Koko Taylor – Crown Jewels LP

Koko Taylor – Crown Jewels LP

140g Black Vinyl • Greatest Hits Collection • 12 Newly Remastered Tracks • Alligator Records • Chicago Blues

Available at Bennies Fifties and the online Fifties Store

Crown Jewels is a powerful greatest-hits collection from legendary “Queen of the Blues” Koko Taylor. Released by Alligator Records on July 18, 2025, the album brings together 12 standout performances from Taylor's celebrated Alligator years, all newly remastered and presented on 140-gram black vinyl.

Taylor was part of the Alligator Records family from 1975 until her death in 2009, recording nine albums for the label. For Crown Jewels, Alligator founder Bruce Iglauer and his team selected fan favourites from across those decades, making the collection an excellent introduction to Taylor's raw and commanding brand of Chicago blues.

The LP opens with the unmistakable Wang Dang Doodle and continues with essential performances including Mother Nature, I'm A Woman, Voodoo Woman and Hey Bartender. Also included is a deeply soulful live performance of I'd Rather Go Blind and Taylor's own Ernestine, before the album concludes with Let The Good Times Roll.

The recordings feature an exceptional cast of blues musicians, including Buddy Guy, Carey Bell, Sammy Lawhorn, Mighty Joe Young, Eddie King, Johnnie Johnson and Taylor's cousin Criss Johnson. Buddy Guy contributes guitar and vocals to Born Under A Bad Sign, while Carey Bell plays harmonica on Mother Nature.

The collection was produced by Bruce Iglauer, with the tracks newly remastered by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Room in Chicago. Crown Jewels brings some of Taylor's finest Alligator recordings together on vinyl for a new generation of blues listeners and collectors.

This standard edition is a single 140g black-vinyl LP released by Alligator Records, carrying catalogue number AL3910 / LPAL3910 and EAN 0014551391012.

Tracklist
Wang Dang Doodle
Mother Nature
You Can Have My Husband
Born Under A Bad Sign
I'm A Woman
Voodoo Woman
I'd Rather Go Blind (Live)
Can't Let Go
Hey Bartender
Ernestine
Come To Mama
Let The Good Times Roll

Specifications
Artist: Koko Taylor
Title: Crown Jewels
Format: LP
Number of records: 1
Vinyl colour: Black Vinyl
Weight: 140 gram
Type: Greatest Hits / Compilation
Number of tracks: 12
Release date: July 18, 2025
Label: Alligator Records
Catalogue number: AL3910 / LPAL3910
EAN: 0014551391012
Remastered by: Collin Jordan – The Boiler Room, Chicago
Compilation produced by: Bruce Iglauer
Genre: Blues / Chicago Blues / Electric Blues
Language: English

Highlights
Career-spanning selection from Koko Taylor's Alligator Records years
12 newly remastered tracks
140g Black Vinyl
Includes Wang Dang Doodle
Features I'm A Woman and Voodoo Woman
Live version of I'd Rather Go Blind
Includes Hey Bartender and Ernestine
Buddy Guy appears on Born Under A Bad Sign
Features musicians including Carey Bell, Sammy Lawhorn and Mighty Joe Young
Newly remastered by Collin Jordan
Released by legendary blues label Alligator Records
EAN 0014551391012