Adelphi Records was founded by siblings Gene and
Carol Rosenthal, who were country blues enthusiasts.
The Adelphi crew made extensive field recordings in
1969, from Chicago to St. Louis, Memphis, and the
Mississippi Delta, in search of prewar blues artists. A
few of these were released as compilations representing talent recorded at each major stop: Really Chicago’s Blues, The Memphis Blues Again, and Things
Have Changed, which featured the artists from St.
Louis. Individual albums by Eurreal ‘‘Little Brother’’
Montgomery, George and Ethel McCoy, and Furry
Lewis with Bukka White and Gus Cannon were released in the early 1970s, as were recordings by folk
artists, including Roy Book Binder, Paul Geremia,
and Chris Smither.
In the 1970s, Adelphi released albums by regional
blues rock pioneers: the Nighthawks, Catfish Hodge,
the Charlottesville Allstars, and Roy Buchanan. The
Nighthawks, led by guitarist Jimmy Thackery, recorded
‘‘Jacks and Kings’’ with members of Muddy Waters’s
band: Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Guitar Junior,
David Maxwell, and Calvin ‘‘Fuzzy’’ Jones.
In the early 1990s, Adelphi announced an 80+ CD
release schedule of blues recordings made during the
1960s, marketed as the Blues Vault SeriesTM. The line
opened with material by Mississippi John Hurt, Nehemiah ‘‘Skip’’ James, Reverend Robert Wilkins, and
Bukka White; in recent years, releases have slowed
from the pace first set. Noteworthy additions during
the late 1990s and early 2000s include those by R. L.
Burnside, Furry Lewis, and David ‘‘Honeyboy’’
Edwards.
DENISE TAPP