Roosevelt Sykes

Dates

Lived 1906–1983, recorded 1929–late 1970s

Collections

The 10-volume Document series covers his years from 1929 to 1957:

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1929-1930) (DOCD-5116)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1930-1931) (DOCD-5117)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1931-1933) (DOCD-5118)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 (1934-1936) (DOCD-5119)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 5 (1937-1939) (DOCD-5120)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 6 (1939-1941) (DOCD-5121)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 7 (1941-1944) (DOCD-5122)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 8 (1945-1947) (DOCD-6048)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 9 (1947-1951) (DOCD-6049)

Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 10 (1951-1957) (DOCD-6050)

Several never before issued (and missing above) tracks from around 1942 are here:

Blue 88s (Hi Horse 19001, 1942, V/A)

And from here on out, it gets a bit messier, I couldn't locate any neat boxes or twofers. Just get his albums, live albums and appearances (on lots of Spivey Records albums, American Folk Blues Festivals…), starting with

The Return of Roosevelt Sykes (Bluesville 1006, Original Blues Classics CD 546, 1960)

And although he appeared as a guest on many V/A-compilations, you'll sooner or later have an approximation of Roosevelt Sykes’ complete recordings