Angola Prisoners' Blues

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is one of the largest maximum security prisons in the country. In the 1950s, LSU English professor Dr. Harry Oster recorded a series of music performances by African American prisoners at the infamous facility. The performances, many by prisoners serving life sentences, are full of despair and raw emotion. Included in this collection are a cappella selections by three female prisoners (Angola housed both male and female prisoners until 1961). Part of the royalties from this collection go to the Inmate Welfare Fund at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Track Listing

101	Prisoner's Talking Blues	Robert Pete Williams	05:12
102	Stagolee	Hogman Maxey	03:42
103	Electric Chair Blues	Guitar Welch	05:12
104	Black Night Is Fallin'	Hogman Maxey	04:32
105	Some Got Six Months	Robert Pete Williams	03:46
106	I'm Gonna Leave You Mama	Guitar Welch	02:50
107	I'm Lonesome Blues	Robert Pete Williams	04:01
108	Angola Bound	Group of male prisoners	05:50
109	Worried Blues	Hogman Maxey	04:16
110	Josephine	Guitar Welch	05:12
111	Soldier's Plea	Clara Young	02:47
112	The Moon Is Rising	Odea Mathews	01:59
113	I'm Still in Love with You	Thelma Mae Joseph	01:44
114	I Miss You So	Group of male prisoners	03:31
115	Hello, Sue	Butterbeans	00:59
116	Fast Life Woman	Hogman Maxey	04:07
117	Careless Love	Otis Webster	02:32
118	Have You Ever Heard the Church Bells Tone	Roosevelt Charles and Otis Webster	02:38
119	61 Highway	Guitar Welch	04:25
120	Strike at Camp I	Roosevelt Charles	09:31