Elmore James would have been 102 today, born 27th January 1918 in Richland, Mississippi. Here's a live version of 'Rollin' and Tumblin'. Can't find any film of him playing.
-
-
You're right JC - I can't find any either. Thanks for this though.Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post
There is some of his son in 2011....it's not so good, his voice is nowhere near as strong, his playing is a little too tight somehow.
Can't blame him for keeping his old man's music going.Comment
-
He died in 1963, Global, so I'm found it surprising there was no film, and it would seem he recorded into the 60s. I loved 'Rollin' and Tumblin' - I was surprised because it didn't sound like him.Originally posted by Globaltruth View Post
The great Willie Dixon died this day in 1992 in Burbank, California at 76. Came a long way from Vicksburg, Mississippi, and of course there's plenty film of him available. However here he is with his 'Big Three Trio' on 'I ain't gonna be your Monkey Man'.
Love it!
Comment
-
Frank Devera Jaxon was born 3rd February, 1897, in Montgomery AL. He was raised in Kansas City after being orphaned. The Blues isn't often associated with drag acts but Frankie 'Half-pint' Jaxon would often appear wearing wild wigs and outrageous dresses singing songs like '(It Must be Jelly, cos you know) Jam don't Shake'.
Comment
-
I'm not talking about the father of the Super-soaker here, by the way - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37062579
The Lonnie Johnson I'm celebrating today is Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson, born New Orleans around 1890 on the 8th February. Johnson's father and nine other members of his family died in the influenza epidemic of 1918. So Johnson headed north. He played on riverboats and wound up in St. Louis. He is seen as one of the first to play guitar solos. In the 60s he was rediscovered when working as a janitor in a hotel and played on many of the American Blues tours. A quiet man, he just got on with playing great guitar. Wonder if Lonnie Donegan named himself after Johnson.
Here's 'Blue Ghost Blues' from the mid-20s - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp9BlskYdqU - what a player!
...and here's Sonny Boy introducing him in the 60s on 'Another Night to Cry' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8fyb9vpIc0
Last edited by johncorrigan; 08-02-20, 09:12.Comment
-
and yet I never think of him as a blues or jazz musician - just an original. Not many weeks go by without me playing at least one of his numbers - always lifts my spirit.Originally posted by johncorrigan View PostI'm not talking about the father of the Super-soaker here, by the way - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37062579
The Lonnie Johnson I'm celebrating today is Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson, born New Orleans around 1890 on the 8th February. Johnson's father and nine other members of his family died in the influenza epidemic of 1918. So Johnson headed north. He played on riverboats and wound up in St. Louis. He is seen as one of the first to play guitar solos. In the 60s he was rediscovered when working as a janitor in a hotel and played on many of the American Blues tours. A quiet man, he just got on with playing great guitar. Wonder if Lonnie Donegan named himself after Johnson.
Here's 'Blue Ghost Blues' from the mid-20s - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp9BlskYdqU - what a player!
...and here's Sonny Boy introducing him in the 60s on 'Another Night to Cry' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8fyb9vpIc0
Thanks JC for choosing a couple of great clips; I'll raise a glass to his memory later on. :cool1:
Never knew he was an Alonzo.Comment
-
No doubt about it, Global. One of the true greats, and maybe overlooked because he seems to have been a quiet guy. Played with lots of greats of jazz and blues, but maybe some of the best is with Eddie Lang. Here's Eddie under the name Blind Willie Dunn with Lonnie, Hoagie Carmichael, King Oliver and Charlie Hopkins on 'Jet Black Blues'...just epic stuff.Originally posted by Globaltruth View Post
Comment
-
Little Walter died this day in 1968 in Chicago, Illinois. Given his reputation I'm surprised he didn't take on the German presenter in this clip from a year earlier who seems intent on getting in on the act, talking over the top of Walter's moothie solo.
By the way, I've probably mentioned it before, but if you want an enjoyable biopic of the Chicago Blues scene of the 50s and 60s you could do a lot worse than try 'Cadillac Records' about Chess records. Great performance by Beyonce as Etta James, among other things.
Comment
-
It's the wonderful Francis 'Scrapper' Blackwell's birthday, born 21st February 1904 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Supposedly this former bootlegger played a cigar c box guitar. Here he is with his compadre Leroy Carr doing 'How Long Blues' from as far back as 1928.
Bob Dylan says about 'Scrapper', that 'there is a strong line in all of our music that can be traced back directly to Scrapper Blackwell. He was a truly great musician who did deserve more than was ever given to him'. He gave up playing after Leroy Carr died of kidney disease recording just this one last tribute to his old playing pal, before disappearing into obscurity.
He was plucked from poverty in the late 50s when rediscovered and recorded some more before being gunned down in a mugging in '62.Last edited by johncorrigan; 21-02-20, 04:22.Comment
-
He lived a life...Originally posted by johncorrigan View PostIt's the wonderful Francis 'Scrapper' Blackwell's birthday, born 21st February 1904 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Supposedly this former bootlegger played a cigar c box guitar. Here he is with his compadre Leroy Carr doing 'How Long Blues' from as far back as 1928.
Bob Dylan says about 'Scrapper', that 'there is a strong line in all of our music that can be traced back directly to Scrapper Blackwell. He was a truly great musician who did deserve more than was ever given to him'. He gave up playing after Leroy Carr died of kidney disease recording just this one last tribute to his old playing pal, before disappearing into obscurity.
He was plucked from poverty in the late 50s when rediscovered and recorded some more before being gunned down in a mugging in '62.
Comment
-
-
He certainly was.Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post
I'd better put a plug in for our neighbour, Dave Blanchard, who was inspired by cigar box guitars...
We bought one for a guitarist friend - it is a wonderful thing.
Oh and local guitar hero, John Gill doing a version of Paris, Texas
Last edited by Globaltruth; 22-02-20, 13:34.Comment
-
Brilliant stuff. They look great, Global, and clearly they work for real.Originally posted by Globaltruth View PostHe certainly was.
I'd better put a plug in for our neighbour, Dave Blanchard, who was inspired by cigar box guitars...
We bought one for a guitarist friend - it is a wonderful thing.
Oh and local guitar hero, John Gill doing a version of Paris, Texas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logoComment
-
American blues singer and harmonica player, Papa Lightfoot, also known as Papa George Lightfoot, was born Alexander Lightfoot in Natchez, Mississippi on 2nd March 1924. Also botn 2nd March, but this time in 1906 in Henderson, Kentucky was Theodore Roosevelt Darby aka Blind Teddy Darby. He moved to St Louis and did do a bit of time for selling moonshine, so here's 'Bought a Bottle of Gin'.
Comment
-
Walter “Furry” Lewis was, according to several sources, born on this day in 1893, in Greenwood, in the Mississippi delta.
An exceptional musician - particularly with the bottleneck and Hawaiian styles, he had a masterful grasp of the blues but still found the life of a travelling musician did not support him so quit the business in 1930; losing a leg after falling under a train no doubt played a big part.
He was rediscovered in 1950 by Sam Charters of Folkways who said:
"A great blues singer brings to his music an emotion and imagination that doesn't depend on technical display. As singers mature their music often achieves a new expressiveness."
So, what to play? Well here’s a heartfelt homage from 1976
And this, from the latter part of his life, Pearlee Blues, with some masterful bottleneck and rambling lyrics
(Any theories as to where the ‘Furry’ nickname came from would be gratefully received)Comment
Comment