A pair of upcoming blues compilations culled from the Alan Lomax Archives and the Library of Congress collect original versions of some noted blues standards. Due in the fall is "Alan Lomax: Blues Songbook - Volume 1," to be followed by "Volume 2" at the end of the year. Like all releases in the Alan Lomax Collection, the discs will be issued and distributed through Rounder; exact release dates have not yet been announced.

All of the songs are field recordings captured by the late folk music historian/archivist Lomax and his father, John A. Lomax. The first set boasts recordings of such legendary artists as Howlin' Wolf ("Dust My Broom"), David Honeyboy Edwards ("Worried Life Blues"), Jellyroll Morton ("I Hate a Man Like You"), and Bessie Jones ("Beggin' the Blues).

Closing out the U.S. Congress-declared "Year of the Blues," the second volume of the series will feature such tracks as "Kill-It-Kid-Rag" by Blind Willie McTell, "I Be's Troubled" by Muddy Waters, and "Blind Lemon Blues" by Leadbelly. It also includes three versions of "Joe Turner" recorded by Ed Young & Hobart Smith, the Pratcher Brothers, and Big Bill Broonzy.

David Evans contributes liner notes for both 20-track collections. Earlier this year, Evans wan a Grammy Award for his notes included with Revenant's exhaustive 140-track "Screamin' and Hollerin' The Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton" box set.

The blues discs will also serve inaugurate the Alan Lomax Popular Songbook series, which will boast original recordings of songs that have gone on to become standards.

Here is the "Alan Lomax: Blues Songbook - Volume 1" track list:

"Going Down the River," Mississippi Fred McDowell
"Rolled and Tumbled," Rose Hemphill
"Cherry Ball," Jack Owens & Bud Spires
"Dust My Broom," Howlin' Wolf
"Boogie Children-F#," Boy Blue
"Stagolee," Lucious Curtis & Willie Ford
"Stop All the Buses," Cecil Augusta
"Worried Life Blues," David Honeyboy Edwards
"The Pony Blues," Son House
"Tangle Eye Blues," Walter "Tangle Eye" Jackson
"Trouble So Hard," Dock Reed & Vera Ward Hall
"Worried Blues," Sonny Terry
"Beggin' the Blues," Bessie Jones
"John Henry," Gabriel Brown
"Country Blues," Dock Boggs
"Cherry Ball Blues-G," Skip James
"I Hate a Man Like You," Jelly Roll Morton
"Roll 'Em," Pete Johnson
"Kokomo," The Memphis Jug Band
"Life Is Like That," Memphis Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson & Big Bill Broonzy

Here is the "Alan Lomax: Blues Songbook - Volume 2" track list:

"Dimples," Boy Blue
"Catfish Blues," Jack Owens & Bud Spires
"Kill-It-Kid Rag," Blind Willie McTell
"You're Gonna Need My Help," Elinor Boyer
"The Army Blues," David Honeyboy Edwards
"Blues de la Prison," Canray Fontenot & Bois Sec Ardoin
"I Been Drinkin'," Vera Ward Hall
"Prisoner Blues," Ozella Jones
"I Be's Troubled," Muddy Waters
"Boogie instrumental," R.L. Burnside
"Blind Lemon Blues," Leadbelly
"Sweet Patootie Blues," Albert Ammons
"The Last Time," Sam Chatmon
"Shorty George," Smith Casey
"Desert Blues," Hattie Ellis & Cowboy Jack Ramsey
"Joe Turner," Ed Young & Hobart Smith
"Joe Turner," the Pratcher Brothers
"Joe Turner," Big Bill Broonzy
"See That My Grave Is Kept Clean," Hobart Smith
"How Long Blues," Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry & Leadbelly