WELCOME TO THE BLUES ARTIST QUIZ Instructions: On each page you will be shown the picture of an Historic Blues Artist. Click on the correct name from the list provided to move to the next picture. A result page will inform you if your answer is not correct. Click anywhere on this result page to return to the question. You can also click on each of the pictures to find out some information about the artist. There are twenty-two (22) pictures in total Good luck
1. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
2. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
3. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
4. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
5. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
6. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
7. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
8. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Charley Patton Peg Leg Howell Son House Jaybird Coleman Big Bill Lister Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
9. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
10. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
11. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
12. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
13. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
14. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
15. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
16. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
17. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
18. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
19. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
20. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
21. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
22. Mississippi John Hurt Sleepy John Estes Jaybird Coleman Charley Patton Blind Willie Johnson Peetie Wheatstraw Buddy Boy Hawkins Peg Leg Howell Son House Big Bill Lister Blind Lemon Jefferson Frank Stokes Memphis Minnie Furry Lewis Blind Gary Davis Roosevelt Sykes Papa Charlie Jackson Barbecue Bob Blind Willie Mc. Tell Skip James Blind Blake Sam Collins
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Information About Mississippi John Hurt (Page 1) The warm, amiable sound of Mississippi John Hurt is one of the earliest and most powerful influences in country blues. The downright friendly nature of Hurt's music stood in sharp contrast to his last name. The organic ease of his singing belied an innovative level of craft along with an astounding fingerpicking guitar technique. Born in 1893, Hurt began performing in the 1900 s, and made some seminal recordings for Okeh in 1928. Subsequently, he traded in the musician's life for farmwork until his rediscovery in the early '60 s, whereupon he made a series of excellent new records and achieved great reknown for his rural folk/country style. Born. John Smith Hurt, 3 July 1893, Teoc, Mississippi, USA, d. 2 November 1966, Grenada, Mississippi, USA. One of the major "rediscoveries" during the 60 s folk blues revival, Mississippi John Hurt began playing at informal gatherings and parties at the turn of the century, when guitars were still relatively uncommon. Although he worked within the idiom, Hurt did not regard himself as a blues singer and his relaxed, almost sweet, intonation contrasted with the aggressive approaches of many contemporaries. In 1928 he recorded two sessions for OKeh Records. These early masters included "Candy Man Blues", "Louis Collins" and "Ain't No Tellin" (aka "A Pallet On The Floor"), songs that were equally redolent of the ragtime tradition. For the ensuing three decades, Hurt worked as a farm-hand, reserving music for social occasions. His seclusion ended in 1963. Armed with those seminal OKeh recordings, a blues aficionado, Tom Hoskins, followed the autobiographical lyric of "Avalon Blues" and travelled to the singer's home-town. He persuaded Hurt to undertake a series of concerts, which in turn resulted in several new recordings. Appearances at the Newport Folk Festival ensued, before the artist completed several sessions for Vanguard Records, supervised by folk singer Patrick Sky. ………………. continued next page Return to quiz Next Page
Information About Mississippi John Hurt (Page 2) These included masterly reinterpretations of early compositions, as well as new, equally compelling pieces. Hurt's re-emergence was sadly brief. He died at Grenada County Hospital on 2 November 1966 following a heart attack, having inspired a new generation of country-blues performers. A tribute album was issued in 2001 which featured contributions from artists such as Chris Smither, Bruce Cockburn, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Peter Case, Ben Harper, Geoff Muldaur, Beck, Victoria Williams, Taj Mahal, Gillian Welch and John Hiatt. DISCOGRAPHY: Folk Songs And Blues (Piedmont 1963)***, Live (Piedmont 1964)***, Worried Blues (Piedmont 1964)***, Blues At Newport (Vanguard 1965)***, Last Sessions (Vanguard 1966)**, Today (Vanguard 1967)***. COMPILATIONS: The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt (Vanguard 1967)***, Avalon Blues (Heritage 1982)***, Shake That Thing (Blue Moon 1986)***, Monday Morning Blues (Flyright 1987)***, Sacred And Secular 1963 (Heritage 1988)***, Memorial Anthology (Edsel 1994)***, Legend (Rounder 1997)***, The Best Of Mississippi John Hurt: Ain't No Tellin' (Aim 1998)***, Rediscovered (Vanguard 1998)***, The Complete Studio Recordings (Vanguard 2000)****, Avalon Blues: A Tribute To The Music Of Mississippi John Hurt (Vanguard 2001)****, Live (Vanguard 2002)***, Candy Man Blues (Complete Blues 2004)****. Return to quiz
Information About Sleepy John Estes b. John Adams Estes, 25 January 1899, Ripley, Tennessee, USA, d. 5 June 1977, Brownsville, Tennessee, USA. This influential blues singer first performed at local house-parties while in his early teens. In 1916 he began working with mandolinist Yank Rachell, a partnership that was revived several times throughout their respective careers. It was also during this formative period that Estes met Hammie Nixon (harmonica), another individual with whom he shared a longstanding empathy. Estes made his recording debut in September 1929. He eventually completed eight masters for the RCA Records company, including the original versions of "Diving Duck Blues", "Poor John Blues" and the seminal, often-covered "Milk Cow Blues". These assured compositions inspired interpretations from artists as diverse as Taj Mahal, Tom Rush and the Kinks. However, despite remaining an active performer throughout the 30 s, Estes retired from music in 1941. A childhood accident impaired his eyesight and by 1950 he had become completely blind. The singer resumed performing with several low-key sessions for Hammie Nixon, before reasserting his own recording career in 1962. Several excellent albums for Chicago's Delmark Records label followed, one of which, Broke And Hungry, featured a young Mike Bloomfield on guitar. Estes, Nixon and Rachell also made a successful appearance at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival and the three veterans continued to work together until 1976 when Estes suffered a stroke. DISCOGRAPHY: The Legend Of Sleepy John Estes (Delmark 1962)***, Broke And Hungry, Ragged And Hungry Too (Delmark 1963)***, Brownsville Blues (Delmark 1965)***, Electric Sleep (Delmark 1966)***, In Europe (Delmark 1969)***, Down South Blues (Delmark 1974)***, Newport Blues 1964 recordings (Delmark 2003)**. COMPILATIONS: 1929 -30 Sessions (Roots 1978)***, The Blues Of Sleepy John Estes '34 -'40 (Swaggie 1982)***, The Blues Of Sleepy John Estes '34 -'40, Volume Two (Swaggie 1983)***, I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More: 1929 -1941 (Yazoo/Shanachie 1992)***, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 1: 24 September 1929 To 2 August 1937 (Document 1994)***, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 2: 2 August 1937 To 24 September 1941 (Document 1994)***, Someday Baby: The Essential Recordings Of Sleepy John Estes (Indigo 1996)****, Goin' To Brownsville (Testament 1998)****, Someday Baby Blues (Complete Blues 2004)****. Return to quiz
