Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup

Complete Recorded Works (1941 – 1954)

Vol. 4: 15th January 1952 to 8th April 1954

Featuring the recordings of:

Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, vocal / guitar; J. Sheffield, stand-up bass; N. Butler, drums. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup (as Arthur “Blues” Crump & His Guitar), vocal / guitar; Robert Dees, harmonica; unknown, piano; unknown, stand-up bass; unknown, drums. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, vocal / guitar; Percy Lee Crudup, harmonica on 9; Robert Dees, harmonica on 10, 11; unknown, stand-up bass; unknown, drums. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup (as Elmer or Elmo James), vocal; accompanied by Sonny Boy Williamson, harmonica; Joe Willie Wilkins, guitar; “Sam”, stand-up bass. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, vocal / guitar; J. J. Jones, tenor sax; Edward Lumpkin, piano; Charles Holloway, stand-up bass; Lafayette Lawson, drums. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, vocal / guitar; unknown, harmonica; Thomas Patten, piano; Robert Fulton, guitar; Joe Thomas, stand-up bass; Willie Willis, drums. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, vocal / guitar; unknown, stand-up bass; unknown, 2nd guitar added on 22; unknown, drums.

Genres: Blues, Country Blues, Mississippi Blues, Country Blues Guitar, Urban Blues, Early Chicago Blues, Blues Guitar, Blues Harmonica, Blues Piano,

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Although there was no obvious decline in the quality of his records, by 1952 Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s tried-and-tested trio format was not garnering the big sales it had in previous years. Nonetheless Victor stuck with him until 1954, when they recorded him for the last time, issuing only 2 of the 4 titles made. These, like two of his November, 1953 recordings, were issued on Victor’s ‘Groove’ label, which was directly aimed at the jukebox and R & B charts. Their lack of success meant that, after a dozen years with Bluebird / Victor, Crudup no longer had a recording contract. Perhaps sensing Victor’s loss of interest and keen to supplement his income, Arthur had done some moonlighting in 1952, recording for no less than three independent labels. All these sessions took place in Jackson, Mississippi and at the time Arthur was farming back home in Forest and finding times pretty tough. Robert Dees played harmonica on the session for Johnny Vincent and one side of the Checker record. This was issued as by Percy Lee Crudup, who was actually one of Arthur’s sons. Percy Lee, plays harmonica on the other Checker. As Elmore James was now in Chicago and involved with other labels, Lillian McMurry hit on the idea of a substitute to follow up his 1951 Dust My Broom hit for Trumpet Records. Rice Miller (“Sonny Boy Williamson” No.2) suggested Big Boy Crudup, who had broadcast with him over radio station KFFA, West Memphis on the King Biscuit Show. Miller and his regular session guitarist, Joe Willie Wilkins, backed up Crudup on Gonna Find My Baby, which echoed the similarly titled Dr. Clayton song (later recorded by Little Walter) and Make A Little Love With Me, adapted from Robert Jr. Lockwood’s Take A little Walk With Me (Bluebird B-8820), with Wilkins playing superbly and Miller shouting encouragement; pity that Trumpet didn’t give Crudup a full session. His last recording for Victor had seen a raucous revival of Professor Longhair’s She Ain’t Got No Hair (Talent 809) but it didn’t set the charts on fire. Rock and roll came along and old-time blues singers were has-beens. Out of the blue, a couple of years later, Arthur received an invitation to go up to New York to record for Bobby Robinson, possibly on the recommendation of Elmore James. Big Boy Crudup re-cut many of his old Bluebird / Victor hits but unfortunately Robinson’s Fire / Fury Records went out of business not many months later and the LP and 2 singles from the session had only limited distribution.

DOCD-5204