John Littlejohn & Carey Bell (1981) May 2026

If you haven't spun this lately, go find it. Your speakers will thank you (even if your neighbors don't).

A disciple of Elmore James, Littlejohn was one of the few who could make a slide guitar scream with aggression while maintaining a haunting, melodic soul. His technique was precise, but his delivery was pure grit. John Littlejohn & Carey Bell (1981)

The Raw Magic of 1981: When John Littlejohn Met Carey Bell In the world of Chicago blues, there are "studio polish" records, and then there are records that sound like they were cut in a basement filled with cigarette smoke and overpriced bourbon. The 1981 collaboration between slide guitar master and harmonica wizard Carey Bell (often released as Blues Show! Live at the Pit Inn ) is firmly the latter. If you haven't spun this lately, go find it