Pee Wee Crayton - Pee Wee Crayton - Collection: 1947-62 (CD)

Pee Wee Crayton was a blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who was one of the leading figures of the West Coast blues school during the post-war decades. He was one of several blues artists who made the move from Texas to California in the Depression, and inevitably he became an associate of the pioneer of the West Coast style T-Bone Walker, but although Crayton was undoubtedly influenced by him, he developed a highly distinctive sound, playing in an aggressive style which encompassed some daring technical innovations, as well as having a somewhat contrasting smooth vocal style. Over the years, he recorded for a number of labels, scoring his biggest successes in his early years with the Modern label, as he reached the R&B Top 5 with "Blues After Hours", "Texas Hop" and "I Love You So". Other notable recordings were done later with the Imperial and Vee-Jay labels, as he sought to re-establish his chart presence in a changing market for blues as rock 'n' roll invaded the R&B charts. This great value 55-track 2-CD set primarily comprises A and B sides recorded during this period for the 4 Star, Gru-V Tone, Modern, Aladdin, RIH, Hollywood, Imperial, Post, Vee-Jay, Fox, Jamie, Guyden and Smash labels plus selected from his 1960 LP on the Modern subsidiary Crown. As such it's a solid representation of his output across his primary recording career, and an entertaining introduction to the work of an artist who has not had the recognition he deserves.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. After Hours Boogie
2. Why Did You Go
3. Don't Ever Fall in Love
4. Pee Wee Special
5. Blues After Hours
6. I'm Still in Love with You
7. Texas Hop
8. Central Avenue Blues
9. Rock Island Blues
10. When Darkness Falls
11. Bop Hop
12. I Love You So
13. Brand New Woman
14. Old Fashioned Baby
15. Bounce Peewee
16. Rockin' the Blues
17. Please Come Back
18. Some Rainy Day
19. Huckle Boogie
20. Louella Brown
21. Good Little Woman
22. Tired of Traveling
23. Change Your Way of Loving
24. Poppa Stoppa
25. Cool Evening
26. Have You Lost Your Love for Me

Disc: 2

1. Daybreak
2. When It Rains It Pours
3. Pappy's Blues
4. Crying and Walking
5. Baby, Pat the Floor
6. Steppin' Out
7. Do Unto Others
8. Every Dog Has a Day
9. Wine-O
10. Hurry Hurry
11. I Need Your Love
12. You Know - Yeah
13. My Idea About You
14. Eyes Full of Tears
15. Runnin' Wild
16. Yours Truly
17. Be Faithful
18. Don't Go
19. I Must Go on
20. A Frosty Night
21. The Telephone Is Ringing
22. I Found My Peace of Mind
23. Fiddle Dee Dee
24. Is This the Price I Pay
25. Look Up and Live
26. Pee Wee's Boogie
27. 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do
28. Time on My Hands
29. Hillbilly Blues