Information About Charley Patton (Page 1) Patton's gruff vocals and maniacal guitar style set the pace for Mississippi Delta blues, inspiring a generation of bluesmen that included Son House, Bukka White, and Robert Johnson. Patton died prematurely of heart failure, leaving behind fewer than 70 recorded sides. b. 1 May 1891, Bolton, Mississippi, USA, d. 28 April 1934, Indianola, Mississippi, USA. Charley Patton was small, but in all other ways larger than life; his death from a chronic heart condition at the age of 43 brought to an end his relentless pursuit of the good things then available to a black man in Mississippi liquor, women, food (courtesy of women), music, and the avoidance of farm work, which carried with it another desideratum, freedom of movement. By 1910, Patton had a repertoire of his own compositions, including "Pony Blues", "Banty Rooster Blues", "Down The Dirt Road", and his version of "Mississippi Bo Weavil Blues', all of which he recorded at his first session in 1929. He also acquired a number of spirituals, although the degree of his religious conviction is uncertain. By the time he recorded, Charley Patton was the foremost blues singer in Mississippi, popular with whites and blacks, and able to make a living from his music. He was enormously influential on local musicians, including his regular partner Willie Brown, in addition to Tommy Johnson and Son House. Bukka White, Big Joe Williams and Howlin" Wolf were among others whose music was profoundly affected by Patton's own sound is characteristic from the first: a hoarse, hollering vocal delivery, at times incomprehensible even to those who heard him in person, interrupted by spoken asides, and accompanied by driving guitar played with an unrivalled mastery of rhythm. Patton had a number of tunes and themes that he liked to rework, and he recorded some songs more than once, but never descended to stale repetition. His phrasing and accenting were uniquely inventive, voice and guitar complementing one another, rather than the guitar simply imitating the rhythm of the vocal line. He was able to hold a sung note to an impressive length, and part of the excitement of his music derives from the way a sung line can thus overlap the guitar phrase introducing the next verse. ………………. continued next page quiz Return to Next Page
Information About Charley Patton (Page 2) Patton was equally adept at regular and bottleneck fretting, and when playing with a slide could make the guitar into a supplementary voice with a proficiency that few could equal. Patton was extensively recorded by Paramount in 1929 -30, and by Vocalion in 1934, so that the breadth of his repertoire is evident. (It was probably Patton's good sales that persuaded the companies to record the singing of his accompanists, guitarist Willie Brown and fiddler Henry Sims, and Bertha Lee, his last wife. ) Naturally, Patton sang personal blues, many of them about his relationships with women. He also sang about being arrested for drunkenness, cocaine ("A Spoonful Blues"), good sex ("Shake It And Break It"), and, in "Down The Dirt Road Blues", he highlighted the plight of the black in Mississippi ("Every day, seems like murder here"). He composed an important body of topical songs, including "Dry Well Blues" about a drought, and the two-part "High Water Everywhere", an account of the 1927 flooding of the Mississippi that is almost cinematic in its vividness. Besides blues and spirituals, Patton recorded a number of "songster" pieces, including "Mississippi Bo Weavil Blues", "Frankie And Albert" and the anti-clerical "Elder Greene Blues". He also covered hits like "Kansas City Blues", "Running Wild", and even Sophie Tucker's "Some Of These Days". It is a measure of Patton's accomplishment as a musician and of his personal magnetism that blues scholars debate furiously whether he was a clowning moral degenerate or "the conscience of the Delta', an unthinking entertainer or a serious artist. It is perhaps fair to say that he was a man of his times who nevertheless transcended them, managing to a considerable degree to live the life he chose in a system that strove to deny that option to blacks. A similar verdict applies to his achievements as a musician and lyricist; Patton did not work independently of or uninfluenced by his musical environment, but considering how young he was when the blues were becoming the dominant black folk music, his achievements are remarkable. He was able to take the given forms and transmute them through the application of his genius. A proper recognition of his work was represented by 2001"s beautifully produced box set. In appreciating his work, the listener must expect Return to quiz the recording quality to be quite primitive and a million miles away from the technology of today. That
Information About Peg Leg Howell b. Joshua Barnes Howell, 5 March 1888, Eatonton, Georgia, USA, d. 11 August 1966, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Peg Leg Howell was born Joshua Barnes Howell in Eatonton, Georgia. Howell was a self-taught guitarist who was said to have connected early country blues and the 12 -bar styles. Over time, he learned to be skilled in finger picking and slide techniques. The nickname “Peg Leg” was acquired from an incident with a shotgun in 1916, where his brother-in-law allegedly shot his leg off. After this incident, he could not work on a farm anymore, so he packed his things and left for Atlanta, where he pursued a full-time music career. He started off playing on street corners for change. When this wasn’t enough, Howell started bootlegging liquor. In 1925, he was sentenced to one year in prison because he was caught bootlegging. While serving his time, Peg Leg wrote the song “New Prison Blues. ” Shortly after his release, he signed with the Columbia record label, and recorded “New Prison Blues. ” For the next several months, Howell recorded everything from ballads, such as “Skin Game Blues, ” to dance numbers, such as “Beaver Slide Rag. ” Howell even recorded some jazz, such as “New Jelly Roll Blues. ” Although many of his earlier recordings were solo, Howell was later backed by “the Gang, ” which included guitarist Henry Williams and fiddler Eddie Anthony. Finally in 1929, Columbia decided to drop Howell from its record label. At this time, Peg Leg was forced to work the streets of Atlanta, while Williams was imprisoned. Anthony had died in 1934. Howell fell into a slump and disappeared from the blues scene. In 1952, diabetes had taken Howell’s other leg. In 1963, things started to change for the better. The Testament label took Peg Leg in and recorded his first new material in over 40 years. DISCOGRAPHY: The Legendary Peg Leg Howell (1963)**, Peg Leg Howell Volume 1, 1926 -1927 (Matchbox 1983)***, Peg Leg Howell Volume 2, 1928 -1929 (Matchbox 1983)***, Complete Recorded Works Vols. 1 Return to quiz & 2 (Matchbox 1994)***.
