The Best of Little Walter is the first LP record by American blues performer Little Walter. First released in 1957, the compilation album contains ten Little Walter songs that appeared in the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B chart from 1952 to 1955, plus two B-sides. The album was first released by Checker Records as LP-1428, which was the first LP record released by Checker, and then released on Chess Records with the same catalog number. It was the first and only album released during Little Walter's lifetime.

The album has been reissued numerous times, although it has been largely superseded by the 20-song collection Little Walter His Best: Chess 50th Anniversary Collection.

Artwork and packaging The album cover features a black-and-white photo portrait shot by Grammy Award winning photographer Don Bronstein of Little Walter holding/playing a Hohner 64 Chromatic harmonica and liner notes by Studs Terkel, who had written Giants of Jazz. The original LP featured a black label.

Accolades In 1991, The Best of Little Walter was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in the "Classics of Blues Recordings – Album" category. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 198 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

Track listing

Personnel The following people contributed to the Best of Little Walter: Little Walter – lead vocals, harmonica Muddy Waters – guitar on "Juke" and "Can't Hold Out Much Longer" Jimmy Rogers – guitar on "Juke" and "Can't Hold Out Much Longer" David Myers – guitar Louis Myers – guitar Leonard Caston – guitar on "My Babe" Robert Lockwood Jr. – guitar on "My Babe" Willie Dixon – bass, producer Elgin Evans – drums on "Juke" and "Can't Hold Out Much Longer" Fred Below – drums Studs Terkel – sleeve notes

Singles chart The songs "Juke" and "My Babe" peaked at No. 1 on Billboard magazine's R&B Singles chart. "Sad Hours", "You're So Fine", and "Blues with a Feeling" made it to No. 2 on the same chart. "Last Night" and "Mean Old World" peaked at No. 6, "Off the Wall" and "You Better Watch Yourself" reached No. 8, and "Tell Me Mama" made it to No. 10.

Release history Region Date Label Format Catalog United States 1958 Checker/Chess Records LP 1428 United States 1967 Checker Records LP 3004 United States 1988 MCA Records/Chess Records LP CH-9192 Cassette CHC-9192 CD CHD-9192

References