Blind Willie McTell Discography
McTell Playing

Blind Willie McTell
b.1901, Thomson, Georgia
d. 1959, Atlanta, Georgia.

Known Recordings

Record companies: Vi = Victor, Co = Columbia, OK = OKeh, Vo = Vocalion,
De = Decca, LC = Library of Congress, Re = Regal, Atl = Atlantic, BV = Bluesville.

18 October 1927, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Willie McTell":
  1. Writin' Paper Blues 40308-1-Vi 21474
  2. Stole Rider Blues 40309-1-Vi 21124
  3. Mama, 'Tain't Long Fo' Day 40310-1-Vi 21474
  4. Mr. McTell Got the Blues (take 1) 40311-1-Vi unissued
  5. Mr. McTell Got the Blues (take 2) 40311-2-Vi 21124
17 October 1928, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Willie McTell":
  1. Three Women Blues 47185-2-Vi V38001
  2. Dark Night Blues 47186-1-Vi V38032
  3. Statesboro Blues 47187-3-Vi V38001
  4. Loving Talking Blues 47188-3-Vi V38032
30 October 1929, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Sammie":
  1. Atlanta Strut 149299-2-Co 14657-D
  2. Travelin' Blues 149300-1-Co 14484-D
  3. Come On Around to My House Mama 149302-2-Co 14484-D
    31 October 1929:
  4. Kind Mama 149319-2-Co 14657-D
26 November 1929, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Willie McTell":
  1. Teasing Brown (Harris & Harris comedy duet) 56597-1-Vi V38594
  2. Drive Away Blues 56599-1-Vi V38580
    27 November 1929:
  3. This Is Not the Stove to Brown Your Bread (Harris & Harris) 56610-1-Vi V38594
    29 November 1929:
  4. Love Changing Blues 56635-1-Vi V38580
    - There were six other solo recordings at these sessions, presumably destroyed. -
17 April 1930, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Sammie":
  1. Talkin' to Myself 150257-2-Co 14551-D
  2. Razor Ball 150258-2-Co 14551-D
23 October 1931, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Sammie":
  1. Southern Can Is Mine 151904-1-Co 14632-D
  2. Broke Down Engine Blues 151905-1-Co 14632-D
  3. Experience Blues (Ruth Willis vocal) 151906-1-Co 14642-D
  4. Painful Blues (Ruth Willis vocal) 151907-1-Co 14642-D
23? October 1931, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Georgia Bill":
  1. Stomp Down Rider 405002-1-OK 8936
  2. Scarey Day Blues 405003-1-OK 8936
  3. Rough Alley Blues (Ruth Willis vocal) 405004-1-OK 8921
    31 October 1931:
  4. Low Rider's Blues 405084-1-OK 8924
  5. Georgia Rag 405085-1-OK 8924
  6. Low Down Blues (Ruth Willis vocal) 405086-1-OK 8921
22 February 1932, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Hot Shot Willie", with Ruby Glaze, vocal:
  1. Rollin' Mama Blues 71603-?-Vi 23328
  2. Lonesome Day Blues 71604-1-Vi 23353
  3. Mama, Let Me Scoop for You 71605-?-Vi 23328
  4. Searching the Desert for the Blues 71606-1-Vi 23353
14 September 1933, New York City; as "Blind Willie McTell":
  1. Warm it Up to Me 14008-2-Vo 02595
  2. It's Your Time to Worry 14009-2-Vo unissued
  3. It's a Good Little Thing 14010-1-Vo 02622
    18 September 1933:
  4. You Was Born to Die 14024-1-Vo unissued
  5. Lord Have Mercy if You Please 14027-1-Vo 02623
  6. Don't You See How This World Made... 14034-1-Vo 02623
  7. Savannah Mama 14035-1-Vo 02568
  8. Broke Down Engine (version 1) 14036-2-Vo 02577
  9. Broke Down Engine (version 2) 14037-3-Vo unissued
  10. My Baby's Gone 14038-2-Vo 02668
    19 September 1933:
  11. Love-Makin' Mama 14045-1-Vo unissued
  12. Death Room Blues 14048-2-Vo unissued
  13. Death Cell Blues 14049-1-Vo 02577
  14. Lord, Send Me an Angel 14050-1-Vo unissued
    21 September 1933:
  15. B&O Blues No.2 (take 1) 14066-1-Vo 02568
  16. B&O Blues No.2 (take 2) 14066-2-Vo unissued
  17. Weary Hearted Blues 14067-1-Vo 02668
  18. Bell Street Lightnin' 14068-1-Vo unissued
  19. Southern Can Mama 14069-2-Vo 02622
  20. Runnin' Me Crazy 14070-1-Vo 02595
  21. East St. Louis Blues 14071-1-Vo unissued
    - These sessions were recorded with Curley Weaver on 2nd guitar. -
23 April 1935, Chicago, Illinois; as "Blind Willie McTell":

