Curley Weaver born this day in 1906 in Covington, Georgia with 'No No Blues'...most appropriate as I'm heading back to work after a few days leave...so it goes!
Great wee tune!
Great wee tune!
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Talking of Weavers and great tunes, here's Sylvester Weaver's 'Guitar Rag' from the 1920s - sounds like Mr Fahey might have listened in there sometime.Originally posted by johncorrigan View PostCurley Weaver born this day in 1906 in Covington, Georgia with 'No No Blues'...most appropriate as I'm heading back to work after a few days leave...so it goes!
Great wee tune!
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As ferney mentioned elsewhere, it's Muddy Waters birthday, born April 4th in 1913 in Jug's Corner, Mississippi. Here's how he celebrated his birthdays back in the old days.
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Not his birthday but heard Lonnie Johnson's 'Savoy Blues' this evening and thought it had class written all over it.
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Missed Bessie Smith's birthday yesterday, so will send her belated wishes for her 125th (1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee). Today is the death day of Texas Alexander who died 16th April 1954 in Richards, Texas. Here's 'The Risin' Sun'...nice guitar!
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My wee Blues Calendar informs me that 'Father of the Delta Blues', Charley Patton, aka The Masked Marvel, died this very day 85 years ago in Indianola, Mississippi at the grand old age of 43.
Comes complete with another great R Crumb drawing!Comment
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April 29th, 1935 was a big day marking the passing of pianist Leroy Carr in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the birth of the great Otis Rush down in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Here's Leroy with Scrapper Blackwell on 'How Long Blues'.
...and here's Otis Rush live in 1966 in Berlin doing 'Sweet Little Angel'.
Oh yeah, and my calendar tells me that Duke Ellington would have been 120 today - born in Washington DC this day in 1899.Comment
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I've been a bit lax here these days - internet connection is kinda pants to be frank, and I missed Blind Willie McTell's birthdays on Sunday - born Thomson, Georgia in 1901 - and we know from Bob that nobody plays the Blues like Blind Willie McTell. Today sees the birthday of Bumble Bee Slim, a Georgian like McTell, born in Brunswick in 1905. Here's BB Slim on 'Sloppy Drunk Blues' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sCNJxMLfv8Comment
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Blues giant Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker, voted by Rolling Stone last year as 37th greatest ever guitarist was born this day in Linden Texas in 1910. He was renowned as the first person to play blues on the electric guitar and was a major innovator of Texas Blues, Chicago Blues, Jump Blues, and West Coast Blues. He inspired many who came after him...BB King, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allmann among many others. T-Bone was of African-American and Cherokee descent inspired by the likes of Ida Cox, Leroy Carr, Lonnie Johnson and Bessie Smith. Here he is in the 60s as part of the American Blues Festival touring in Europe on 'Don't throw your love on me so strong'.
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John, I've been away too long - is that a song? But I have been surreptitiously tuning in every now and then. I must congratulate you on your sterling work on this calendar, and acknowledge the bold Global's contribution.
I never knew that T-Bone was really Thibeaux - I think I'll stick to T-Bone though - no offence Aaron. He kind of demonstrates the Blues as well as performing it in this piece, at least according to Billy Collins.
The Blues
Much of what is said here
must be said twice,
a reminder that no one
takes an immediate interest in the pain of others.
Nobody will listen, it would seem,
if you simply admit
your baby left you early this morning
she didn't even stop to say good-bye.
But if you sing it again
with the help of the band
which will now help you to a higher,
more ardent and beseeching key,
people will not only listen;
they will shift to the sympathetic
edges of their chairs,
moved to such acute anticipation
by that chord and the delay that follows,
they will not be able to sleep
unless you release with one finger
a scream from the throat of your guitar
and turn your head back to the microphone
to let them know
you're a hard-hearted man
but that woman's sure going to make you cry.Comment
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Brilliant, Padraig...thanks a lot for that. I loved the poem by him that you posted on the Poetry thread, too.Originally posted by Padraig View Post
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Lizzie Douglas, aka Kid Douglas or Minnie Lawlars, was born 3rd June 1897 in Algiers, Louisiana. Of course we know her more as Memphis Minnie, writer and performer of such gems of the Blues as "Bumble Bee", "Me and My Chauffeur Blues" and 'When the Levee Breaks'. During the move to Urban Blues Minnie stood pretty much alone as the only female representative, but she was renowned as able to mix it with the Men. She is certainly one of the earliest women to pick up the electric guitar. Bukka White described her as 'the best thing goin' in the woman line', and she is one of the greats of the blues. R Crumb's picture of her is a beauty.
Here's 'Ma Rainey' by Minnie.
By the way, it's Jimmy Rogers birthday too ...born 27 years on from Minnie in Ruleville, Mississippi.Comment
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June 5th marks the birth date of Lil McClintock in 1883. McClintock was from Clinton, South Carolina, near the birthplaces of both The Rev. Gary Davis and ‘The Carolina Bluesman’ Pink Anderson. Although McClintock’s voice was not recorded until 1930, he and his wife had been interviewed considerably earlier, in 1923, by Chapman J. Milling. At that time Milling collected a version of Delia Holmes, later better known as Delia or Delia’s Gone, and much later covered brilliantly by Dylan. Lil is most famous for 'Don't think I'm Santa Claus', most inappropriate for June, so here is 'Sow Good Seeds' which turns up on the mighty Dust-to-Digital's 'Goodbye Babylon'.
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It's Skip James' birthday today, born Nehemiah Curtis James in Bentonia, Mississippi in 1902, one of the true originals of the Delta Blues. Songwriter, singer and guitarist in a style notable for its ethereal sounds, open minor guitar tunings, gloomy themes, falsetto vocals, and songs that bemoan the work of the devil. He recorded 18 sides in 1931 including 'Hard Time Killing Floor' and 'Devil Got My Woman' before going on to be a preacher. Robert Johnson was very influenced by Skip. He was re-discovered and played in the 60s Blues Revival - here he is at Newport in '66.
He was later one of the subjects, with Blind Willie Johnson and JB Lenoir, of Wim Wenders film 'Soul of a Man' for Scorcese's series about the blues...and mighty fine it is too, if you ask me.Comment
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Mention of Skip James always reminds me of Spit James, guitarist with the first line-up of Keef Hartley Band, sharing some great bluesy guitar with Miller Anderson on the first two albums.Originally posted by johncorrigan View PostIt's Skip James' birthday today, born Nehemiah Curtis James in Bentonia, Mississippi in 1902, one of the true originals of the Delta Blues. Songwriter, singer and guitarist in a style notable for its ethereal sounds, open minor guitar tunings, gloomy themes, falsetto vocals, and songs that bemoan the work of the devil. He recorded 18 sides in 1931 including 'Hard Time Killing Floor' and 'Devil Got My Woman' before going on to be a preacher. Robert Johnson was very influenced by Skip. He was re-discovered and played in the 60s Blues Revival - here he is at Newport in '66.
He was later one of the subjects, with Blind Willie Johnson and JB Lenoir, of Wim Wenders film 'Soul of a Man' for Scorcese's series about the blues...and mighty fine it is too, if you ask me.
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