His Best (Sonny Boy Williamson II album)

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His Best
Greatest hits album by Sonny Boy Williamson II
Released	May 20, 1997 (1997-05-20)[1]
Recorded	August 12, 1955 - April 30, 1964[1]
Studio	Chess Studios Chicago, Illinois
Genre	Harmonica blues, chicago blues, country blues
Label	Chess, MCA
Producer	Leonard Chess, Phil Chess, Willie Dixon, Andy McKaie[1]
Compiler	Andy McKaie, Dick Shurman[1]
Sonny Boy Williamson II chronology
Portrait of a Blues Man (1996) His Best (1997) Boppin' with Sonny (1997)

His Best is a 1997 greatest hits compilation album by Sonny Boy Williamson II (real name Rice Miller) released by Chess and MCA Records in May as a part of The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection which released many albums titled His Best for artist such as Bo Diddley, Little Walter, and others.

Songs[edit]

The album features all three of Williamson's singles that charted on Billboard's R&B Singles chart; "Don't Start Me Talking" (#3), "Keep It to Yourself" (#14), and "Help Me" (#24).^[2] The album also features "Bring It On Home" (later covered by Led Zeppelin) and "One Way Out" (covered by Allman Brothers Band).

Track listing[edit]

All tracks written by Sonny Boy Williamson II, except where noted.

1. "Good Evening Everybody" – 2:36
2. "Don't Start Me Talking" – 2:36
3. "All My Love in Vain" – 2:51
4. "Keep It to Yourself" – 2:50
5. "Fattening Frogs for Snakes" – 2:23
6. "I Don't Know" – 2:28
7. "Cross My Heart" (Williamson, Greg Guidry) – 3:24
8. "Born Blind" – 2:35
9. "Ninety Nine" – 2:40
10. "Your Funeral and My Trial" – 2:33
11. "Keep Your Hands Out of My Pockets" – 2:51
12. "Sad to Be Alone" – 2:59
13. "Checkin' Up on My Baby" – 1:59
14. "Down Child" – 2:37
15. "Nine Below Zero" – 3:30
16. "Bye Bye Bird" (Williamson, Willie Dixon) – 2:35
17. "Help Me" (Williamson, Dixon, Ralph Bass) – 3:11
18. "Bring It On Home" (Dixon) – 2:39
19. "My Younger Days" – 3:24
20. "One Way Out" (Williamson, Elmore James) – 2:46

Personnel[edit]

All personnel per Allmusic^[1]

Performers

• Sonny Boy Williamson II – lead vocals, harmonica
• Buddy Guy – guitar
• Robert Lockwood, Jr. – guitar
• Matt "Guitar" Murphy – guitar
• Eugene Pierson – guitar
• Jimmy Rogers – guitar
• Luther Tucker – guitar
• Muddy Waters – guitar
• Willie Dixon – double bass
• Jack Meyers – bass
• Milton Rector – bass
• Lafayette Leake – piano
• Otis Spann – piano
• Fred Below – drums
• Al Duncan – drums
• Clifton James – drums
• Jarrett Gibson – saxophone
• Donald Hankins – saxophone

Production

• Leonard Chess – producer, engineer
• Phil Chess – producer, engineer
• Willie Dixon – producer, engineer
• Andy McKaie – producer, compiler
• Dick Shurman – liner notes, compiler
• Erick Labson – remastering
• Bill Inglot – remixing
• John Strother – remixing

Artwork/Design

• Vartan – art director
• Geary Chansley – photo research
• Meire Murakami – design
• Val Wilmer – photography
• Galen Gart – photography

References[edit]