Information About of Son House (Page 1) One of the most influential of all Delta bluesmen, Mississippi-born Eddie James "Son" House was a direct inspiration to Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, having shown both of them some of his guitar techniques. His vibrant, aggressive style was captured by folklorist Alan Lomax on some Library of Congress recordings in the early 1940 s, but he retired by the end of the decade. Like many of his peers, Son House was rediscovered during the folk/blues boom of the '60 s, and was coaxed into performing and recording again, which he did brilliantly for another decade before retiring for good in 1974. b. Eddie James House Jnr. , 21 March 1902, Riverton, Mississippi, USA, d. 19 October 1988, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Brought up in a religious home, Son House was drawn to the ministry in his youth, and took up the guitar, and the blues, as late as 1927. Throughout his life there was to be a tension between his religious feelings and his secular way of life (including the playing of blues). In 1928 he served a year in jail for manslaughter (in self-defence). In 1930, he met Charley Patton at Lula, where he was spotted by a Paramount talent scout. House, Patton, Willie Brown and Louise Johnson travelled north to a memorable recording session, at which House recorded three two-part blues (together with one untraced record, and a test located in 1985). All were the work of an extraordinary musician. House was no virtuoso, but he brought total conviction to his performances: his ferocious, barking voice, driving bass ostinato, and stabbing bottleneck phrases blended into an overwhelming totality that, for all its impact on the listener, was fundamentally introspective. In the 30 s, House and Brown played widely through Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee, and House taught both Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson some guitar technique and the "Walking Blues' theme. ………………. continued next page Return to quiz Next Page
Information About of Son House (Page 2) In 1941, following a tip from Waters, Alan Lomax of the Library of Congress located House at Lake Cormorant and made a number of recordings, including some hollers and three pieces which invaluably preserve House and Brown playing in a band with Fiddlin" Joe Martin (mandolin) and Leroy Williams (harmonica). Lomax returned the following year to supplement the single House solo recorded in 1941; the results document the breadth of House's repertoire, and catch him at the peak of his powers. In 1943, he moved to Rochester, New York, and had retired from music by 1948. When rediscovered in 1964, House was infirm, alcoholic, and barely able to play, but was fired by the admiration of his young white fans, and regained most of his abilities, recording a splendid album for Columbia Records, and providing an unforgettable experience for all who saw him in concert. All the intensity of his early recordings remained, and even when he was clearly in renewed physical and mental decline, it was a privilege to witness his music. He retired from performing in 1974, and lived in Detroit until his death. DISCOGRAPHY: The Vocal Intensity Of Son House (Saydisc 1965)****, Son House: The Legendary Father Of Folk Blues reissued as The Original Delta Blues (Columbia 1965)****, John The Revelator (Liberty 1970)****, The Real Delta Blues (Blue Goose 1974)****, Death Letter Blues (Edsel 1985)****, Son House & The Great Delta Blues Singers (Document 1990)****, The Complete Library Of Congress Sessions 1941 -1942 (Biograph 1991)****, Delta Blues And Spirituals (Capitol 1995)****, Live At The Gaslight Cafe NYC, January 3 1965 (Document 2000)***, Revisited (Fuel 2000 2003)***, Heroes Of The Blues: The Very Best Of Son House (Shout Factory 2003)****, Delta Blues (Complete Blues 2004)****. Return to quiz
Information About Blind Lemon Jefferson (Page 1) One of the first recorded blues artists, Blind Lemon Jefferson was also one of the genre's most influential musicians. His dexterous, percussive guitar style and haunting vocals set the standard for country blues artists. Were it not for the fact that his extant recordings are scratchy and low-fi, perhaps he and not Robert Johnson would be universally acclaimed as the paramount figure of early blues history. b. July 1897, Wortham (Couchman), Texas, USA, d. December 1929, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Jefferson was one of the earliest and most influential rural blues singers to record. He was one of seven children born to Alex Jefferson and Classie Banks (or Bates) and was either blind or partially blind from early childhood. As his handicap precluded his employment as a farm-hand he turned to music and sang at rural parties, on the streets of small towns, in cafes, juke joints and brothels. This mode of life turned him into a wanderer and he travelled far, although he always maintained his links with Texas. Like many "blind" singers, stories are told of his ability to find his way around and read situations. He was usually armed and was even said to have been involved in shooting incidents. In late 1925 or early 1926, Jefferson was taken to Chicago by a Dallas record retailer to record for Paramount Records. His first offerings were two religious tracks that were issued under the pseudonym "Reverend L. J. Bates". Soon after this, he was to begin the long series of blues recordings that made him famous throughout black America and even affected the work of rural white musicians. Between 1926 and 1929 he had more than 90 tracks issued, all bar two appearing on Paramount. His only known photograph, taken from a Paramount publicity shot, shows a portly man of indeterminate age wearing clear glasses over closed eyes set in a "baby" face. He was accorded the distinction (shared with Ma Rainey) of having a record issued with his picture on the label and described as "Blind Lemon Jefferson's Birthday Record". He had a good vocal range, honed by use in widely different venues, and a complicated, dense, free-form guitar style that became a nightmare for future analysts and copyists due to its disregard for time and bar structure; however, it suited his music perfectly and spoke directly to his black audience, both in the city and in the country. Return to quiz Next Page ………………. continued next page
Information About Blind Lemon Jefferson (Page 2) His success can be measured by the fact that he once owned two cars and could afford to hire a chauffeur to drive them. He is also said to have employed boys to lead him. Lead Belly and T-Bone Walker both claimed to have worked for him in this capacity during their youth. Jefferson's later recordings seemed to lose some of the originality and impact of his earlier work but he remained popular until his sudden and somewhat mysterious death. Legend has it that he froze to death on the streets of Chicago, although a more likely story is that he died of a heart attack while in his car, possibly during a snowstorm, and was abandoned by his driver. At this late date it is unlikely that the truth will ever be established. His records continue to be issued after his death and some recorded tributes have been made. His body was transported back to Texas for burial. COMPILATIONS: The Folk Blues Of Blind Lemon Jefferson (Riverside 1953)***, Penitentiary Blues (Riverside 1955)***, Classic Folk Blues (Riverside 1957)***, Blind Lemon Jefferson Volume 2 (Riverside 1958)***, The Immortal Blind Lemon Jefferson (Milestone 1968)***, Black Snake Moan (Milestone 1970)***, Collection (Déjà Vu 1986)***, King Of The Country Blues (Yazoo 1988)***, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 1: 1925 -1926 (Document 1991)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Volume 2: 1927 (Document 1991)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 3: 1928 (Document 1991)***, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol. 4: 1929 (Document 1991)***, The Best Of Blind Lemon Jefferson (Wolf 1994)***, Squeeze My Lemon (Catfish 1998)***, The Definitive Blind Lemon Jefferson 4 -CD box set (Catfish 2002)****, Classic Sides (JSP 2003)****, Black Snake Moan (Complete Blues 2004)****, Long Lonesome Blues: Lemon's Texts Revealed (World Arbite 2004)***. Return to quiz
