Theodore “Hound Dog” Taylor was born on April 12, 1917, in Natchez, Mississippi. By day, he was a sharecropper; by night, he played the delta jukes. In 1942, following a dangerous encounter with the Ku Klux Klan, he high-tailed it out of the South to Chicago. There, he held a day job while building his reputation as a musician, performing in South and West Side blues clubs and on the streets. It wasn’t until the late 50’s that he became a full-time musician, playing regularly at the Expressway Lounge.

Taylor developed a raw vocal style and blistering slide guitar technique, using a cheap Teisco Del Rey guitar powered through a Sears Roebuck amplifier. He also had a physical condition called polydactylism, which resulted in an extra finger on each hand.

Hound Dog Taylor first recorded in 1960 for Bea and Baby Records, and again in 1962 for the Firma label. The resulting 45s were his only releases during the 60’s and these four tracks are included on this record.

As a bonus, we have added two tracks by Mississippi-born, long-time blues veteran Homesick James, who, after recording several 45s in the early 50’s, didn’t get another single released until 1962. Both numbers feature Taylor on guitar.

He died in December 1975, after releasing four albums on the Alligator label, leaving us his own epitaph: ‘When I die, they’ll say, ‘He couldn’t play shit, but he sure made it sound good!’.

A1 My Baby is Coming Home
A2 Take Five
A3 Christine

B1 Alley Music
B2 Set a Date
B3 Can’t Afford to Do It