My nice new Blues Calendar

[cloughie]

I did jump ahead with an enquiring mind, cloughie, but no Leap birthdays or death days reported in the Calendar for next month.

However, here's a bit of barrelhouse piano from New Orleans, I suppose, courtesy of Blind Leroy Garnett who died 3rd January 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. It's great reading some of the comments on some of these more obscure tracks on YT - one Dr Pinsker says ' I found Garnett's WWI draft card. His full name was Leroy Roscoe Garnett, and his date of birth was August 6, 1897. His occupation is given as "piano player", though he wasn't employed at the time of the registration. He's living in Chicago in 1917. The absolute identifier: it says that he is ineligible to serve because he's "totally blind." '

Here's Leroy on 'Louisiana Glide'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RDDg4iI6QU

No doubt it would have been a real ‘blues’ coup to have someone born with so little luck, that not only were they left there in the cold, that they were destined to spend a life with eligibility for birthday gifts only every four years - ‘yeah man I got these four years to wait leap year blues’.

[Globaltruth]

No doubt it would have been a real ‘blues’ coup to have someone born with so little luck, that not only were they left there in the cold, that they were destined to spend a life with eligibility for birthday gifts only every four years - ‘yeah man I got these four years to wait leap year blues’.

Blues-influenced Brian Jones (R.Stones) was born on 28th Feb. 1942
You can draw your own conclusions as to how lucky he was.

[johncorrigan]

Blues-influenced Brian Jones (R.Stones) was born on 28th Feb. 1942
You can draw your own conclusions as to how lucky he was.

I'll do the Maths, Global.

[cloughie]

Blues-influenced Brian Jones (R.Stones) was born on 28th Feb. 1942
You can draw your own conclusions as to how lucky he was.

I don’t think he’d have known how to use luck at the end, however, in his short life he probably brought more blues influence to the Stones than there has been in the 50 years since.

[Globaltruth]

I don’t think he’d have known how to use luck at the end, however, in his short life he probably brought more blues influence to the Stones than there has been in the 50 years since.

Can't argue with that.... (although I've not listened to them for about 30 years so might be wrong)

[cloughie]

Can't argue with that.... (although I've not listened to them for about 30 years so might be wrong)

I think their last decent single was ‘Start me up’ from the last good ‘bluesy’ album ‘Tattoo You’ - the ‘Blue and Lonesome’ seemed a great idea of a couple of years ago for me lacked any real conviction - quite disappointing really.

[johncorrigan]

I think their last decent single was ‘Start me up’ from the last good ‘bluesy’ album ‘Tattoo You’ - the ‘Blue and Lonesome’ seemed a great idea of a couple of years ago for me lacked any real conviction - quite disappointing really.

Agreed, cloughie. 'Blue and Lonesome' was alright at best. I saw the Strolling Bones a couple of years ago in Murrayfield (a pal gave me a couple of tickets, I should add) and they were fab, even if they were pretty much just a top-notch tribute band, with Corporal Jones on drums.

Not like those old days when they nicked the Robert Wilkins tune to make the excellent 'Prodigal Son'...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUjN6ZN00MI

[johncorrigan]

Nothing to do with the Calendar, as such, but I've been listening to the podcast from the NY Times, '1619', commemorating the arrival of the first slaves from Africa in Virginia. Very powerful pieces so far. Saying that, the 'Birth of American Music' was a bit superficial, though I was interested on its take on the development of the Minstrel Shows. However in the middle of it came this great tune by Muddy Waters, still recording as Sunnyland Slim, doing 'You Gonna Miss me'...so good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya9iQtr7uL4

[johncorrigan]

Nothing to do with the Calendar, as such, but I've been listening to the podcast from the NY Times, '1619', commemorating the arrival of the first slaves from Africa in Virginia. Very powerful pieces so far. Saying that, the 'Birth of American Music' was a bit superficial, though I was interested on its take on the development of the Minstrel Shows. However in the middle of it came this great tune by Muddy Waters, still recording as Sunnyland Slim, doing 'You Gonna Miss me'...so good!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya9iQtr7uL4

Corrections and Clarifications section - when I said 'recording as Sunnyland Slim', I should have said 'recording with Sunnyland Slim' - sorry 'bout that. Muddy played with Sunnyland Slim early after his arrival in Chicago in the 40s. Sunnyland, born Albert Luandrew in 1907, had a long career as a piano man from the 20s in Beale Street, then to Chicago in the 40s, toured Europe with the American Blues Festival till his death in '95. But his big claim to fame is that he got Muddy his gig and got him noticed by Leonard Chess.

