On vinyl for the first time, the third volume in a series of three. · Reissued in time to celebrate 25 years of Fat Possum, showcasing their fine blues roots.

“I have good reasons for putting Charles Caldwell’s song first. When I met him in Coffeeville, Mississippi, three years ago, he was ready to fill the hole R.L. Burnside left in our operation when poor health forced him to quit touring at the age of 72. I didn’t think anybody could come close to Burnside, so I wasn’t even looking. But like R.L., Caldwell was charismatic, a skilled player with a great voice.

“2003 was a banner year for Dan and Pat, aka The Black Keys. Their first Fat Possum release, ‘Thickfreakness’, was released in April and took off running. In addition to selling a sh*tload of records, The Black Keys brought a new band to our attention: Thee Shams, a solid five-piece, also from Ohio, whose record ‘Please Yourself’ we recently released.

“I wish there were vast reserves of bluesmen still out there playing, but the fact of the matter is that there aren’t; the best we can do, for a little while longer at least, is guarantee you more blues records of the calibre you have come to expect from us. That said, not all the bluesmen, nor all the possums, are dead.

“The world certainly doesn’t need another tribute record, but it does need to pay more attention to Junior Kimbrough, and we’ve called in the heavy hitters to assist in Sunday nights: The songs of Junior Kimbrough. For a taste, check out Iggy And The Stooges’ rendition of ‘You Better Run’. I just wish I was up to the task of selling a compilation – if anybody has any bright ideas let us know.

“If only marketing these records were as easy as listening to them. But it’s the listening that seems to keep everyone around – both in the office and out – so I guess we’re doing something right. We’re definitely moving forward.” – Matthew Johnson