60 Shades of the Deep Blues by 
Mercury 
So for this chart I wanted to give a nice overview of some great, essential deep blues. If you want more discussion and history feel free to check out the corresponding "Genre Extravaganza: DEEP BLUES/COUNTRY BLUES" forum topic. It's really old now so it may be a challenge to uncover it. ; )
Also read books on it. I'd say the best introduction to the story of this amazing music is the book "Deep Blues" by Robert Palmer. It's what I stole the name of this chart from and it's one of my favorite books of any kind.
If you have any recommendations or questions or if you like some particular artist and want to know who/what to check out next - all those things should be made in to comments. And I promise oh get back with you.
Love you beautiful people.
Peace,
Ryan
- Chart updated: 06/12/2022 17:15
- (Created: 05/30/2014 22:56).
- Chart size: 60 albums.
There are 28 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and 60 Shades of the Deep Blues has an average rating of 95 out of 100 (from 61 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
View the complete list of 53,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 1990s. (Remove this filter)
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Bukka lived an interesting life. The man was Charley Patton's direct pupil, he played some Negro League basketball and he was even an aspiring boxer for a bit. He shot a man, went to prison, etc. and he was also a magnificently direct songwriter that could cut deep to the heart of emotional issues with ease. "Fixin' To Die Blues" and "Parchman Farm Blues" being prime examples.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
1
Buy album
- #Sponsored
She was truly a master. As strong a performer and guitarist and songwriter as any of the men in the scene at the time. Also she may be the greatest blues person to come out of Memphis period. She also was one of the greatest of these artists to make the transition from the bare and stripped-down country blues style to the modern, jumping city sound that started to take over in the late 30s.
Oh and please give "When The Levee Breaks", as written and performed by this master, a listen. It was truly fab before some British rockers got their dirty hands on it. It's bloody glorious. As is most everything this Queen of the Blues displays on this compilation. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Oh and please give "When The Levee Breaks", as written and performed by this master, a listen. It was truly fab before some British rockers got their dirty hands on it. It's bloody glorious. As is most everything this Queen of the Blues displays on this compilation. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Frank Stokes (January 1, 1888 – September 12, 1955) was an American blues musician, songster, and blackface minstrel, who is considered by many musicologists to be the father of the Memphis blues guitar style. Stokes was already playing the streets of Memphis by the turn of the century, about the same time the blues began to flourish. As a street artist, he built up a huge palate of different kinds of songs and styles. He was another one of these old timers who wasn't strictly blues, but a songster. Someone who could entertain anyone with all manner of music. As a street performer he needed a broad repertoire of songs. This album includes many treasures including blues as well as older pieces: "Chicken You Can't Roost Too High for Me," "Mr. Crump Don't Like It," an outstanding version of "You Shall" (commonly known as "You Shall Be Free"), and "Hey Mourner," a traditional comic anti-clerical piece. Stokes possessed a remarkable declamatory voice and was an adroit guitarist.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Scrapper and blues pianist Leroy Carr are usual associated. It was with Carr that Scrapper recorded much of his most notable sides. But also as a solo guitarist (featured here quite a bit) he was fabulous. He was a truly spectacular guitarist technically. Very jazz based, improvised and beautiful. And his single string soloing technique is pristine. You can't help but love this man and his music.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
I wasn't sure where to put this man. He so thoroughly stretches outside blues. He is an American legend, a myth, a man who helped to preserve the very best of American folk music, not just blues. Much like Lonnie Johnson, his genius and influence go far beyond blues. But truly the Delta blues he does on this is raw and real. He was just someone who could interpret any form and grant it it's most beautiful rendition.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
This dude was wild. Years before RJ did it, he claimed he sold his soul to the devil for his musical prowess. Note the album cover even says a common rumor spread about him - "Devil's Son In Law". And his song topics did nothing to temper that perception of him as a baaaaad man with subjects such as suicide, murder, alcohol and drug use, etc. he was like the original blues rebel. And his music is a dark thing, filled with the usual intense Delta fare. And although the one extant picture of him shows him with a guitar, he was actually a pianist. And a damn fine one at that. I definitely recommend this to y'all.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Tommy was a can't-miss gravel-throated growler. He had passion and fire and fury in spades and a propulsive guitar attack. This whole collection is a pretty down and dirty, no frills affair that will probably win you over completely. Absolutely, no doubt, he is one of the most criminally underrated of the whole delta blues bunch.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
He's equal parts Chicago blues and delta. He influenced MASSIVELY a generation of blues guitarist. But his heart in in the Mississippi and underneath all that amplification is just about the greatest Robert Johnson disciple ever. I imagine if RJ had survived, he would have packed up and gone to one of the big cities, plugged his acoustic in and sounded like Elmore here.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Before he went full revolutionary on us with his loud amplified blues, Muddy Waters was just one of the crop of excellent and earthy delta blues singers who followed up the original slate of early blues singers in the delta region. Here on this set you hear the distinct deep holler of Waters accompanied by heavily Robert Johnson inspired delta blues guitar and music. While this isn't nearly so vital and earth shatteringly intense as RJ's stuff, it's nothing to shake a stick at.