But while I'm here, it's 8th January, and on this day in 1904 in Smithville, Georgia was born one Hudson Woodbridge (aka Woodbridge) who became Tampa Red, one of the biggest recording stars of the 30s. Red, named after the colour of his hair, was a guitarist, piano player who also had the kazoo on his cv. He recorded some risque blues numbers, moving to Chicago where he and his wife ran a boarding house well remembered by artists such as Willie Dixon, Big Bill and Memphis Slim, among others. Still, when asked in the 60s what he thought of Rock'n'Roll, the man who recorded among other tracks, 'Let Me Play with Your Poodle', was quoted as saying disapprovingly 'Rock'n'Roll songs only have one fairly smutty meaning'.

Here he is in 1940 with 'It Hurts Me Too'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34VJzHT9nuk - complete with kazoo.

[Globaltruth]

Nice post JC - always been one of my favourite slide players.
here he is on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-5M--sc5lY

the only colour picture I have ever seen accompanies the video - and his hair doesn't look that red to me...oh well, it's the music that matters.

[johncorrigan]

Nice post JC - always been one of my favourite slide players.
here he is on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-5M--sc5lY

the only colour picture I have ever seen accompanies the video - and his hair doesn't look that red to me...oh well, it's the music that matters.

Maybe he was tamparing with it, Global.

One thing I get with the Blues Calendar is a CD of old rare recordings. I was attracted by this one, with a reminder of 'Kansas City Blues', this is Jim Jackson on 'I'm Gonna Move to Louisiana'. Love his voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl1Sw10vhC8

[johncorrigan]

Delta bluesman Robert Wilkins' birthday coming round for another year means it must be 16th January. Robert was born this day in 1896 in Hernando, Mississippi, which was also the birthplace of Jim Jackson from a few days back. Wilkins started out as a blues singer before giving up the Devil's Music and turning to preaching, re-writing some earlier songs as gospel numbers. Rev Robert is probably best known for having his 'Prodigal Son' covered/nicked by the Stones, but here's he is on 'Falling Down Blues', back when he was still dancing with Beelzebub...well, the women anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhAL383cq8o

[johncorrigan]

Leadbelly was born 20th January, 1889 in Mooringsport, Louisiana. Here's a bit of film of him singing 'Goodnight Irene'. Him and Willie Nelson could have a good contest for who's got the most beat up guitar, I reckon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn50JSI0W-E

[johncorrigan]

As well as being Blind Willie Johnson's birthday today - Independence, Texas in 1897, it's also Hammie Nixon's birthday, born this day in 1907 in Brownsville, Tennessee. A fine harmonica player and playing partner of Sleepy John Estes, you'll notice he could offer a spot of Kazoo and the like on this take on 'She Keeps Me Worried and Bothered all the Time'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84_gqr4mw68

[johncorrigan]

it's also Hammie Nixon's birthday, born this day in 1907 in Brownsville, Tennessee. A fine harmonica player and playing partner of Sleepy John Estes, you'll notice he could offer a spot of Kazoo and the like on this take on 'She Keeps Me Worried and Bothered all the Time'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84_gqr4mw68

Talking of which it's the birthday of Sleepy John Estes today, born Burn's Day 1899 in Ripley, Tennessee. Born John Adam Estes he developed his plaintive singing style as Work-Gang Leader on a railroad maintenance crew. 'Sleepy' came from his apparent skill at sleeping standing up. He teamed up with the aforementioned Nixon and Yank Rachell playing the circuits but he largely lived in poverty. The three were rediscovered in the 60s and went on to play and record some more. Here's Sleepy John on 'Liquor Store Blues'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opfrh-ITz-U