Next to T-Bone Walker, Pee Wee Crayton (1914-1985) was the most influential blues guitarists and singers mixing a suave toned tenor voice with downright nasty and aggressive guitar pickings that swung like few others. This two disc set contains a bucketload of blues that anthologizes his career through basic blues to R&B to even holding his own against the fledgling style of music in the mid fifties called “rock and roll.”
Material here includes pieces like the #1 blues hit “After Hours” which sets the standard for the late night smoky juke joint genre. He shows he knows how to swing with the best on an infectious “Texas Hop” from 1948 and teary eyed “I Love You So” from the next year. A sardonic “Every Dog Has His Day” has Crayton at his world wise best, along with a moody “You Know Yeah.” With wailing saxes, Crayton digs deep and wails on the six strings on “Runnin’ Wild, ” while a dash of Ray Charles makes “I Found My Peace of Mind” do wonders. Later pieces such as “Fiddle Dee Dee” and “Look Up and Live” have Crayton adapt to the white pop world, and you hear a few Chuck Berry licks as well, but Crayton retains his integrity, laying down a toe tapping “Pee Wee’s Boogie” to show who was still in charge. If you’re a guitar player, you’re going to want to memorize every lick here, as its guaranteed to get you a steady job.