Also the story of how these recordings were made is fascinating. Apparently Alan Lomax went looking for Robert Johnson just a few years after his death. Upon his investigations in to the whereabouts of the King, many of the locals referred him to this young man - muddy waters - who sounded a whole lot like him. And so Lomax recorded him and the rest is history. Amazing Muddy's discovery may be one of the most influential moments in the history of American music. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Also the story of how these recordings were made is fascinating. Apparently Alan Lomax went looking for Robert Johnson just a few years after his death. Upon his investigations in to the whereabouts of the King, many of the locals referred him to this young man - muddy waters - who sounded a whole lot like him. And so Lomax recorded him and the rest is history. Amazing Muddy's discovery may be one of the most influential moments in the history of American music. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
34. (=)
Buy album
- #Sponsored
This album is a concise collection that captures the magic and engaging power of Delta Blues as good as any. Everything from the passion of the vocals to the sliding guitar, it's an organic experience. This should be required listening for anyone wanting to get deeper into Delta blues.
[First added to this chart: 05/31/2014]
Total albums: 34. Page 2 of 4
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
60 Shades of the Deep Blues composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 2 | 3% | |
| 1960s | 2 | 3% | |
| 1970s | 7 | 12% | |
| 1980s | 8 | 13% | |
| 1990s | 34 | 57% | |
| 2000s | 6 | 10% | |
| 2010s | 1 | 2% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Various Artists | 4 | 7% | |
| Lead Belly | 1 | 2% | |
| Tampa Red | 1 | 2% | |
| Blind Willie McTell | 1 | 2% | |
| Ishman Bracey & Charley Taylor | 1 | 2% | |
| Son House | 1 | 2% | |
| Bo Carter | 1 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
60 Shades of the Deep Blues chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 4 from 12th to 8th Steppin' On The Blues by Lonnie Johnson |
| Up 3 from 8th to 5th Ragtime Guitar's Foremost Fingerpicker by Blind Blake (US) |
| Up 2 from 13th to 11th The Original 1928 Recordings by Mississippi John Hurt |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 4 from 2nd to 6th King Of The Country Blues by Blind Lemon Jefferson |
| Down 4 from 9th to 13th The Complete Library Of Congress Sessions 1941-1942 by Son House |
| Down 3 from 7th to 10th Founder Of The Delta Blues by Charley Patton |
60 Shades of the Deep Blues similar charts
- Blues Compilations by
briggs54 (2015) - Best of Best ofs by
Norman Bates (2016) - State Lists: Mississippi by briggs54 (2015)
- Top 40 Greatest Music Albums by Shipyard (2020)
- Blues Albums of the 60's that U must own by Johnnyo (2020)
- Genre Favorites #3: Electric Blues by
NickVolos (2014) - Top 11 Music Albums of 1960 by Mercury (2021)
- Top 11 Music Albums of 1958 by
flamingyesdept (2017) - Top 11 Greatest Music Albums by ln68 (2010)
60 Shades of the Deep Blues similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!
Why register?
Join a passionate community of over 50,000 music fans.- Create & share your own charts.
- Have your say in the overall rankings.
- Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
- Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
- Discover new music & improve your music collection.
- Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
- Create a wishlist of albums.
- Help maintain the BEA database.
- Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- ... And lots more!
