Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup

A Music Man Like Nobody Ever Saw

A rocking big box of the Big Boy, 1942-62 Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup is probably best known for his jumping 1940s originals of two songs covered by Elvis, That’s All Right and My Baby Left Me, but this excellent 5-CD box set comprehensively demonstrates that there was much more to him than that. A prolific songwriter whose material went on to be sung by numerous top-rank artists across various genres, a gutsy and distinctive vocalist and a powerful self-taught guitarist who was one of the first bluesmen to wield an electric, Crudup started his career at relatively sedate tempos, but really found his groove when he upped the speed and cut loose, backed by drums and driving bass. On many of these swinging tracks, like Mean Old Santa Fe or Star Bootlegger, you can already feel the hot breath of rock’n’roll coming down the trail. A true pioneer. Max Décharné