Welcome to Cornerstone Recordings. We are preservationists, restorationists, and archivists. For 45+ years our team has been deeply immersed in the raw historical archives of America's music and cultural foundations. From Appalachia to the Rockies, from New York City to Los Angeles, Cornerstone Recordings has covered ground in every root genre of the USA. Whether is Louisiana Jazz, Georgia Blues, California Folk, Texas Country; the list goes on.
Cornerstone Recordings is proud to present to the digital landscape the highest quality audio and film recordings of these musical legends of historic significance. So please be sure to watch our videos and playlists, follow Cornerstone Recordings on your favorite social media and web platforms, stream and download our albums online, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter. We thank you for supporting Cornerstone Records.
Cornerstone Recordings
Remembering Henry Gray, who passed on this day in 2020. A towering figure in American blues, Henry Gray was a masterful pianist and singer whose life and work helped define the heartbeat of Chicago blues piano and the deep roots of swamp blues alike.
Born in Kenner, Louisiana and raised in a rural community near Baton Rouge, Gray began playing piano as a boy and, after serving in World War II, moved to Chicago where his playing became indispensable to a generation of blues greats; from his recordings and performances with Howlin' Wolf (becoming Wolf's primary pianist for more than a decade) to session work backing Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers and others, his touch was foundational to the sound that emerged from Chess Records and the city's vibrant blues scene.
Honored with a 2006 National Heritage Fellowship and later induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, Gray also recorded extensively under his own name and continued performing into his nineties, delighting audiences from local clubs in Louisiana to festivals around the world. Though he passed at 95, his tasteful, powerful piano and the countless notes he shared live and on record ensure that his influence will resonate in the blues forever.
R.I.P. Henry Gray (January 19, 1925 - February 17, 2020)
1 day ago | [YT] | 11
View 0 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
Remembering Nat King Cole who passed away this day in 1965.
Nat King Cole was one of the most elegant and influential voices in 20th century music, a masterful jazz pianist and smooth-voiced vocalist whose artistry bridged jazz, pop, and American songbook tradition.
Born in Montgomery, Alabama and raised in Chicago, he first gained renown as the leader of the King Cole Trio before becoming a solo star with a warm baritone that brought timeless classics such as Mona Lisa, Unforgettable, The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), Nature Boy, Straighten Up and Fly Right and L-O-V-E to audiences around the world.
Beyond his musical gifts, Cole broke significant barriers, becoming the first African American to host a national television variety show and navigating the racial challenges of his era while earning widespread adoration. Though he died far too young at 45 from lung cancer, his legacy endures in the melodies and performances that continue to resonate across generations.
R.I.P. Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 - February 15, 1965)
3 days ago | [YT] | 32
View 0 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
Wishing a happy birthday to Slim Harpo (born on this day as James Isaac Moore, February 11, 1924 - January 31, 1970) who was an important voice in American blues, with a laid back swamp blues style and harmonica rich grooves that left a lasting imprint on both blues and rock music.
Originally rising from Lobdell and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Slim Harpo cut his first hit I'm a King Bee in 1957 and followed with enduring classics like Rainin' in My Heart and the sultry, chart topping Baby Scratch My Back, songs that blended deep blues feeling with a rhythmic groove that crossed over beyond traditional blues audiences.
Slim Harpo's influence reached far beyond the American South: British Invasion bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, and The Kinks each recorded his songs and helped spread his sound worldwide, while his hypnotic harmonica and vocals continue to inspire musicians decades after his untimely death of a heart attack at age 46.
1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 15
View 0 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
Happy Birthday Don Williams (May 27th, 1939 - September 8th, 2017) R.I.P.
3 years ago | [YT] | 319
View 29 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
Wishing a happy birthday to the on and only Bob Dylan! Born May 24, 1941, the singer/songwriter is 81 years old. What's your favorite song of his?
3 years ago | [YT] | 285
View 19 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
New remaster up now! Nat King Cole and his trio performing "Route 66". Please let us know what you think in the comments!
4 years ago | [YT] | 24
View 2 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
Do you play an instrument yourself? 🎸🥁 If you have a channel with your own videos of you performing, please post it in the comments below!
4 years ago | [YT] | 567
View 85 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
Doc Watson "Deep River Blues" remaster up now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrfYh...
4 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 811
View 3 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
The Jubalaires fantastic "Noah" up now! https://youtu.be/OxeWojzg9S4 Remastered in HD with mild AI interpolation and slight audio boosting applied. Respects the original but ups the quality a bit for it's 75th (!) Anniversary - enjoy!
4 years ago | [YT] | 1,200
View 8 replies
Cornerstone Recordings
The Osborne Brothers performing "Rocky Top" https://youtu.be/mJNU7YqTBks Up now is a 4k remaster of this Bluegrass classic, with partly AI-driven interpolation included - please let us know what you think in the comments?
4 years ago | [YT] | 572
View 14 replies
Load more