Information About of Frank Stokes b. 1 January 1888, Whitehaven, Tennessee, USA, d. 12 September 1955, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Born two miles north of the Mississippi state line, Frank Stokes was raised in Tutwiler, Mississippi, after the death of his parents. As a youth Stokes learned to play guitar before moving to Hernando, Mississippi, home to guitarists Jim Jackson, Dan Sane, Elijah Avery (of Cannon's Jug Stompers), and Robert Wilkins. In Hernando, Stokes worked as a blacksmith, traveling to Memphis on the weekends to play guitar. Possessed of a powerful voice and driving guitar style, Stokes busked on the streets of Memphis playing a variety of minstrel tunes, early blues, ragtime numbers, breakdowns, and popular songs of the day. His breadth of musical knowledge made him the embodiment of the rural black musical tradition up to the early twentieth century. Stokes joined forces with fellow Mississippian Garfield Akers as a blackface songster, comedian, and buck dancer in the Doc Watts Medicine Show, a tent show that toured the South during World War I. Tiring of the road, Stokes settled in Oakville, Tennessee, to work as a blacksmith, an occupation that allowed him to play dances, picnics, fish fries, saloons, and parties at his leisure. During the 1920 s he teamed with guitarist Dan Sane, joining Jack Kelly's Jug Busters to play white country clubs, parties and dances, and playing Beale Street together as the Beale Street Sheiks. This group first recorded the stomping party music they performed on the streets in August 1927. The fluid guitar interplay between Stokes and Sane, combined with a propulsive beat, witty lyrics, and Stokes's stentorian voice, make their recordings irresistible. Their duets also influenced Memphis Minnie in her duets with husband Kansas Joe Mc. Coy. The Sheiks recorded again a year later in the Memphis Auditorium (a session where Furry Lewis also recorded), waxing more fine blues and adding to their considerable stature. They continued to busk the streets, playing Church's Park (now W. C. Handy Park) on Beale Streetin addition to the usual round of parties, fish fries, and suppers. Stokes's last recording session was again in Memphis in 1929, but the racerecord-buying public's rapidly changing tastes lessened his commercial appeal. He was still a popular performer, however, appearing in medicine shows, the Ringling Brothers Circus, and other tent shows Return to quiz during the 1930 s and 1940 s. During the 1940 s, Stokes moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi, and occasionally
Information About Furry Lewis b. Walter Lewis, 6 March 1893, Greenwood, Mississippi, USA, d. 14 September 1981, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Furry Lewis was a songster, a blues musician, a humorist and an all-round entertainer. Raised in the country, he picked up the guitar at an early age and moved into Memphis around 1900 where he busked on the streets. After he ran away from home, he had experience working on travelling medicine shows under the influence of Jim Jackson. He worked with W. C. Handy and claimed that Handy presented him with his first good guitar. Hoboing across country in 1916, he had an accident while hopping a train and consequently lost a leg. After this he moved to Memphis and, while performing and recording, he supplemented his income by sweeping the streets. Apart from periods working on riverboats and with medicine shows in the 20 s, this remained the style of his life for approximately the next 40 or more years. Lewis recorded 11 titles for Vocalion Records in 1927, eight for Victor Records in 1928 and four more for Vocalion in 1929. He had a guitar style that incorporated aspects of both the Mississippi county style and the lighter, more ragged Memphis sound, supplemented by some impressive slide work. His voice was clear and his approach to lyrics often self-mockingly humorous. Several of his recordings were ballads and his treatment of these was equally original. Well known around the city, he sometimes appeared as part of the Memphis Jug Band. He was one of the first pre-war blues artists to be "rediscovered", and from 1959 he pursued a second successful career on the college circuit and played in several movies, including an unlikely appearance with Burt Reynolds in W. W. And The Dixie Dance Kings. Still an able performer he made many recordings during this period and was confirmed an Honorary Colonel of the State of Tennessee in 1973. Highly regarded by many performers, he received a touching tribute from Joni Mitchell on "Furry Sings The Blues", which was featured on her 1976 album Heijera. DISCOGRAPHY: Furry Lewis Blues (Folkways 1959)****, Back On My Feet Again (Prestige 1961)***, Done Changed My Mind (Prestige 1962)***, Presenting The Country Blues (Blue Horizon 1969)***, On Return to quiz The Road Again (Genes 1970)**, Live At The Gaslight (Ampex 1971)***, Blues Magician 1969 recording (Lucky Seven 1999)***, Good Morning Judge 1962 recording (Fat Possum 2003)***.
Information About Blind Willie Mc. Tell (Page 1) Blind Willie Mc. Tell would be remembered today if only because Bob Dylan immortalized him in song, but Mc. Tell's legacy extends well beyond a single cut. A masterful 12 string guitar player, Mc. Tell came to epitomize the sophisticated blues style popular in Atlanta and up the East Coast. All the same, the Allman Brothers and others found plenty of gritty fire in his "Statesboro Blues. " b. 5 May 1901, Mc. Duffie County, Georgia, USA, d. 19 August 1959, Almon, Georgia, USA. Blind from birth, Mc. Tell began to learn guitar in his early years, under the influence of relatives and neighbours in Statesboro, Georgia, where he grew up. In his late teens, he attended a school for the blind. By 1927, when he made his first records, he was already a very accomplished guitarist, with a warm and beautiful vocal style, and his early sessions produced classics such as "Statesboro Blues", "Mama Tain't Long Fo Day" and "Georgia Rag". During the 20 s and 30 s, he travelled extensively from a base in Atlanta, making his living from music and recording, on a regular basis, for three different record companies, sometimes using pseudonyms which included Blind Sammie and Georgia Bill. Most of his records feature a 12 -string guitar, popular among Atlanta musicians, but particularly useful to Mc. Tell for the extra volume it provided for singing on the streets. Few, if any, blues guitarists could equal his mastery of the 12 -string. He exploited its resonance and percussive qualities on his dance tunes, yet managed a remarkable delicacy of touch on his slow blues. In 1934, he married, and the following year recorded some duets with his wife, Kate, covering sacred as well as secular material. In 1940, John Lomax recorded Mc. Tell for the Folk Song Archive of the Library of Congress, and the sessions, which have since been issued in full, feature him discussing his life and his music, as well as playing a variety of material. ………………. continued next page Return to quiz Next Page
Information About Blind Willie Mc. Tell (Page 2) These offer an invaluable insight into the art of one of the true blues greats. In the 40 s, he moved more in the direction of religious music, and when he recorded again in 1949 and 1950, a significant proportion of his songs were spiritual. Only a few tracks from these sessions were issued at the time, but most have appeared in later years. They reveal Mc. Tell to be as commanding as ever, and indeed, some of the recordings rank among his best work. In 1956, he recorded for the last time at a session arranged by a record shop manager, unissued until the 60 s. Soon after this, he turned away from the blues to perform exclusively religious material. His importance was eloquently summed up by Bob Dylan in his strikingly moving elegy, "Blind Willie Mc. Tell". COMPILATIONS: Blind Willie Mc. Tell 1940 (Melodeon 1956)****, Last Session (Bluesville 1960)***, Atlanta Twelve String (Atlantic 1969)***, Complete Library Of Congress Recordings (Document 1969)****, The Early Years 1927 -1933 (Yazoo 1989)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Volume 1 (19271931) (Document 1990)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Volume 2 (1931 -1933) (Document 1990)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Volume 3 (1933 -1935) (Document 1990)****, Pig 'N Whistle Red 1950 recordings (Biograph 1993)****, The Definitive Blind Willie Mc. Tell (Columbia/Legacy 1994)****, Statesboro Blues: The Essential Recordings Of Blind Willie Mc. Tell (Indigo 1995)****, The Definitive Blind Willie Mc. Tell 1927 -1935 3 -CD box set (Catfish 2003)****, Atlanta Strut (Complete Blues 2004)****. Return to quiz
