Stripped down and recorded without any bells and whistles, this is Tony Joe recording himself playing his classic swamp blues sound. The Beginning is regarded as the first album where Tony Joe controlled all elements of the studio. Until 2020, Tony Joe White's 29th album had been long out of print. New West Records released a limited edition color vinyl pressing that was the first and only vinyl pressing of this record. This record was remastered and re-sequenced for that specific pressing. The CD is packaged in a jewel case with a booklet of lyrics and photos. The LP is packaged in a standard jacket with a color sleeve.