My nice new Blues Calendar

[johncorrigan]

Much older and wiser....

"the west was full of poets and radicals"

I'm delighted that he found them, not just in the west, but all over the world, GT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36fd6lIQpIQ

In case you've got a bit of time on your hands, by the way.

http://culturalequity.org/podcast

[Globaltruth]

[johncorrigan]

John Ned Shines, wonderful guitarist and singer of the Blues, was born 25th April, 1915 in Frayser, Memphis, Tennessee. He travelled with the Wolf and played with Robert Johnson and could have been one of the top guys, but he became disgusted by what he called 'praetorian record producers and sold all his gear and quit. Sam Charters rediscovered him and he went on to have a good career, into the 1980s. At his funeral, the American music historian said of Shines:
“When the definitive history of the blues comes to be written, Johnny Shines will take his place with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Johnson and Elmore James, as one of the great creators and one of the great interpreters of the blues tradition. What distinguished his music is what distinguished the man: a restless spirit of inquiry, a fierce sense of determination, a constant commitment to exploration, a pride in himself, his family, and his people…”
Here's Johnny with Big Walter Horton on moothie with a crackin' 12-bar from the early 50s, 'Hello Central'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMz7tf9qJCE

[johncorrigan]

In popular legend, the Delta blues scene was dominated by haunted, Devil-harried guitarists whose records remain the gold standard for “deep” blues. Robert Johnson is the most famous name in this pantheon, but among aficionados Charley Patton is almost universally hailed as the founding, defining genius, of the delta blues with his gruff lyrics growled while tapping to a different rhythm and playing another on the strings. He was older than the other delta blues musicians like Johnson, House, Staples, Waters, and they all seem to have picked up his sophisticated rhythms that distinguish them from other parts of the Blues.

Anyway, Charley died this day in 1934 in Indiana, Mississippi of heart failure at the age of approximately 42. Here are those attributes on show on 'Down The Dirt Road Blues' which also displays his Native American background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxO2752Zt7A

[Globaltruth]

Great Post JC. On his tombstone:
THE VOICE OF THE DELTA

Here are the lyrics:

'm goin' away to a world unknown
I'm goin' away to world unknown
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long

My rider got somethin', she's tryin' a keep it hid
My rider got somethin', she's tryin' a keep it hid
Lord, I got somethin' to find that somethin' with

I feel like choppin', chips flyin' everywhere
I feel like choppin', chips flyin' everywhere
I been to the Nation, Lord, but I couldn't stay there

Some people say them oversea blues ain't bad
(Why, of course they are)
Some people say them oversea blues ain't bad
(What was a-matter with 'em?!)
It must not a-been them oversea blues I had

Every day seem like murder here
(My God, I'm no sheriff)
Every day seem like murder here
I'm gonna leave tomorrow, I know you don't bid my care

Can't go down any dirt road by myself
Can't go down any dirt road by myself
(My Lord, who ya gonna carry?)
I don't carry mine, gonna carry me someone else

Here's Spoonful Blues - a mysterious song, A spoonful of what?? Unless perhaps the guitar is providing the refrain....

(spoken: I'm about to go to jail about this spoonful)
In all a spoon', 'bout that spoon'
The women goin' crazy, every day in their life 'bout a...
It's all I want, in this creation is a...
I go home (spoken: wanna fight!) 'bout a...
Doctor's dyin' (way in Hot Springs !)
just 'bout a...
These women goin' crazy every day in their life 'bout a...

Would you kill a man dead? (spoken: yes, I will!) just 'bout a...
Oh babe, I'm a fool about my...
(spoken: Don't take me long!) to get my...
Hey baby, you know I need my...
It's mens on Parchman (done lifetime) just 'bout a...
Hey baby, (spoken: you know I ain't long) 'bout my...
It's all I want (spoken: honey, in this creation) is a...
I go to bed, get up and wanna fight 'bout a...
(spoken: Look-y here, baby, would you slap me? Yes I will!) just 'bout a...
Hey baby,
(spoken: you know I'm a fool a-)
'bout my...
Would you kill a man?
(spoken: Yes I would, you know I'd kill him)
just 'bout a...
Most every man (spoken: that you see is)
fool 'bout his...
(spoken: You know baby, I need)
that ol'...
Hey baby,
(spoken: I wanna hit the judge 'bout a)
'bout a...
(spoken: Baby, you gonna quit me? Yeah honey!)
just 'bout a...
It's all I want, baby, this creation is a...
(spoken: look-y here, baby, I'm leavin' town!)
just 'bout a...
Hey baby, (spoken: you know I need)
that ol'...
(spoken: Don't make me mad, baby!)
'cause I want my...
Hey baby, I'm a fool 'bout that...
(spoken: Look-y here, honey!)
I need that...
Most every man leaves without a...
Sundays' mean (spoken: I know they are)
'bout a...
Hey baby, (spoken: I'm sneakin' around here)
and ain't got me no...
Oh, that spoon', hey baby, you know I need my...

