DOWN IN THE BASEMENT
Joe Bussard’s Treasure Trove of Vintage 78s
OLD HAT RCD 1004

Joe Bussard has been called the “King of Record Collectors” and there’s solid evidence to justify such a title. In the basement of his Maryland home is a vast treasure trove of American vernacular music first recorded by phonograph companies in the 1920s and ’30s- old-time songs, hillbilly hoe-downs, hot jazz, country blues, jug band music, sanctified singing, and a whole lot more. For over 50 years, Joe has pursued this music with a passion that borders on mania, building a world-class collection of 78 rpm records- more than 25,000 in all. With Joe’s cooperation, we’ve carefully remastered 24 tracks of this rare music, representing the major genres in his collection. Included are classic performances by such colorful names as Seven-Foot Dilly, Gitfiddle Jim, The Grayson County Railsplitters, Fess Williams’ Royal Flush Orchestra, Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull, The Grinnell Giggers, and many more. A 28-page color booklet gives the story behind the music, and presents a wealth of photographs, rare label art, and period graphics. These recordings are not just historical relics, but vital and entertaining performances that have stood the test of time- a potent dose of great American music.

“This is the music of poor whites and blacks: wild-ass jazz and string-band hillbilly, surreal yodels and kingsnake moans, lightning-bolt blues and whorehouse romps and orgasmic gospel. It’s all anti-pop, anti-sentimental, the raw sounds of the city gutter and the roadside ditch.”     
—Eddie Dean, Desperate Man Blues

“It’s all killer, no filler, and far and away the compilation of the year.”
—Glenn Dixon, Washington City Paper

“Only one copy of Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull’s ‘Original Stack O’Lee Blues’ exists, and it’s Bussard’s, and it’s here. So are creaking fiddle breakdowns, earthy blues, soaring gospel, and stomping jazz, all of it exciting, odd, exotic, and free of the taint of manufactured dishonesty.”     
—Chris Morris, Los Angeles City Beat, June 19-25, 2003             

SONG LIST AND SOUND SAMPLES
1. THE LOST CHILD Stripling Brothers	LISTEN	LISTEN
2. HOW YOU WANT IT DONE? Big Bill	LISTEN	LISTEN
3. THE (NEW) CALL OF THE FREAKS Luis Russell & His Orchestra	LISTEN	LISTEN
4. THE SCHOOL HOUSE FIRE Dixon Brothers	LISTEN	LISTEN
5. GREENBACK DOLLAR Weems String Band	LISTEN	LISTEN
6. YOU GOT TO GO DOWN Blind Gary	LISTEN	LISTEN
7. THE OLD ARK'S A’MOVING A.A. Gray & Seven Foot Dilly	LISTEN	LISTEN
8. RUNNIN’ WILD James Cole's Washboard Four	LISTEN	LISTEN
9. KEEP IT CLEAN Charley Jordan	LISTEN	LISTEN
10. GET THE “L” ON DOWN THE ROAD  Bill Johnson’s Louisiana Jug Band	LISTEN	LISTEN
11. I GOT A BULLDOG Sweet Brothers & Ernest Stoneman	LISTEN	LISTEN
12. OLD HEN CACKLE Coleman & Harper	LISTEN	LISTEN
13. SONG FROM A COTTON FIELD Bessie Brown	LISTEN	LISTEN
14. ATLANTA BOUND Gene Autry	LISTEN	LISTEN
15. EASY RIDER BLUES Soileau and Robin	LISTEN	LISTEN
16. HOT LIPS Bill Brown and His Brownies	LISTEN	LISTEN
17. UNCLE DAVE'S BELOVED SOLO Uncle Dave Macon	LISTEN	LISTEN
18. HASTINGS STREET Blind Blake-Charlie Spand	LISTEN	LISTEN
19. AIN’T THAT TROUBLE IN MIND Fields Ward & The Grayson County Railsplitters	LISTEN	LISTEN
20. GIVE THE WORLD A SMILE The Corley Family	LISTEN	LISTEN
21. ORIGINAL STACK O’ LEE BLUES Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull-Down Home Boys	LISTEN	LISTEN
22. HOT TOWN Fess Williams and His Royal Flush Orchestra	LISTEN	LISTEN
23. PADDLIN’ BLUES Gitfiddle Jim	LISTEN	LISTEN
24. PLOW BOY HOP Grinnell Giggers	LISTEN	LISTEN