Grateful Dead Family Discography: Big Railroad Blues

Big Railroad Blues

Composer: Noah Lewis

Written by Noah Lewis who was a member of Cannon's Jug Stompers. There appear to be no recorded covers of the song prior to the release of the Grateful Dead version in 1971. The Dead, who first performed the song in 1966, presumably based their version of the song on the Cannon's Jug Stompers recording or on versions by contemporary groups who performed but did not record the song. Big Railroad Blues was a regular in Grateful Dead set lists from the end of 1970 through to 1973 and again through the first half of the 1980's. It was performed only rarely in other years.

Grateful Dead recordings

Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses), 1971
Fruity, Various Artists, 1972
Dick's Picks, Vol. 1, 1993
Hundred Year Hall, 1995
Dick's Picks, Vol. 13, 1999
The Golden Road (1965-1973), 2001
Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead, 2002
Dick's Picks, Vol. 28, 2003
Dick's Picks, Vol. 30, 2003
Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack, 2004
Rare Cuts and Oddities 1966, 2005
Dick's Picks, Vol. 35, 2005
Dick's Picks, Vol. 36, 2005
Grateful Dead Download Vol. 3: 10/26/71, 2005
Grateful Dead Download Vol. 8: 12/10/73, 2005

Ratdog

San Francisco CA, March 3, 2004
Bozeman MT, March 10, 2004
Rochester NY, March 19, 2004
Jim Thorpe PA, March 27, 2004
LaFayette GA, September 18, 2004
Madison WI, March 29, 2005
Mashantucket CT, April 9, 2005
Washington DC, April 26, 2005
Gilford, NH, September 2, 2005
Baltimore, MD, November 2, 2005
Jim Thorpe, PA, November 10, 2005
St. Petersburg, FL, November 18, 2005
Denver, CO, December 2, 2005
Portland, OR, December 16, 2005
Majesty of the Seas, Carribean Sea, Feb 5, 2006
Norfolk, VA, March 18, 2006
Poughkeepsie, NY, March 28, 2006
Kansas City, MO, July 7, 2006
Mansfield, MA, July 15, 2006
Baltimore, MD, August 26, 2006
St. Paul MN, October 22, 2006
Albany NY, November 3, 2006, 2006
San Francisco CA, February 14, 2007, 2007
Rochester NY, March 3, 2007, 2007
Jim Thorpe PA, March 17, 2007, 2007
Cleveland OH, July 16, 2007, 2007
Detroit Lakes MN, July 21, 2007, 2007
Holmdel NJ, August 22, 2007, 2007
University Park, PA, November 4, 2007, 2007
Orlando FL, November 16, 2007, 2007

Other recordings

no info Big Railroad Blues / Springdale Blues (Victor 21351), Cannon's Jug Stompers, 1928
Cannon's Jug Stompers: The Complete Works In Chronological Order 1927-1930, Cannon's Jug Stompers, 1975
Jazz Tribune No. 51: Memphis Blues (1928 - 1930), Various Artists, 1984
The Complete Works: 1927-1930, Cannon's Jug Stompers, 1989
Complete Recorded Works Vol 1 1927-1928, Gus Cannon, 1990
Legendary 1928-30 Recordings, Gus Cannon and His Jug Stompers, 1994
The Music Never Stopped: Roots of the Grateful Dead, Various Artists, 1995
Ruckus Juice & Chitlins, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1998
And Furthurmore, Hot Tuna, 1999
The Best of Cannon's Jug Stompers, Cannon's Jug Stompers, 2001
The Roots Of The Grateful Dead & Jerry Garcia, Various Artists, 2001
The Legendary 1928-1930 Recordings, Gus Cannon and His Jug Stompers / Sleepy John Estes, 2002
Johnnie & The Lowdowns, Johnnie & The Lowdowns, 2004
Memphis Jug Band with Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers, Memphis Jug Band / Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers, 2005

All various artists compilations listed above include the Cannon's Jug Stompers version of Big Railroad Blues.