Anthology of American Folk Music
Volume 3: Songs, Track 71

POOR BOY BLUES
Ramblin' Thomas

Recorded Chicago: November, 1928
Ramblin' Thomas, vocal and bottleneck guitar
Originally released on Paramount 12722A

Willard "Ramblin'" Thomas (1902-ca.1930s) was a street performer like many of the other Texas-Louisiana blues musicians on this Anthology. He recorded eighteen songs between 1929 and 1932, but primarily made his living performing for tips on the streets of Dallas. The surprising success of Texas bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson (Tracks 69,  75, 76) sent record companies scurrying for other Dallas singers to record. Originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, his brother, Jesse "Babyface" Thomas (1911-1995), was also a professional blues musician and recording artist.

Poor Boy (a Long Ways from Home) is a song that has been performed by many blues artists. Variants of this song were recorded throughout the South during the 1920s. Sam Butler's recording of Poor Boy Blues predated Thomas's by two years.

FOR ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS of Thomas see: Willard Thomas and the Dallas Blues Singers (DOC 5107c); The Complete Recordings (Matchbox 215a); and the collections Ramblin' Mind Blues (BIO 12004a); Blind Lemon and Willard "Ramblin' Thomas (Collector's Classics 5a); Country Blues Bottleneck Guitar Classics 1926-1927 (YZ 1026c), The Voice of the Blues: Bottleneck Guitar Masterpieces (YZ 1046c).

OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS include:
Blues: as Poor Boy:  Butterfield's Blues Band (ELK 73505c); Howlin' Wolf (Chess 9297c); Brownie McGhee (FW 3557c); as Poor Boy Blues: Sam Butler (YZ 1016c); Carl Hodges (BRI 006a); as Poor Boy Long Ways from Home: Barbecue Bob (YZ 2005); Cannon's Jug Stompers (YZ 1082/3c); Gus Cannon (YZ 2008c); Cat-Iron (FW 2389c); Bukka White (TAK 1001a).

Bluegrass: as Poor Boy Blues: Doc and Merle Watson (SGH 2205c).

Folksong revival: as Poor Boy: George Gritzbach (KM 304a); as Poor Boy Long Way from Home: John Fahey (TAK 1002a; TAK 8901c).