Joe Lee “Big Joe” Williams (1903–1982) was a legendary country bluesman. A performer for over 40 years, Williams began his career in the 1920s playing at local fish fry’s, house parties, and work camps in Mississippi and Alabama. He eventually traveled north to St. Louis in 1934, where he recorded his iconic hit “Baby, Please Don’t Go.” In 1971, Arhoolie founder Chris Stratchwitz arranged to meet and record Williams in Crawford, Mississippi. Due to a performance rights issue, the recording was not released until 1999.

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