Information About Skip James is one of the most revered Delta blues artists of the 20 th century. His high, haunted vocal style and bone-chilling acoustic guitar work gave him a sound that set him apart from his peers. The recordings he made in the early '30 s are among the most powerful in the blues canon. However, he quit music not long after that and was out of the public eye for decades until he was rediscovered and coaxed out of retirement in the '60 s. He became a hero of the '60 s folk revival in the US and an inspiration to the British blues boom, and his songs were covered by everyone from Cream to John Fahey. James got plenty of media attention in the early 2000 s as well, his music playing a vital role in both the 2000 film GHOST WORLD and the Wim Wenders-directed portion of Martin Scorsese's 2003 documentary series THE BLUES. b. Nehemiah Curtis James, 9 June 1902, Bentonia, Mississippi, USA, d. 3 October 1969, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. A solitary figure, James was an emotional, lyrical performer whose talent as a guitar player and arranger enhanced an already impressive body of work. His early career included employment as a pianist in a Memphis whorehouse, as well as the customary appearances at local gatherings and roadhouses. In 1931 he successfully auditioned for the Paramount recording company, for whom he completed an estimated 26 masters. These exceptional performances included "Devil Got My Woman", written when his brief marriage broke down, as well as "Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues" and "I'm So Glad", which was subsequently recorded by Cream. James abandoned music during the late 30 s in favour of the church and was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1942. He briefly resumed more secular pursuits during the 50 s, and was brought back to public attention by guitarists John Fahey, Bill Barth and Canned Heat's Henry Vestine, who discovered the dispirited singer in a Mississippi hospital. James remained a reserved individual, but his accomplished talents were welcomed on the thriving folk and college circuit where he joined contemporaries such as Mississippi John Hurt and Sleepy John Estes. Two superb collections for the Vanguard Records label, Today and Devil Got My Woman, showcased James' remarkable skills. His high, poignant voice brought an air of vulnerability to an often declamatory genre and his albums remain among the finest of the country-blues canon. Recurring illness sadly forced James to retire and he died in 1969 following a prolonged battle with cancer. DISCOGRAPHY: The Greatest Of The Delta Blues Singers (Melodeon 1964)***, Today! (Vanguard 1965)****, Devil Got My Woman (Vanguard 1968)****, Live At The 2 nd Fret, Philadelphia, 1966 (Document 1988)**. COMPILATIONS: I'm So Glad (Vanguard 1978)****, The Complete 1931 Session (Yazoo 1986)****, The Complete 1931 Recordings (Document 1992)****, The Complete Early Recordings (Yazoo 1994)****, She Lyin' (Edsel 1994)****, Skip's Piano Blues (Edsel 1996)***, Studio Sessions: Rare And Unreleased (Ace 2003)***, Heroes Of The Blues: The Very Best Of Return to quiz Skip James (Shout Factory 2003)****, Hard Time (Universe 2003)****, Cypress Grove Blues (Snapper 2004)***.
Information About Blind Blake b. Arthur Blake (or possibly Phelps), c. 1890 s, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, d. c. 1933. One of the very finest of pre-war blues guitarists, Blind Blake is nevertheless a very obscure figure. Almost nothing is known of his early years, but it is reputed that he moved around the east coast states of the USA, as various musicians have recalled meeting him in a number of different locations. It seems likely, however, that he settled in Chicago in the 20 s, and it was there that he first recorded for Paramount Records in 1926. Along with Blind Lemon Jefferson he was one of the first black guitarists to make a commercially successful record. Following his first hit, the ragtime guitar solo "West Coast Blues", he recorded regularly, producing about 80 issued tracks. It has been argued that Blake should not be described as a blues artist, and indeed his songs range from straight blues, through older traditional-style items such as "Georgia Bound", to vaudeville numbers such as "He's In The Jailhouse Now". Whatever the idiom, his accompaniment was always a model of taste, skill and creative imagination - his notes cleanly picked and ringing, his rhythms steady. His musical talents are perhaps given fullest rein on the stunningly dextrous ragtime solos such as "Southern Rag" and "Blind Arthur's Breakdown". Further superb Blake accompaniments can be heard on the records of other artists such as Ma Rainey and Irene Scruggs, and there is one very memorable duet with Charlie Spand, "Hastings Street". As well as his many solo records, he occasionally appeared with a small band. It is likely that he died soon after the demise of Paramount Records in the early 30 s, but his influence lived on in the work of eastern artists such as Blind Boy Fuller and others. COMPILATIONS: Ragtime Guitar's Foremost Fingerpicker (Yazoo 1985)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order: Volume 1 (July 1926 To October 1927) (Document 1994)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order: Volume 2 (October 1927 To May 1928) (Document 1994)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order: Volume 3 (May 1928 To August 1929) (Document 1994)****, Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order: Volume 4 (August 1929 To June 1932) (Document Return to quiz 1994)****, The Best Of Blind Blake (Wolf 1995)****, The Master Of Ragtime Guitar: The Essential
Information About Jaybird Coleman b. 20 May 1896, Gainsville, Alabama, USA, d. 28 June 1950, Tuskegee, Alabama, USA. Burl C. Coleman also went by Rabbit's Foot Williams. He was the son of sharecroppers and one of four children. He was born, raised and worked on a farm, and picked up and learned the harmonica at 12 years of age. He served in the US Army at Ft. Mc. Clellan in Anniston, Alabama, and began singing blues and entertaining the troops between 1917 and 1919. He was nicknamed "Jaybird" while in the army due to his independent manner. He returned to Gainesville and worked outside music in 1920. He teamed up with Big Joe Williams in the Birmingham Jug Band to tour with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels working shows throughout the South in 1922 through 1924. He settled in Bessemer to work with his wife, Irene, in his local church, at parties, suppers and picnics through the 1920's. He recorded for the Gennett, Silvertone and Black Patti labels in Birmingham in 1927. He toured as a single entertainer, working club dates throughout the South in 1929, and frequently worked with the Birmingham Jug Band in Bessemer, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa areas into the 1930's. He recorded with the Birmingham Jug Band on the Okeh label in Atlanta in 1930 and with the Columbia label in Atlanta thereafter. Paul Oliver, in The Story of Blues, describes his music this way: "His technique was close to the field holler with a sung vocal line and then an interpreting response on the harmonica". He worked mostly outside music with occasional work as a single with other jug bands, and sometimes accompanied sister Lizzie Coleman on the streets in the Bessemer and Birmingham areas through the 30's and 40's. He entered the Veterans Administration Hospital, where he died of cancer on June 28, 1950 and is buried in Lincoln Memorial Gardens in Bessemer, Alabama. DISCOGRAPHY: 1988 – Alabama Harmonica Kings, (with George "Bullet" Williams) Return to quiz 1993 - Jaybird Coleman And The Birmingham Jug Band, Complete Recordings, (1927 -30), Document
