on Carr's vocals and the interplay of guitar and piano, with piano work attributed to Carr himself. It is intimate music, built for late hours and close listening, where a single voice and a handful of instruments say more than any large ensemble could.

The reissue is thoughtfully assembled, with liner notes by Kip Lornell, a writer whose scholarship on American vernacular music brings context and depth to the songs, and production by Arnold S. Caplin. Together they present these sessions with the care they deserve, framing Carr's music for listeners discovering him for the first time and for collectors who already know his importance.

One small quirk gives this pressing its own character: the front cover reads 1937, while the back cover, labels, and spine all point to 1934. It is the kind of detail that collectors of vintage blues reissues come to cherish, a fingerprint that sets a particular pressing apart and sparks conversation among those who care about the finer points of a record's history. For anyone building a serious blues shelf, this Leroy Carr set is an essential document of a master at work.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Hard Hearted Papa
A2. You Left Me Crying
A3. Broken Hearted Man
A4. Evil Hearted Woman
A5. Good Woman Blues
A6. Eleven Twenty-Nine Blues
B1. You've Got Me Grieving Mama
B2. Bread Baker
B3. Tight Time Blues
B4. Arlena
B5. My Good For Nothin' Gal
B6. Suicide Blues

Credits:
Kip Lornell - Liner Notes
Arnold S. Caplin - Producer

Notes:
1937 on front cover, 1934 on back, labels and spine.

All sides recorded in New York, Dec.14-17, 1934.

Back cover credits:
[a307191] (vcl-gtr) ; [a307321] or [a128576] (gtr acc.), piano (Carr?)

Artist: Leroy Carr

Format: 1LP

Genre: Blues

Label: Biograph

Catalog Number: BLP . C9

Release Year: 1973

Country: United States