His Best (Sonny Boy Williamson II album)

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] at Chess Studios Chicago, Illinois
Genre	Harmonica blues, chicago blues, country blues
Label	Chess/MCA
Producer	Leonard Chess, Phil Chess, Willie Dixon, Andy McKaie[2]
Compiler	Andy McKaie, Dick Shurman[2]
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

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).^[3] The album also features "Bring It On Home" (later covered by Led Zeppelin) and "One Way Out" (covered by Allman Brothers Band).

Track listing

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

All personnel per Allmusic^[2]

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