Cisco Houston on CD: Track Listing, Reviews and Evaluations

Though hundreds of songs were recorded by Cisco during his lifetime, only 3 CDs of his work are generally available today. There are some budget releases with public domain stuff recorded in the 40s (with the sound quality expected from such material), the criminally mis-labelled CD Legendary, tidbits on samplers and anthologies, but to hear good performances, and lots of them, with good sound, listen to:

Cisco on CD (Solo)

• The Folkways Years
• Best of the Vanguard Years
• Sings the Songs of Woody Guthrie

The Asch Recordings: Woody Guthrie with Cisco

Cisco is certainly backup, but this music influenced everythng that came after.

• This Land Is Your Land Volume 1
• Muleskinner Blues Volume 2
• Hard Travelin' Volume 3
• Buffalo Skinners Volume 4

Cisco on CD (with others)

• The Greatest Songs of Woody Guthrie1972 double LP re-released on one 1988 CD.
• Don't Mourn, Organize 1990 Smithsonian/Folkways CD.
• Cowboy Songs on Folkways 1991 Smithsonian/Folkways CD.
• That's Why We're Marching 1996 Smithsonian/Folkways CD with a good picture of Cisco on the cover
• American Folksay Ballads & Dances, Volumes 1, 2, 3, & 4 With Woody and Leadbelly in the 40s
• American Folksay Ballads & Dances, Volumes 5 & 6; Chain Gang Volumes 1 & 2 With Woody and Sonny Terry in the 40s
• Mojo Magazine A British look at American Folk
• Classic Railroad Songs
• Vanguard Roots of Folk Another recycling of mostly the old same stuff, with a bit of the same old stuff tossed in, and but a single Cisco performance.
• Greatest Folksingers of the Sixties 1972 LP re-released as a CD, with just one Cisco song. (Though to be fair, no one gets more than one. Just not a great choice.)
• Washington Square Memoirs: The Great Urban Folk Boom, 1950-1970 Big title, small Cisco.

Other CDs

• Original Folkways Recordings Public Domain stuff from the 40s with Cisco accompanying Woody
• Legendary A fraud and a joke--avoid!
• 900 Miles & Cowboy Ballads Smithsonian/Folkways offers custom CDs from LPs. This page describes one.
• American Roots A bargain 4 CD collection including several selections from Cisco with Woody.

We welcome any suggestions, contributions, or questions. You send it, we'll consider using it. Help us spread the word. And the music. And thanks for visiting.