Register now - it only takes a moment!
Other custom charts by Mercury
Bob Dylan Chart by Mercury (2021)My special, boyhood list by
Mercury (2021)1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums by
Mercury (2017)Top 50 1970 Singer/Songwriter Albums by
Mercury (2017)101-200 Albums of 2021 by
Mercury (2022)part 2 of You must listen to the album below you:canon edition by
Mercury (2022)part 1 of You must listen to the album below you:canon edition by
Mercury (2022)2021 Spill Over, One-And-Dones by
Mercury (2021)part 3 of You must listen to the album below you:canon edition by
Mercury (2022)MY METAL 100 by
Mercury (2023)60 Shades of the Deep Blues ratings
95/100 (from 61 votes)
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 61 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 85/100  | 09/02/2021 17:55 |  rockbluesfolkjaz | | 87/100 |
| 85/100 | 06/11/2021 14:38 |  Timestarter | | 90/100 |
| 100/100 | 11/08/2020 05:02 | DJENNY | | 100/100 |
| 95/100 | 09/07/2020 16:38 |  arthurbittencour | | 90/100 |
| 100/100 | 03/18/2020 16:21 |  Jameth | | 96/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some charts can have several thousand ratings)
This chart is rated in the top 1% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 94.9/100, a mean average of 95.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 96.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 7.2.
Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating
60 Shades of the Deep Blues favourites
Showing latest 20 members who have added this chart as a favourite | Show all 29 members
60 Shades of the Deep Blues comments
Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 28 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First |
Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)
From Mercury 09/07/2020 16:46
Mercury 09/07/2020 16:46
@arthurbittencourt - lol I get it. I love the wild. I am not familiar with a deep delta blues album of his. Pre-war mostly acoustic blues is the center of this chart. I have another chart which I’ve not finished after years of procrastination which is about my fave post WWII mostly electric blues which howlin Wolf is high on cuz he is one of the greats.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From arthurbittencourt 09/07/2020 16:38
arthurbittencourt 09/07/2020 16:38
95 / 100 just because no Howlin' Wolf.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From Jameth 03/18/2020 16:37
Jameth 03/18/2020 16:37
Document Records cut their albums straight, which is why they’re so noisy. You can find comps for Tommy Johnson and others which have lower noise levels. Another important example of this is the more recent Centennial Collection for Robert Johnson, which contains all of the tracks found on The Complete Recordings (plus two more), but is much more listenable. Anyways, I thought I’d mention this because it might be better to steer people new to the blues or pre-war recordings towards the lower noise recordings. Or even to post-war tape recordings for those artists that are fortunate enough to have recorded to tape, such as Son House and Blind Willie McTell.
Thanks for helping the cause of the blues with this awesome chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From crimson 12/18/2019 03:49
Man, one of the greatest charts in this site. A loooot to be discovered by the common man in here.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
Boltzmann 12/17/2019 22:05
Boltzmann 12/17/2019 22:05
Damn, my blues doesn't go that deep, but I'm glad someone is willing to take the effort to make such a chart. It wouldn't be bad for me to get educated on blues and see where it overlaps with and how it evolved into rock 'n' roll. My previous efforts have been tiresome and unfruitful (everything is hard to find), maybe your chart will be good guidance.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From Steppenwolf666 12/17/2019 13:22
Very informative. A subject i don't know too much about.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From 
StefanR10 07/05/2019 07:42
StefanR10 07/05/2019 07:42
This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -3 votes (0 helpful | 3 unhelpful)
95/100
From arthurbittencourt 03/08/2019 05:27
arthurbittencourt 03/08/2019 05:27
How old are you my good friend? and how long have you been listening to blues?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
100/100
From boppare 01/21/2019 21:16
I thought I knew all there was to know about the Pre-war "deep blues", but this chart just made me add a few albums to my wishlist. Some excellent selections and comments.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
Jasonconfused 11/15/2018 23:57
Jasonconfused 11/15/2018 23:57
What an undertaking! I'll have to get to work on this immediately.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment
Your feedback for 60 Shades of the Deep Blues
Let us know what you think of this chart by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
If you enjoy our site, please consider supporting us by sparing a few seconds to disable your ad blocker.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.