Originally posted by johncorrigan
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I've got a sneaky feeling that in a rare prescient, Nostradamus-type moment she's singing about BBC Sounds versus iPlayer Radio. -
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Jessie Mae Hemphill Oct 18 1923
By one day, we missed the birthday of Jessie Mae Hemphill, aka the She-Wolf, born on Oct. 18 1923.
She was the grand daughter of Sid Hemphill, an early fife-and-drum pioneer, and you can still find some of Jessie Mae's work with fife-and-drum groups.
I first came across her in that excellent film Deep Blues (1991) .
she was sadly incapacitated by a stroke and died in 2006.
Here she is from happier times, and this is the track featured on Deep Blues
I'm sure she won't mind if I include a track from her equally remarkable grandfather....
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I hope that song by Jessie Mae wasn't a comment on my nice wee Calendar's omission of her from the birthday litany, Global
- hey, it's only an inanimate object, though it's often felt mighty alive these last months. Thanks for the postings. I first came upon her courtesy of one Paul Sherratt, formerly of this parish (how you doin' out there, Paul?) - he posted this wonderful track of Jessie with Richard Johnson - 'Chicken and Gravy' - I know, I've posted it before, and I'm sure I'll post it again.
and while I'm here, where did she get that hat?
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Saunders Terrell was born 24th October 1911 (a Tuesday, by the way), in Greensboro, Georgia, playing in the Piedmont Blues style. Of course, he became better known as Sonny Terry and played harmonica alongside Brownie McGhee's guitar for many a long year, becoming a star of the Blues revival of the 60s and 70s. Here he is with Ry Cooder on the 'Crossroads' soundtrack on 'Walkin' Away Blues'.
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Lemon Henry "Blind Lemon" Jefferson was born this day 1894 in Wortham, Texas. He worked the streets of East Texas in his teens and is sometimes known as king of the Texas Blues, influencing the likes of Leadbelly and Lightnin' Hopkins. Some feel that he didn't gain the reputation he deserved because he recorded with Paramount who used inferior equipment to the more advance Okeh. Jefferson wrote 'Matchbox Blues' with Ma Rainey; the Beatles would eventually record it from a version by Carl Perkins, where Carl had claimed the writing credits. Perkins maintained that he had never heard Jefferson's song when he recorded "Matchbox".
He was buried in the Wortham (Texas) Negro Cemetery, and his grave went unmarked until 1967, when blues devotees placed a metal marker on the plot; in 1997 it was replaced by a granite headstone and the graveyard eventually titled Blind Lemon Jefferson Cemetery.
'Black Snake Moan' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3yd-c91ww8Comment
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Wikipedia gives his birthdate as Sept 24 1893.
but, as anyone who listens to the news at the moment knows, facts simply do not matter. If you don't like them, just ignore them or change them.
Anyway I, for one, am happy to see him on here.
Match Box Blues - given that his song actually sounds nothing like the Carl Perkins version, it is entirely possible Carls' claim is correct:
It's an odd first name to give someone isn't it? Lemon. His full name was Lemon Henry Jefferson. Allegedly.Comment
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As I said earlier in the year, Global, my wee Blues Calendar is nice...maybe not perfect, but I'm going with it.Originally posted by Globaltruth View PostWikipedia gives his birthdate as Sept 24 1893.
Actually I looked back and realised that I missed Hattie McDaniel's birthday by a day, and am doing the same of her death day; she died 26th October, 1952 in California. She's famed for being the first African American to win an Oscar (for her role as Mammy in 'Gone with the Wind'), although I don't think she was allowed to attend the Award Ceremony. For me, however, it's her dueting on 'Ah Still Suits Me' with Paul Robeson in 'Showboat'. One of my all time favourite film songs.
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Not a lot I can tell you about Charlie Kyle born this day in 1881 in San Marcos, Texas, except that he was a twelve-string guitar player and he was worried.
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worried about the mid-term elections do you think JC?Originally posted by johncorrigan View Post
Anyway he has a style somewhat reminiscent of Lonnie Johnson.
For comparison purposes, here is Lonnie, with a lovely intro by Sonny Boy Williamson
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I sure am worried anyway , GT, but that Lonnie J is genius...helps to blow the troubles away...thanks!Originally posted by Globaltruth View PostComment
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“Well I liked his playing and I admired him. I loved to hear him play but he was not my idol as a guitarist but as a person though, as a person I was crazy about him. He loved to have fun, loved his drinks and so on but I liked him because when I was a small boy he used to come visit my mom and he’d always bring us candy or something and he was a good talker, he always had something nice to tell you and he’d make us laugh.”
That's BB King talking about his 2nd Cousin, Bukka White who was born Booker Washington White this day in 1906 in Houston, Mississippi
When I was a teen there was a local Glasgow/Edinburgh band called East West who used to finish every gig with their version of Bukka White's 'Fixin' to Die Blues'. No matter the dangers of missing the last bus to Paisley there was no way we were leaving before they did it, so I've always had a soft spot for Bukka, even before I ever heard him. He didn't record too much in the 30s and 40s but he was veteran musician before he did record, and there is no doubting the quality of his performances. He spent time in Parchman Farm for shooting a man and was released in 1939 before drifting back into obscurity. However he was rediscovered in the 60s and enjoyed great adulation.
I recall Andy Kershaw playing 'Panama Limited' and introducing it saying 'Here's rapping 1930's style'.
Fixin' to Die Blues - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szGRsuK8MbM
Every one a gem!Comment
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Not much action on the old Blues calendar lately but here at the tale end of the month I notice that Robert Nighthawk was born Robert Lee McCollum on November 30, 1909 to Ned and Mattie McCollum in Helena, Arkansas. For some this wandering bluesman was considered the greatest of the slide guitarists, with his rather unusual wailing style of play, and yet he remains a fairly mysterious figure, perhaps because he kept performing and recording under various names. He started out as a harmonica player, but did not play guitar until the mid-30s. Although he played much of the time from then till his death in '67, he didn't benefit much from the 60s' Blues Boom because he didn't like Chicago and wasn't interested in being there too often. BB King said he was in his top 10 blues guitarists.
Here he is on 'Anna Lee'.
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Heaven forbid that you think I'm neglecting my duties but it's certainly a quiet time as the ole calendar reaches towards the end of its days, but I thought I'd let you know there's still life in the old dog yet...and the calendar still has something to offer too. Can't tell you anything much about Virgil Perkins except that he was born this day in Mobile, Alabama in 1903 and he was a bit of skiffler as you can hear on 'John Henry' with Jack Sims recorded by the great Sam Charters in the mid-50s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIWACYX2Lns *
* contains kazoo!
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Ooooooooooooppppppsssss! I have been ducking my duty this last couple of days and managed to fail to wish a few chaps birthday wishes.
Jed Davenport was born Christmas Day 1884 and here he is with his Beale Street Jug Band and the rather wonderful 'You Better Move Out of Town'.
Also born Christmas Day but two years later in Greenville, North Carolina a happy birthdaymas to Frank Braswell, who played with Big Bill's Famous Hokum Boys in the 20s. Here they are on 'Eagle Riding Papa'.
Finally for now, Jaydee Short was born 26th December 1902 in Port Gibson Mississippi. This fine singer/guitarist recorded under a number of pseudonyms including the fine moniker Jelly Jaw Short.
Here he is on 'Lonesome Swamp Rattlesnake' from 1930. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17_-lq2_K_AComment
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