Volume 3 Cover
Volume 3 CD Cover

  1. Ain't It Grand to Be a Christian C-9934-A-De 7140
  2. We Got to Meet Death One Day (take 1) C-9935-A-De unissued
  3. We Got to Meet Death One Day (take 2) C-9935-B-De 7140
  4. Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around C-9936-A-De unissued
  5. I Got Religion, I'm So Glad C-9937-A-De unissued
  6. Dying Gambler C-9944-A-De 7093
  7. God Don't Like It C-9945-?-De 7093
  8. Bell Street Blues C-9946-A-De 7078
  9. Let Me Play with Yo' Yo-Yo C-9947-A-De unissued
    25 April 1935:
  10. Lay Some Flowers on My Grave C-9952-A-De 7810
  11. Ticket Agent Blues C-9954-A-De 7078
  12. Cold Winter Day C-9956-A-De 7810
  13. Your Time to Worry C-9957-A-De 7117
  14. Cooling Board Blues C-9958-A-De unissued
  15. Hillbilly Willie's Blues C-9959-A-De 7117
    - Kate McTell sings on 9934, 9936, 9937, 9944, 9945 and 9954.
    Curley Weaver plays on 9946, 9956 and 9958. -
5 November 1940, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Willie McTell":

Library of Congress Cover
Library of Congress Recordings CD Cover

  1. You Got to Die -> Trying to Get Home LC 4069-B-1 & 2
  2. Monologue on accidents LC 4069-B-3
  3. Boll Weevil LC 4070-A-1
  4. Little Delia LC 4070-A-2
  5. Dying Crapshooter's Blues LC 4070-B-1
  6. Will Fox LC 4070-B-2
  7. I Got to Cross the River Jordan (version 1) LC 4071-A
  8. Monologue on old songs -> Old Time Religion LC 4071-B-1 & 2
  9. Amazing Grace (instrumental) LC 4071-B-3
  10. Monologue on Blues, his recordings, his life LC 4072-A-1, 2 & 3
  11. Baby, It Must be Love (King Edward Blues) LC 4072-B-1
  12. Murderer's Home Blues LC 4072-B-2
  13. Kill it Kid LC 4073-A-1
  14. Chainey LC 4073-B-1
  15. I Got to Cross the River Jordan (version 2) LC 4073-B-2
    - Recorded by John Lomax for the Library of Congress archives. -
August 1949, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Pig 'n' Whistle Red":

Pig'n Whistle Red CD
Pig'n Whistle Red CD Cover

  1. Ticket Agent (Curley Weaver vocal) C-2043-SIW 547
  2. Don't Forget It 1266-Re unissued
  3. A to Z Blues 1267-Re unissued
  4. Good Little Thing 1268-Re unissued
  5. You Can't Get Stuff No More 1269-Re unissued
  6. Love Changin' Blues 1270-1-Re 3277
  7. Savannah Mama 1271-1-Re unissued
  8. Talkin' to You Mama 1272-1-Re 3277
  9. East St. Louis Blues 1273-1-Re unissued
  10. Wee Midnight Hours 1274-?-Re unissued
  11. Pal of Mine (take 1) 1278-1-Re unissued
  12. Pal of Mine (take 2) 1278-2-Re unissued
  13. Baby, It Must Be Love 1279-Re unissued
  14. Sending Up My Timber (take 1) 1280-1-Re unissued
  15. Sending Up My Timber (take 2) 1280-2-Re unissued
  16. Lord Have Mercy if You Please 1281-Re unissued
  17. Trying to Get Home 1282-Re unissued
  18. It's My Desire 1285-Re 3272
  19. Hide Me in Thy Bosom 1286-Re 3272
    - Curley Weaver, 2nd guitar. "I Got to Cross the River Jordan" and "How About You"
    were recorded at these sessions (possibly 1283 and 1284) but have not been found. -
Autumn 1949, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Barrelhouse Sammy - The Country Boy":

Atlanta 12 String Cover
Atlanta Twelve String CD Cover

  1. Kill it Kid 320-Atl 891
  2. Razor Ball 321-Atl unissued
  3. Little Delia 322-Atl unissued
  4. Broke Down Engine Blues 323-Atl 891
  5. Dying Crapshooter's Blues 324-Atl unissued
  6. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie 325-Atl unissued
  7. Blues Around Midnight 326-Atl unissued
  8. Last Dime Blues 327-Atl unissued
  9. On the Cooling Board 328-Atl unissued
  10. Motherless Children Have a Hard Time 329-Atl unissued
  11. I Got to Cross the River Jordan 330-Atl unissued
  12. You Got to Die 331-Atl unissued
  13. Ain't it Grand to Be a Christian 332-Atl unissued
  14. Pearly Gates 333-Atl unissued
  15. Soon This Morning 334-Atl unissued
    - Released on LP 5 October 1972 as Atl 7224, reissued on CD in 1992. -
September 1956, Atlanta, Georgia; as "Blind Willie McTell":

Last Session Cover
Last Session CD Cover

  1. Baby, It Must Be Love
  2. Dying Crapshooter's Blues
  3. Don't Forget It
  4. Kill it Kid
  5. That Will Never Happen No More
  6. Goodbye Blues
  7. Salty Dog
  8. Monologue on his early life
  9. Beedle Um Bum
  10. A Married Man's a Fool
  11. A to Z Blues
  12. Wabash Cannonball
  13. Pal of Mine
    - Recorded non-commercially by record store owner Ed Rhodes at his shop on Peachtree
    Street near Ponce de Leon Avenue. Released in the late 1960's on LP as BV-1040. -

Credit for this discography goes to Adam Powers.