PLAYING FOR THE MAN AT THE DOOR – Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971 (3 CDS) SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS

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In the 1950s and 60s, the blues was the dominant form of Black vernacular music throughout Texas and the surrounding areas. In segregated neighborhoods, community members gathered in saloons, dancehalls, and each other’s homes to hear their neighbors sing their stories of sorrow, heartbreak, jubilation, and triumph. Robert “Mack” McCormick, an academically untrained but fanatical devotee of the blues, stepped into this world and became one of its most devout advocates and documentarians. By photographing Black and Latino Texans and their neighborhoods, as well as recording and interviewing musicians—many of whom never stepped foot into a proper recording studio—McCormick endeared and eventually embedded himself into these communities. By the time he died in 2015, McCormick had amassed a collection of 590 reels of sound recordings and 165 boxes of manuscripts, original interviews and research notes, thousands of photographs and negatives, playbills, and posters. Because McCormick never published or released most of these materials, his collection became a thing of legend and intense speculation among scholars, blues aficionados, and musicians alike.

Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971 is the first compilation of music drawn from this fabled collection, which indelibly documents a pivotal moment in African American history. It features never-before-heard performances not only from musicians who became icons in their own right—including Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb—but also, crucially, performers whose names may be unfamiliar to even the most devoted blues fans and scholars. Newly mastered recordings and accompanying photographs bring to life many of these forgotten figures: offering insight into their lives and illuminating in new, enlightening ways their joys and anguish, deep social connections, distinctive voices, and cultural networks. The collection spans gospels, ragtime, country blues dirges, the unclassifiable music of George “Bongo Joe” Coleman, and more, showing that no community, no matter how tight knit, is monolithic.

Accompanying the music is a 128-page book, which contains breathtaking photographs by McCormick and his associates, as well as contextual essays by producers Jeff Place and John Troutman on McCormick’s life, and by musicians Mark Puryear and Dom Flemons on some of the marginalized communities throughout “Greater Texas” to which McCormick devoted his life’s work. This release is a partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

1
Mojo Hand Lightnin’ Hopkins 04:03

2
God Moves on the Water Mance Lipscomb 02:33

3
The Clinton Robert Shaw 02:18

4
Sugar Blues Kid Wiggins 02:44

5
St. James Infirmary Dudley Alexander and Washboard Band 04:16

6
Darlin’ (You Know I Love You) Cedell Davis 02:55

7
You Gonna Look Like a Monkey Dennis Gainus 02:25

8
One Room Country Shack Grey Ghost 03:42

9
Groceries on My Shelf (Piggly Wiggly) Edwin “Buster” Pickens 04:26

10
3 O’Clock Blues Hop Wilson 04:52

11
Anything from a Foot Race to a Resting Place Jealous James Stanchell 03:11

12
Salty Dog Rag James Tisdom 03:18

13
Goin’ to the River Gozy Kilpatrick 01:35

14
Quills Joe Patterson 01:14

15
Ma Pa Cut the Cake Lightnin’ Hopkins 01:42

16
Crazy About Oklahoma Otis Cook 03:12

17
Little Red Rooster Grey Ghost 03:51

18
My Work Will Be Done The Spiritual Light Gospel Group 03:00

19
Steel Guitar Rag James Tisdom 01:42

20
Tall Angel at the Bar Mance Lipscomb 03:02

21
This Whole World’s in a Sad Condition George “Bongo Joe” Coleman 08:59

22
World’s in a Tangle Lightnin’ Hopkins 05:51

23
Someday Baby Robert Shaw 05:39

24
It’s Alright CeDell Davis 03:36

25
Cryin’ Won’t Make Me Stay R.C. Forest and Gozy Kilpatrick 01:54

26
China Tea Allen Van 02:31

27
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is George “Bongo Joe” Coleman 03:24

28
Tom Moore’s Farm Lightnin’ Hopkins 04:34

29
Tom Moore’s Farm Mance Lipscomb 04:56

30
Don’t Do Me No Small Favors (Help the Bear) Jealous James Stanchell 01:37

31
Fox Chase Billy Bizor 02:20

32
Black Widow Spider Blues R.C. Forest 02:03

33
Come and Go with Me to That Land Hardy Gray 05:26

34
Rollin’ and Tumblin’ CeDell Davis 03:18

35
Train Roll Up Leroy “Country” Johnson with Edwin “Buster” Pickens 01:44

36
Shorty George Edwin “Buster” Pickens 04:32

37
Matchbox Blues Joel Hopkins 01:49

38
It’s My Life Baby Blues Wallace 04:16

39
Hello Central, Gimme 209 Andrew Everett 03:08

40
Bad Lee Brown Jim Wilkie 02:33

41
Tin Can Alley Blues R.C. Forest and Gozy Kilpatrick 02:49

42
Medicine Show Pitch Murl “Doc” Webster 01:52

43
So Different Blues Mance Lipscomb 02:45

44
I Feel So Good James Tisdom 02:41

45
Mr. Charlie Lightnin’ Hopkins 04:51

46
The Ma Grinder Edwin “Buster” Pickens 02:08

47
Deep Ellum Blues Paul Elliott 02:37

48
K.C. Ain’t Nothing but a Rag Andrew Everett 02:00

49
Lonesome Road Kid Wiggins 02:24

50
Old Judge Blues Dennis Gainus 03:15

51
The Slop Melvin “Jack” Jackson and Lightnin’ Hopkins 02:24

52
Corrine, Corrina Lightnin’ Hopkins 03:20

53
Talking Blues Jimmy Womack 01:35

54
Good Times Here, Better Times Down the Road Joel Hopkins 03:05

55
Put Me in the Alley Robert Shaw 02:26

56
Auctioneer Walter Britten 00:35

57
Runaway Hardy Gray 03:27
Audio Player
58
Broke and Hungry Hop Wilson 04:14

59
Big Road Blues Mager Johnson 03:46

60
Casey Jones Mance Lipscomb 02:27

61
Atomic Energy Jimmy Womack 02:15

62
Natural Born Lover Long Gone Miles with Lightnin’ Hopkins and Love Crazy 04:24

63
Swanee River Boogie E.B. Busby 01:44

64
Rock Me Baby Long Gone Miles 02:53

65
Blues Jumped a Rabbit Lightnin’ Hopkins 03:51

George Coleman for President, Nobody for Vice President George “Bongo Joe” Coleman 03:12