Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall

Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall
Studio album by Jimmy Reed
Released	1961 (1961)
Recorded	1954–1961
Genre	Chicago blues
Length	62:47
Label	Vee-Jay
Producer	Calvin Carter
Jimmy Reed chronology
Now Appearing (1960) Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall (1961) Just Jimmy Reed (1962)

Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall is a double album by Jimmy Reed, released in 1961.

Overview

Though the title suggests that the record was recorded live, it consists of studio recreations of a Carnegie Hall performance along with additional studio recordings. ^[1]

"Bright Lights, Big City", which opens the album, was released as a single around the same time. It became one of Reed's most successful and last songs on the Billboard Hot R&B charts. ^[2] The album includes several other Reed songs that appeared on the charts between 1956 and 1961. ^[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[3]

Writing for AllMusic, critic Richie Unterberger gave the album five out of five stars. He noted "In some ways, it almost does make for a greatest-hits compilation, as it contains most of Reed's most popular tunes". ^[1]

Chart performance

The album debuted on the US Billboard Top LP's chart for monaural albums on October 22, 1961, peaking at number 46 during a thirty-one week stay on the chart. ^[4]

Chart (1961)	Peak position
US Billboard Top LP's (Monaural) [4]	46

Track listing

All songs by Jimmy Reed; except where noted.

Record 1, side 1: "Bright Lights, Big City" – 2:50 "I'm Mr. Luck" – 3:34 "Baby What's Wrong" – 3:24 "Found Joy" – 3:41 "Kind of Lonesome" – 2:52

Record 1, side 2: "Aw Shucks, Hush Your Mouth" – 2:33 "Tell Me You Love Me" (Jimmy Reed, Al Smith) – 2:54 "Blue Carnegie" – 2:53 "I'm a Love You" – 2:07 "Hold Me Close" – 2:38 "Blue Blue Water" – 2:45

Record 2, side 1: "Baby What You Want Me to Do" – 2:31 "You Don't Have to Go" – 3:10 "Hush Hush" – 2:43 "Found Love" – 2:24 "Honest I Do" (Jimmy Reed, Ewart Abner) – 2:50 "You Got Me Dizzy" – 2:58

Record 2, side 2: "Big Boss Man" (Luther Dixon, Al Smith) – 2:54 "Take Out Some Insurance" (Jesse Stone) – 2:31 "Boogie in the Dark" – 2:41 "Going to New York" – 2:26 "Ain't That Loving You Baby" – 2:25 "The Sun is Shining" (Jimmy Reed, Ewart Abner) – 2:57

Personnel

• Jimmy Reed - guitar, vocals, harmonica
• Eddie Taylor - guitar
• Phil Upchurch - guitar
• Lonnie Brooks - guitar
• William "Lefty" Bates - second guitar
• Willie Dixon - bass guitar
• Earl Phillips - drums
• Mary Lee Reed - backing vocals

References

1. Unterberger, Richie. "Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall – Reviews". AllMusic . Retrieved April 26, 2019.
2. Whitburn, Joel (1988). "Jimmy Reed". Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. pp.  345–346. ISBN   0-89820-068-7.
3. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings . Penguin. p. 542. ISBN   978-0-140-51384-4.
4. Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top LPs, 1955–1972. Record Research. p. 122. Retrieved July 10, 2025.