Search - Robert Lee Mccoy :: Prowline Nighthawk

A comprehensive guide to the Bluebird sessions

Dr.D.Treharne | Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom | 10/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Catfish Records have done an amazing job of compiling what were often quite hard to find recordings. These Robert Lee McCoy sessions cover the period from 1937 to 1940 and draw together the diverse stylistic interpretations he used during this time. The earliest session was available on a long deleted Nighthawk album "Lake Michigan Blues"[Nighthawk 105 for completists!], but here and throughout the sound quality is much better than what has been available before.Stand out tracks from the first session are "Prowling Nighthawk" and "Don't mistreat your woman".The 1937 tracks have Walter Davis on piano and show a development in his style.Best of this session is "Take it easy baby". The third session from 1938 wasn't released under McCoy/Nighthawk name but as "Ramblin Bob". It sounds as though Tampa Red was an influence on his style around this time. The last session has two non McCoy vocal tracks from Ann Sortier his then girlfriend, which are pretty average. The stand out track from this session is "Friars Point Blues". It's good to have all the tracks in one collection, and to be able to compare the development of an artist who seems to have been more concerned with his rambling life style than developing a coherent recording profile.This is an excellent collection with detailed sleeve notes. Highly recommended."

An underrated country bluesman

christopher turner | flagstaff, AZ United States | 07/12/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"these are some excellent early sides laid down by robert lee mccoy also known as robert nighthawk. although some of the tracks are run-of-the-mill 30s chicago blues, sounding a lot like tampa red and sonny boy williamson, there are a few real gems in this compilation. "prowling nighthawk blues" is the song that gave robert his name, and the last two songs "mama don't allow me to stay out all night long" (which sounds similiar to bukka white's "shake 'em on down") and "friar point blues" are two of the finest country blues ever recorded - the first just as plaintive as the best of robert johnson and the second one of the greatest slide guitar pieces in the delta blues tradition. if you dig chicago blues artists of the thirties such as tampa red, johnny temple, big bill, etc. this cd is an essential acquisition. however, if you are more familiar with robert nighthawk's later recordings of the 50s and 60s you may be disappointed by the absence of slide guitar - strange that the greatest electric slide guitarist of all time should have played so little acoustic slide in his younger years."