While the mandolin is not as synonymous with the blues as the guitar, the fiddle's fretted cousin was an important lead voice in many string blues bands of the 1920s through the 1940s including the Mississippi Sheiks, the Memphis Jug Band and the Dallas String Band. In the hands of great players including Carl Martin, Charlie McCoy, Yank Rachell, Howard Armstrong and Johnny Young, the mandolin was a convincing member of the blues ensemble.

All of these player's styles are featured here as wel...