 James first recorded the song in August 1954 at Modern Records ' new studio in Culver City , California . Maxwell Davis supervised the session and a group of professional studio musicians provided the backup . The song was produced in a newer style that Modern used successfully for B.B. King and James ' slide guitar was placed further back in the mix . Flair Records , another of the Bihari brothers ' Modern labels , released the single , backed with " Sunny Land " . The song became a regional hit , but did not reach the national charts . Labels associated with Modern included " Standing at the Crossroads " on several James compilation albums , such as Blues After Hours ( Crown ) , The Blues in My Heart – The Rhythm in My Soul ( Custom Records ) , and Original Folk Blues ( Kent Records ) . 