Information About Big Bill Lister b. Weldon E. Lister, 5 January 1923, near San Antonio, Karnes County, Texas, USA. In 1938, having learned to play guitar, Lister began appearing on KNEL Brady and for several years acquired a reputation and his nickname (he stands over 6 feet 7 inches tall) in his native State, often in the San Antonio area. He worked with Tex Ritter and other stars and made some recordings for small labels. In December 1950, he relocated to Nashville, where his earlier friendship with Joe Allison (later the writer of "He'll Have To Go"), then a Nashville disc jockey, led to him going backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, where he met Hank Williams and the show's boss Jim Denny was impressed but Lister had the problem that the Grand Ole Opry did not hire singers without a recording contract and record companies wanted their singers to be on the show. Ritter solved this problem by getting him signed to Capitol Records. In February 1951, Denny hired him as warm-up act for Hank Williams. He also gave him a spot on Williams' Mother Best radio show on WSM. The two men quickly became great friends and Lister went on to tour extensively with Williams until his death. He became one of the greatest authorities on Williams and on 26 September 1998, he recorded a live tribute to his late friend before an audience in Brady, Texas. He sang some of Williams' songs and talked of the days on the road with the star. The Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum deemed it important enough to place a copy in their archives. Williams wrote "There's A Tear In My Beer" especially for Lister, who many years later came across the original recording in his loft and gave it to Hank Williams Jnr. The result was the 1988 award winning duet recording and video between Hank Jnr. and his late father. Lister also recorded the original version of "The Little House That We Built Just Over The Hill', written by Williams and Don Helms. After Williams" death, Lister returned to Texas, where he joined the Big D Jamboree in Dallas and sang locally until tired of hearing rock 'n' roll, he semi-retired for a time and worked on his hobby of jewellery making and gun engraving. He eventually returned to performing, often reminiscing about the country scene of earlier days and the times with Williams and the Drifting Cowboys and other friends including Moon Mullican. Lister's powerful deep bass vocals were at times a little reminiscent of his friend Tex Ritter. He wrote many songs including "The Rambler" and "You'll Never Be Ashamed Of Loving Me". DISCOGRAPHY: Sho-Nuff Country Stuff The Second Time Around (Tex-Grass 1983)***, Remembering Hank Williams Through Story And Song (Neon Nightmare 1999)****. Return to quiz
Information About Blind Willie Johnson An enormously influential gospel bluesman, Blind Willie Johnson played slide guitar with a haunting intensity that rivals Robert Johnson. His brief recording career ended with the onset of the Depression, but he continued performing up until his death in 1947. b. c. 1902, Marlin, Texas, USA, d. c. 1947, Beaumont, Texas, USA. Blind Willie Johnson was arguably the greatest and most popular "sanctified" singer to record in the pre-World War II era. His forceful singing and stunning guitar work ensured that he continued to sell records even into the Depression. His blindness has been attributed to many causes, the most likely being that his stepmother threw lye-water in his face during a jealous fit when he was about seven. That he should turn to music after this is a recurring motif in the stories of many blind black singers, but even earlier, Johnson had admitted to a desire to preach. Now he combined the two talents to produce outstandingly powerful religious music as he played for tips on the streets. Despite this commitment to the church there seems to have been a secular side to his music, and it remains probable that he recorded two unissued blues under the pseudonym of Blind Texas Marlin at his second session for Columbia Records. Johnson began recording for the label in December 1927, by which time he had moved to Dallas; his first release became an instant success, selling in excess of 15, 000 copies. Between then and April 1930 he recorded a total of 30 issued tracks (all for the same company), maintaining a level of quality that is amazing even by today's standards. Many of Johnson's recordings feature a second, female vocalist, and it was long assumed that this was Angeline. Now it seems more likely that this is an early girlfriend (possibly wife) of Johnson's, called Willie B. Harris, whose affiliations were with the "Sanctified" church. Willie Johnson had returned to the Baptist fold by the time he married Angeline in June 1930. When using a second vocalist Johnson favoured a ragged, antiphonal approach to his singing, in which he usually employed a marked false bass, and when performing alone he used his guitar as the second voice, often leaving it to complete his own vocal lines. He could finger pick, but is most famous for his outstanding slide technique. Possibly his most well-known piece today is the free-form guitar impersonation of a congregation moaning "Dark Was The Night And Cold The Ground", which was used in its original form in Pasolini's film The Gospel According To Saint Matthew and adapted by Ry Cooder as theme music to Paris, Texas. Johnson lived his later years in Beaumont, Texas, and it was there that his house caught fire some time in the 40 s. Johnson survived the fire but returned to the house and slept on a wet mattress covered by newspapers. This resulted in the pneumonia that killed him. COMPILATIONS: Blind Willie Johnson 1927 -1930 (RBF 1965)***, Praise God I'm Satisfied (Yazoo 1976)***, Sweeter As The Return to quiz Years Go By (Yazoo 1990)***, The Complete Willie Johnson (Columbia 1993)****, Dark Was The Night: The Essential
Information About Peetie Wheatstraw b. William Bunch, 21 December 1902, Ripley, Tennessee, USA, d. 21 December 1941, East St. Louis, Illinois, USA. Wheatstraw, also known as the Devil's Son-In-Law, was an influential and popular blues artist of the 20 s and 30 s. He opened a club with "Big" Joe Williams in 1929. An accomplished guitarist, pianist and singer, he was tragically killed in a car accident at a comparatively young age. Throughout his recordings, usually with Vocalion or Decca, he was accompanied by musicians such as James "Kokomo" Arnold, Lonnie Johnson and Lillian Armstrong. Although he recorded many tracks, little of his work has been available for some time, giving fuel to the argument that his importance and influence is on the wane. His songwriting appealed to the working class minorities of the time, due to the nature of the content. He wrote about social issues such as unemployment and public assistance (this was during The Great Depression). There were also pieces about the immoral ways of loose women, and true to his own selfpublicity, death and the supernatural. Almost all of his songs included his trademark statement of, "Oh, well, " usually accentuated in the third verse. And, though it sounds like a simple gesture, it too has been carried on by many subsequent Bluesmen, most noteworthy today being R. L. Burnside. Wheatstraw's influence was enormous during the 1930 s. It was suggested that his urbanized sound brought forth a decline in interest of Country Blues for a time. Perhaps the most obvious example of Wheatstraw's impact can be seen in the writings of Robert Johnson, often considered the most important Blues figure of the era. Many of Johnson's own recordings were actually re-workings of other popular artists of the time, and he drew heavily from Wheatstraw's repertoire. It is not surprising to see the impact he left on others. It seemed the only thing that prevented him from becoming even more popular was The Depression itself, causing fewer recordings to be made due to expenses Return to quiz COMPILATIONS: Peetie Wheatstraw And Kokomo Arnold (Blues Classics 1988)***, The Last Straw (Catfish 1999)***.
