Willie Brown, most famous, of course, for getting a mention on Robert Johnson's 'Crossroads Blues', was born 6 August, 1900 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Willie played with all the greats of the delta blues from Charley Patton and Son House, influencing the likes of Johnson and Muddy Waters. There's not a lot of Willie playing out front on recordings - he was usually a side man - but here he is recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin in 1930 singing 'M&O Blues', just Willie and his guitar. Classic delta blues.
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The old calendar on the kitchen wall tells me that 19th August in 1959 is the day that, following a cerebral haemorrhage, the great Blind Willie McTell died in Milledgeville, Georgia. The greatest of the Atlanta bluesmen, his voice is unmistakeable, his guitar playing always of the highest quality as here on 'Death Room Blues (take 2)' in 1933 in New York City.
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John Lee Hooker would have been 105 today(August 22).
Here's 'Stuttering Blues' from 1953:
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Another of them Clarksdale boys, JR. Great tune.Originally posted by Jazzrook View PostJohn Lee Hooker would have been 105 today(August 22).
Here's 'Stuttering Blues' from 1953:
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The old calendar informs me that it's Freddy King's birthday, born 3rd September, 1934 in Gilmer, Texas. A very fine, much underappreciated singer and guitarist, but hailed by Clapton as one of the greats of the Blues. Here he is with enthusiastic dancers accompanying on 'I'm Torn Down'.
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According to the calendar, pianist and singer Albert Luandrew, aka Sunnyland Slim, was born this day in 1907 in Vance Mississippi. Here he is trying to get back to Memphis in that raw delta style.
He moved to Chicago in 1942 and played with artists from Muddy Waters to Canned Heat. Canned Heat joined him in 1969 on his record 'Slim's got his Thing Going On' featuring Mick Taylor.
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I see from the ole blues calendar on the kitchen wall that Barbecue Bob was born Robert Hicks in Walnut Grove, Georgia on 11th September 1902 - songs don't come much better than 'Motherless Chile' from '27, a brilliant bit of early Piedmont Blues.
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Bob Dylan observed, "There is a strong line in all 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 him".
Francis Hillman 'Scrapper' Blackwell was fatally shot in the alley outside his flat in Indianapolis, Indiana on this day in 1962. A wonderful guitarist, best known for his association with Leroy Carr, with whom he teamed up in 1928. Blackwell, who received his moniker from his Grandmother due to his combative temperament, gave up playing after Carr's untimely death in 1935. He was coaxed back out to play twenty years later. Here he is, on his own, on a big favourite of mine, 'Little Boy Blue'.
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Big Joe Williams was born this day in 1903 just out of Crawford in Oktibbeha County in Mississippi - a hard living travelling bluesman, Joe came from a family of blues players - he made a guitar and added three extra strings which became his trademark. Joe left home in his teens playing for the workers in turpentine, railway and logging camps. He moved to St Louis and then on to Chicago still playing the folk blues even after the arrival of the electric guitar. His most famous song is 'Baby Please don't go' which he wrote with his wife and was recorded by many artists, most famously by Van when he was with Them. He travelled throughout his life, the classic itinerant bluesman. Here he is on 'Highway 49'.
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A Robert Crumb fave as I recall and this is a good article about BJW and many others by Mike Bloomfield...Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post
Last edited by Globaltruth; 18-10-22, 11:39.Comment
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That old calendar on the kitchen wall is well into November now. It's the birthday of one of my favourites as Booker T. Washington White was born 12th November, 1906 in Houston, Mississippi. Fortunately there are some fine bits of film of him doing the rounds so he will continue to be wondered at. Here he is in 1966 on stage with Son House and Skip James - there's a longer clip of the three giants but I thought I'd post this one for Bukka's birthday introducing and playing 'Aberdeen Blues'.
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I probably post this every year but according to the old calendar, Washboard Sam died this day in 1966 in Chicago, Illinois - (heart disease) - which gives me the chance to play a complete favourite of mine....not remotely politically correct, but Ron Santos would approve of Sam's lack of wokeness, whatever that means...'Sophisticated Mama' with his Washboard Band. I notice that it's classified as a fox trot, by the way...I love the piano.
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As far as I know R. Crumb has never drawn WB Sam.Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post
How has he resisted that?
Anyway, here is the great man
we can be pretty sure it is him...Comment
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I'm enjoying digging out R. Crumb versions of old bluesmen and I am sure Crumb wouldn't mind as long as it was pointed out that occasional signed, limited edition print runs of these are available from here:Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post
I'm in occasional touch with Eden Brower so can check. [Can't beat a bit of name dropping.]
No Bukka T, but:
Skip James - R. Crumb has drawn him a few times and this is my favourite version currently.
Here, from the same run of drawings, is Son House.
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