[johncorrigan]

Otis Rush's birthday today, born 1935 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Such an influence on the Chicago scene of the fifties, but here he is live and in brilliant form in Berlin in 1966 with 'Sweet Little Angel'.

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

[johncorrigan]

'Nobody can sing the Blues like William Samuel McTier', to paraphrase Bob Dylan, though it doesn't have the same ring to it as 'Nobody can sing the Blues like Blind Willie McTell', born this day in 1901 in Thomson, Georgia. Blind from birth, Willie travelled all through the Atlanta area, on through to Florida and South Carolina playing barbecues, churches, clubs. He played solo, sometimes accompanied by his wife. He played with Curley Weaver, Piano Red, Barbecue Bob, even Blind Willie Johnson. McTell is one of the finest performers of the Blues in any style, playing his twelve string and accompanying with that great vocal style. One of the true greats. Here's one of his gospel numbers, 'I Got the Cross the River Jordan'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNo-0_kmb2s

[johncorrigan]

King of the Delta Blues, Robert Leroy Johnson, was born 111 years ago today in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Alexis Korner said of Johnson, 'He had a supreme sense of time, which permitted him to break tempos and to sing, over implied rather than stated rhythms.' All 29 of his recordings were made in the last eighteen months of his life and are perhaps the most influential tracks in the development of the rock music of the latter half of the 20th century and beyond.
Here's his first ever release from 1936 ...'Terraplane Blues'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It-tJ8DOjIk

[Globaltruth]

King of the Delta Blues, Robert Leroy Johnson, was born 111 years ago today in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Alexis Korner said of Johnson, 'He had a supreme sense of time, which permitted him to break tempos and to sing, over implied rather than stated rhythms.' All 29 of his recordings were made in the last eighteen months of his life and are perhaps the most influential tracks in the development of the rock music of the latter half of the 20th century and beyond.
Here's his first ever release from 1936 ...'Terraplane Blues'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It-tJ8DOjIk

Great - is this an opportunity to go down the rabbithole about possible pics of RLJ??
Reckon it is...

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/a-new-photo-of-robert-johnson-the-third-in-existence-has-been-uncovered

[johncorrigan]

One of those great call-and-response songs performed and written by husband and wife, Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie - 'She Put Me Outdoors'. Joe was born 11th May 1905 in Raymond, Mississippi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7tSJN0aHoE

[johncorrigan]

The Blues calendar on the kitchen wall is heading into June, but not before it gives a nod to Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker, born 28th May, 1910 in Linden, Texas. He's regarded as one of the greatest of the blues guitarists, cited as a major influence on BB, Hendrix, Clapton. His play incorporates jazz and swing and he was one of the first to pick up the electric guitar. Here he is in front of a big band in London in '65 playing 'Hey Baby'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eriK3nD4bQ

[johncorrigan]

Memphis Minnie could have been a century and a quarter today, born Lizzie Douglas on June 3rd, 1897 in Algiers, Louisiana - as the years go by I love her music more and more. Here's the wonderful cautionary tale of what can befall you if you are 'Kissin' in the Dark'. Y'awl take care out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmAcl9xjxrI

[johncorrigan]

Sam Phillips said, 'When I heard Howlin' Wolf, I said, 'This is for me. This is where the soul of man never dies.' It's Wolf's birthday, born 10th June 1910 in West Point, Mississippi.
Here is the big man with Hubert Sumlin on guitar and Sam Lay on drums on 'Don't Laugh at Me'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJJWjFktQ34

[johncorrigan]

Armenter Chatmon aka Bo Carter was born in Charley Patton's home town of Bolton, Mississippi on 30th June 1893. The son of a former slave, Bo was a stalwart of the Mississippi Sheiks. But here he is on his own letting us know, if we didn't already, that a man can have too many 'Beans'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPPwDYCm18M

[johncorrigan]

It's Washboard Sam's birthday, born Robert Clifford Brown on 15th July, 1910 in Walnut Ridge Arkansas. He was reputed to be the half-brother of Big Bill Broonzy, and followed him north to Chicago in the early 30s where he became part of Lester Melrose's house band for Bluebird records in Aurora, Illinois. He was a great washboard player with a fine voice and a great stage personality. Here he is in 1937 with a fine sounding band on one of those Aurora recordings with 'My Bucket's Got a Hole in it'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PREaivgAIm8