Information About Walter "Buddy Boy" Hawkins represents one of the most fascinating "missing artists" in the history of the blues about who there is very little information, either actual or speculative. It is rumoured that he was raised around Blythville, Mississippi, but what minimal research has been undertaken has never produced anything conclusive. What is certain is that he was a unique performer who used a guitar style and vocal delivery that have defied categorization. He recorded 12 tracks for Paramount between 1927 (Chicago) and 1929 (Richmond, Indiana), much prized by collectors, that featured his oddly constructed blues, rag tunes and the peculiar "Voice Throwing Blues" which gave rise to speculation that he may have been a medicine show ventriloquist. Evidence from his songs certainly seems to indicate that he was a rambler or hobo. DISCOGRAPHY: Complete Recordings (Matchbox 1983)***. Return to quiz
Information About Memphis Minnie While several women rose to fame as vocalists in the early years of the blues, few succeeded as instrumentalists. Memphis Minnie, a gifted guitarist and singer, was a notable exception. A forceful guitarist who once reportedly beat Big Bill Broonzy in a picking contest, Memphis Minnie was also an accomplished vocalist. b. Lizzie Douglas, 3 June 1897, Algiers, Louisiana, USA, d. 6 August 1973, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Raised in Walls, Mississippi, Memphis Minnie learned banjo and guitar as a child, and ran away from home at the age of 13 to play music in Memphis; she worked for a time with Ringling Brothers Circus. When in Mississippi, she played guitar with Willie Brown, and in the 20 s made a common-law marriage with Casey Bill Weldon. However, she was with Joe Mc. Coy (under the pseudonym Kansas Joe) by the time of their joint recording debut in 1929. Her guitar playing had a strong rhythm, coupled with the ragtime influence common among the Memphis musicians, and her singing was tough and swaggering. "Bumble Bee" was a hit, and Joe and Minnie recorded extensively, both together and separately; their guitar duets were among the finest in blues. Apart from songs about sex and relationships, Minnie sang about her meningitis (calling it, with gallows humour, "Memphis Minnie-jitis"), about her father's mule, "Frankie Jean", and about the guitarist "Mister Tango". The Mc. Coys moved to Chicago in the early 30 s, but split up in 1935, apparently as a result of Joe's jealousy of his wife's success. By this time, Minnie's music was reflecting changing tastes, usually featuring a piano and string bass, and sometimes trumpet or clarinet and a drummer. She was a star of the Chicago club scene, as she continued to present herself on disc as the tough, independent woman she was in reality. In 1939, she began recording with her third husband, Little Son Joe (Ernest Lawlars) on second guitar. They were early users of amplification, and made swinging music, although it lacked the rich complexity of her early recordings. Her lyrics were of considerable originality, as on a graceful tribute to Ma Rainey, recorded in 1940, six months after Rainey's death. "Me And My Chauffeur Blues", with its boogying guitar, also became widely known. In the late 40 s, Memphis Minnie ran a touring vaudeville company, and she continued to record after the war, playing tough electric guitar. Her efforts to keep up with trends were proving less successful, however, and in the mid-50 s, she and Joe retired to Memphis. Joe was already unwell, and died in 1961, while Minnie was incapacitated from the late 50 s, and lived out her life in nursing homes. COMPILATIONS: Hoodoo Lady 1933 -1937 (Columbia 1991)***, Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe Complete Recordings Volumes 1 -4 (Paltram 1991)***, Memphis Minnie 1935 -41 Volumes 1 -5 (1992)***, The Postwar Recordings Volumes 1 -3 (1992)***, Blues Classics (1993)***, Bumble Bee (Indigo 1994)***, Queen Of The Blues (Columbia/Legacy 1998)****, Black Return to quiz Widow Stinger: The Essential Recordings Vol 2 (Indigo 1999)****.
