Holy moly, Muddy!! When they say "Essential Delta Blues" on the front of this glorious 2-CD compilation, they really mean it! It is a who's who packed with the songs and personalities that changed popular music and culture forever.  Without the names on here, you have no British Invasion... no "Chicago" blues... no R&B, no Soul, no Rock 'n Roll. Buy it, enjoy it. Then, buy copies for your friends. (One note: Obviously, there are a couple folks on here not from Mississippi, but their classic Southern rural blues fit right in.) - Roger Stolle (Cat Head)
 
Disc: 1
  1. I'll Dust My Broom-R Johnson
  2. Baby Please Don't Go/Joe Williams
  3. Canned Heat Blues-T Johnson
  4. Crawlin' King Snake-Tony Hollins
  5. Parchman Farm Blues-Bukka White
  6. Country Blues-Muddy Waters
  7. Special Agent Blues- John Estes
  8. Walkin' Blues-Son House
  9. Candy Man Blues-John Hurt
  10. Hard Time Killin' -Skip James
  11. Dark Was the Night Cold Was the Ground-Blind Willie Johnson
  12. Little Boy Blue-Robert Lockwood
  13. Banana in Your Fruit -Bo Carter
  14. Catfish Blues-Robert Petway
  15. Bottle It Up and Go-T McClennan
  16. Landing Blues-John Lee Hooker
  17. Standing at the Cross-E James
  18. Death Valley Blues-Arthur Crudup
  19. Stomp Down Rider-Willie McTell
  20. Rootin' Ground Hog/ Joe Williams
  21. Love in Vain-Robert Johnson
  22. Shake It and Break It-C Patton
  23. Trouble Hearted /Ishman Bracey
  24. Fixin' to Die-Bukka White
  25. I'm So Glad-Skip James

Disc: 2
  1. Mississippi River Blues/Bill Broonzy
  2. Ain't No Telling-John Hurt
  3. Special Steam Lines-Bukka White
  4. Getting Wild About Her/J Williams
  5. Hellhound on My Trail-R Johnson
  6. Cool Drink of Water -Tjohnson
  7. A Little Walk with Me-R Lockwood
  8. I Be's Troubled-Muddy Waters
  9. Shady Grove Blues-J Hooker
  10. Hobo Jungle Blues-John Estes
  11. 34 Blues-Charley Patton
  12. Left Alone Blues-Ishman Bracey
  13. Highway 51-Tommy McClennan
  14. Rockin' Chair Blues-Robert Petway
  15. My Black Mama-Son House
  16. Nobody's Fault -Willie Johnson
  17. Dirty Mistreater-Willie Lofton
  18. Stagolee-David Edwards
  19. Moon Going Down-Charley Patton
  20. Devil Got My Woman-Skip James
  21. Preaching Blues /Robert Johnson
  22. Delta Blues-Big Joe Williams
  23. Black Pony Blues-Arthur Crudup
  24. Frankie-Mississippi John Hurt
  25. My Pencil Won't Write -Bo Carter