1. Robert Johnson
Traveling Riverside Blues — 2:44
(Robert Johnson)
Robert Johnson (vocal-guitar)
Produced by Don Law
Recorded Dallas, Texas; June 20, 1937
Originally ARC unissued; Columbia CL1654; King Of The Delta Blues Singers

2. Johnny Shines
Dynaflow Blues — 2:35
(Johnny Shines)
Johnny Shines (vocal-guitar); Floyd Jones (bass); Frank Kirkland (drums)
Produced by Samuel Charters
Recorded Chicago, Illinois; December, 1965
Originally Vanguard 79218; Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vol. 3

3. Robert Johnson
Hell Hound On My Trail — 2:35
(Robert Johnson)
Robert Johnson (vocal-guitar)
Produced by Don Law
Recorded Dallas, Texas; June 20, 1937
Originally ARC 7-09-56

4. Muddy Waters
Country Blues — 3:24
(McKinley Morganfield)
Muddy Waters (vocal-guitar)
Produced by Alan Lomax & John Work
Recorded Stovall, Mississippi; August 26-31, 1941
Originally Library of Congress AAFS 18

5. Taj Mahal
The Celebrated Walking Blues — 8:52
(Traditional/arranged by Taj Mahal)
Taj Mahal (vocal-slide guitar-harmonica); Jesse Ed Davis (lead guitar-piano); Ry Cooder (mandolin-rhythm guitar); Bill Boatman (rhythm guitar); Gary Gilmore (bass); Charles Blackwell (drums)
Produced by David Rubinson
Recorded Hollywood, California; August 18, 1967
Originally Columbia 2779; Taj Mahal

6. Son Simms Four
Rosalie — 3:01
(McKinley Morganfield)
Muddy Waters (vocal-guitar); Percy Thomas (guitar); Henry "Son" Simms (violin); Louis Ford (mandolin)
Produced by Alan Lomax & John Work
Recorded Stovall, Mississippi; July 24, 1942
Originally Library of Congress Recording

7. Son House
My Black Mama Pt. II — 3:13
(Eddie "Son" House)
Son House (vocal-guitar)
Recorded Grafton, Wisconson; May 28, 1930
Originally Paramount 13042

8. Son House
Government Fleet Blues — 6:50
(Eddie "Son" House)
Son House (vocal-guitar); Fiddlin' Joe Martin (mandolin); Leroy Williams (harmonica)
Recorded Klack's Store, Lake Cormorant, Mississippi; August 24-31, 1941
Originally Library of Congress Recording

9. Muddy Waters
Gypsy Woman — 2:32
(McKinley Morganfield)
Muddy Waters (vocal-guitar); Sunnyland Slim (piano); Ernest "Big" Crawford (bass); Unknown (drums)
Produced by Leonard & Phil Chess
Recorded Chicago, Illinois; 1947
Originally Aristocrat 1302

10. Charley Patton
High Water Everywhere Pt. I — 2:58
(Charley Patton)
Charley Patton (vocal-guitar)
Recorded Grafton, Wisconson; October, 1929
Originally Paramount 12909

11. Lead Belly
CC Rider — 2:57
(Hudie Ledbetter/Traditional)
Lead Belly (vocal-guitar)
Recorded New York, New York; January 23, 1935
Originally Arc unissued; Folkways FP24

12. Willie King & The Liberators
Terrorized — 5:01
(Willie King)
Willie King (vocals-lead guitar); Aaron Hodge (guitar); Travis Hodge (bass); Rich Asherson (keyboards); Willie James Williams (drums)
Recorded by Sam Watson; Mixed by Martin Czembor
Recorded Aliceville, Alabama; April 19, 2003

13. Napoleon Strickland & Otha Turner
Oh Baby — 2:52
(Napoleon Strickland)
Napoleon Strickland (vocal-cane fife); Otha Turner (bass drum); John Tytus (snare drum)
Recorded by George Mitchell
Recorded 1967
Originally Arhoolie Records 1041; Mississippi Delta Blues Vol. 1: Blow My Blues Away

14. Otha Turner & Corey Harris
Lay My Burden Down — 2:26
(Traditional/ arranged by Otha Turner)
Otha Turner (vocal-cane fife); Corey Harris (guitar)
Recorded by J. T. Takagi
Recorded Senatobia, Mississippi; June 9, 2001

15. Ali Farka Toure
Mali Dje — 5:37
(Ali Farka Toure)
Ali Farka Toure (vocal-guitar); Souleye Kane (djembe); Fatoumata Traore (chorus vocal)
Produced by Nick Gold
Recorded Niafunke, Mali; 1999
Originally World Circuit WCD 054; Niafunke

16. John Lee Hooker
Tupelo Blues — 3:23
(John Lee Hooker)
John Lee Hooker (vocal-guitar)
Produced by Bill Grauer
Recorded Detroit, Michigan; April, 1959
Originally Original Blues Classics 542; The Country Blues Of John Lee Hooker

17. Ali Farka Toure
Amandrai — 7:18
(Ali Farka Toure)
Ali Farka Toure (vocal-guitar); Songhai (percussion)
Produced by Nick Gold
Recorded London, England; 1988
Originally World Circuit WCD 007; Ali Farka Toure

18. John Lee Hooker
Hobo Blues — 3:01
(John Lee Hooker)
John Lee Hooker (vocal-guitar)
Recorded Detroit, Michigan; 1949
Originally Modern Records 663

19. Salif Keita
Ana Na Ming — 4:00
(Salif Keita)
Salif Keita (vocal - guitar)
Recorded by J.T. Takagi
Recorded Mali; August 16, 2001

20. Otha Turner & The Rising Star Fife & Drum Band
My Babe — 4:30
(Willie Dixon)
Otha Turner (vocal-cane fife); Bernice Turner Pratcher (vocals); Sharde Thomas (vocals); Otha Andre Evans & Rodney Evans (snare drum); Aubrey Turner (bass drum); Corey Harris (guitar)
Recorded by John Harris, Effanel Music
Recorded St. Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn, New York; November 9, 2001