Information About Sam Collins b. 11 August 1887, Louisiana, USA, d. 20 October 1949, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Sam Collins was raised in Mc. Comb, Mississippi, just over the border from his native state, and by 1924 was performing in local barrelhouses at weekends. He was an intermittent partner of King Solomon Hill (Joe Holmes), and shared with him the use of falsetto singing and slide guitar. Holmes was an associate of Willard Thomas, and elements of Thomas's style influenced Collins was extensively recorded by both Gennett in 1927 and the American Record Company in 1931, but many titles unfortunately remained unissued; it is clear, however, that he played blues, spirituals, medicine show numbers and pop songs - the repertoire of a songster. Collins recorded for a number of other labels, often under the pseudonym Jim Foster. In the 1930 s Collins followed the path of other Mississippi Delta bluesmen and made his way to Chicago where he performed occasionally. As a blues guitarist, Collins was not a virtuoso, and by conventional standards he was often out of tune, but he provided a steady beat for dancing, and his bottleneck playing, ranging freely through the treble and bass registers, was an effective foil to his eerie singing, for which one record company billed him as "Cryin' Sam Collins And His Git-Fiddle" in its advertising. He migrated to Chicago in the late 30 s, and died there of heart disease. COMPILATIONS: The Jailhouse Blues (Yazoo 1991)***. Return to quiz
Information About Blind Gary Davis b. 30 April 1896, Laurens, South Carolina, USA, d. 5 May 1972, Hammonton, New Jersey, USA. This highly accomplished guitarist was self-taught from the age of six. Partially blind from an early age, he lost his sight during his late twenties. During the Depression years, he worked as a street singer in North Carolina, playing a formidable repertoire of spirituals, rags, marches and square dance tunes. In 1933, he was ordained as a Baptist minister and continued to tour as a gospel preacher, recording several spiritual and blues songs for ARC in the mid-30 s. After moving to New York in 1940, he achieved some fame on the folk circuit and subsequently recorded for a number of labels, including Stinson, Riverside Records and Bluesway Records. Harlem Street Singer, released in 1960, was an impressive work, and one that emphasized his importance to a new generation of listeners. Davis taught guitar and greatly inspired Stefan Grossman, and among Davis' other devotees were Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder and Donovan. Davis visited the UK in 1964, and returned as a soloist on several other occasions. He appeared at many music festivals, including Newport in 1968, and was the subject of two television documentaries in 1967 and 1970. He also appeared in the movie Black Roots. His importance in the history of black rural music cannot be overestimated. DISCOGRAPHY: The Singing Reverend 10 -inch album (Stinson)***, Harlem Street Singer reissued as Pure Religion (Bluesville 1960)****, A More Little Faith (Bluesville 1961)***, Say No To The Devil (Bluesville 1962)***, Guitar And Banjo (Folklore 1964)***, From Blues To Gospel (Biograph 1971)***, Live & Kickin' 1967 recording (Just A Memory 1998)***, Live At Cambridge 1971 (Catfish 1999)**, The Sun Of Our Life (World Arbiter 2003)***. Return to quiz
Information About Roosevelt Sykes b. Jan 31, 1906, Elmar Arkansas, d July 17, 198, New Orleans, La Roosevelt Sykes, one of the most famous and prolific blues pianists, was born in Helena, Arkansas on January 31, 1906. He moved to St. Louis when he was 15, where he began to blend St. Louis ragtime with the rural blues he'd heard all his life, creating his own style. In 1929, he landed a recording contract in New York. His first record for the Okeh label ("44 Blues") was a hit and he moved to Chicago a rising young star. He formed a band throughout the thirties and Forties toured and recorded constantly. Skyes spent the 1930 s working St Louis clubs as a solo artist or with other piano players such as St. Louis Jimmy Oden. He recorded for Victoe and decca and other small lables, often using a pseudonym (Dobby Bragg, Willie Kelly or Easy papa Johnson). He also did session work and played the part of a talent scout/ In 1941 Skyes went to Chicago, where he continued all the things he'd been doing in St. Louis. In addition, he frequently worked with memphis Minnie recorded with the jump Jackson Band recorded on his own and as an accompanist for the Bluebird and Bullet labels. Nicknamed "the Honeydripper" for bis way with women, Skyes named his band the Honeydrippers and toured the south regularly during and just after the war. There were big hits and high times until mid-Fifties when the public lost interest in the blues. Roosevelt disbanded his "Honeydrippers" big band decided to go it alone. In 1962, he moved to New Orleans and continued to play festivals and club dates until his death in 1983. His Blind Pig album, The Original Honeydripper (now out of print), was recorded live at the Blind Pig Cafe in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1977. The cuts on Blue Ivory are from this recording. Return to quiz
Information About Papa Charlie Jackson b. c. 1885, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, d. 1938, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Papa Charlie Jackson belonged to the first generation of rural black singers to record. He was a banjo player who had toured the south in medicine shows and worked anywhere else where he thought he might make money. He became popular after his first records were issued by Paramount in 1924, by which time he seems to have already moved to Chicago, where he often performed for tips in the Maxwell Street market. Like numerous banjoists from the minstrel tradition, Jackson was something of a humorist and many of his 70 or more recordings were sanitized versions of bawdy songs. He recorded with Freddie Keppard's Jazz Cardinals in 1926, taking the vocal on "Salty Dog", a number he had already recorded under his own name with marked success. Despite providing support for artists such as Ma Rainey, Lucille Bogan and Ida Cox, Jackson's recording activities suffered a hiatus between 1930 and 1934 owing to the onset of the Depression and the demise of Paramount. Almost nothing is known of Jackson's life other than he came from New York and most likely worked with minstrel and vaudeville shows throughout the South in the early 1900 s. Sometime around 1920, he settled in Chicago and is reputed to have taught Big Bill Broonzy how to play the guitar He recorded for Vocalion in 1934 and recorded an unreleased session with "Big" Bill Broonzy in 1935. He scuffled on Chicago's west side playing street corners, clubs and house parties until his death in 1938. DISCOGRAPHY: Fat Mouth 1924 - 1927 (Yazoo 1988)***. Return to quiz
Information About Barbecue Bob b. Robert Hicks, 11 September 1902, Walton County, Georgia, USA, d. 21 October 1931, Lithonia, Georgia, USA. Barbecue Bob was one of Atlanta's most noted blues players in the 1920 s. He played a twelve string guitar, often with a bottleneck and sang in strong, husky tones with occasional falsetto shadings. He supposedly got his nickname from a Columbia Records scout who discovered him when he was performing at a local barbecue pit called Tidwell's. An early publicity phot has Barbecue Bob dressed in a white chef''s outfit strumming a guitar His older brother Charley (later known as Charley Lincoln), learned guitar first, but Robert seems to have followed soon afterwards, also learning from Curley James Weaver's mother Savannah; both brothers played 12 -string guitar. Bob moved to Atlanta in 1924, where he he was heard by a talent scout and made his first records in 1927. This began a successful recording career that lasted just four years but produced over 50 tracks of fine blues. His music was characterized by a heavy, percussive style, often using a bottleneck. His voice was rather rough but could carry a slow blues as well as more up-tempo dance numbers. In 1930, he recorded as part of the Georgia Cotton Pickers, with Curley Weaver and Buddy Moss, and he also appeared as accompanist on Nellie Florence's single 1929 session. Well established as one of the principal figures on the Atlanta blues scene of the time, his career was tragically ended by his death from pneumonia at the age of 29. COMPILATIONS: Brown Skin Gal (Agram 1978)***, The Remaining Titles (Matchbox 1987)***, Chocolate To The Bone (1992)***. Return to quiz
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