Leroy Carr was arguably the most popular blues recording star of his era (1928-35) and by some accounts the most influential among other bluesmen as well. Although latter-day blues audiences came to prefer Delta and Chicago blues guitarists over the more urbane (but still soulful) approach of Carr and other important singer-pianists, Columbia Records obviously realized Carr’s significance in blues history when the label issued the Blues Before Sunrise compilation in 1962 and again in 1971 (adding an alternate take of “Mean Mistreater Mama” to the latter). While prewar reissue labels have since documented Carr’s entire output and this particular LP may thus no longer be essential, except to vinyl collectors, its release was an noteworthy event in 1962 when the only other prewar blues LPs Columbia had issued were by Bessie Smith and Robert Johnson. Among the album’s 16 tracks are the classics “Blues Before Sunrise,” “Hurry Down Sunshine,” and a predecessor to Johnson’s “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom” entitled “I Believe I’ll Make a Change.” And for guitar aficionados, the six-string accompaniments of Scrapper Blackwell and Josh White add yet another layer of depth to the proceedings.
Released as Columbia CL 1799 (LP) in 1962 and as C 30496 (LP) in 1971.