Artist: Jackson Blue Boys
Author: traditional
Label: Columbia
Year: 1929
Three Mississippi Sheiks in New Orleans (Bo Carter, Walter Vincson and Charlie McCoy). This barrelhouse song became extremely popular on Fannin Street, the red light district of Shreveport where the Sheiks recorded their version and where there must have been a real Madame Alberta with quite a reputation. Tom Waits (and with him John Hammond and Scarlett Johansson) situate their Fannin Street in Houston.
Covers:
Mississippi Sheiks [as Alberta Blues]
Lead Belly [he was from Mooringsport, close to Shreveport and might have known the real Alberta; his oldest version remained unissued]
Jazz Gillum [with Big Bill Broonzy]
Alexis Korner [with Cyril Davies]
Eric Clapton [and also in '92]
Sounds like Corrine Corrina (see there). Memphis Slim, also a Chatman but not related to the brothers Chatmon from The Mississippi Sheiks, also recorded an Alberta, while Alberta #1 & 2 from Bob Dylan's Self Portrait album (and #3 from Another Self Portrait) are also different (see: Alberta, Let Yo' Hair Hang Low).
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)