The Blue Lens

Charley Patton is considered by most blues authorities to be one of the earliest and best known blues singers and guitar players. He was born on May 1, 1891, in Hinds County near Edwards or Bolton, Mississippi. His parents were Bill and Annie Patton, who were sharecroppers in Mississippi.

When Patton was nine years old, his family moved to Dockery's plantation. It was at this time that Patton developed a love for music. He took up the
guitar in his early teenage years.

He, like many poor black Mississippi bluesmen found he could be free while singing this music. One of my favorite statements about Charley Patton
comes from Robert Palmer's &tag=fitzgeralsonl-20&creative=9325&path=tg/detail/-/0140062238/
qid=1125939152/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1?v=glance%26s=books">Deep Blues : A Musical and Cultural History of the Mississippi Delta

Charley Patton saw a world of changes during the fifty-odd years of his life, but the system was in effect in the upper Delta before he was born, and it outlasted him by several decades. He adapted to it well enough despite his lingering rage, which he tended to take out on his women,
sometimes by beating them with a handy guitar. He suffered his dark moods and his occasional repentance and conversions, but he also had fun, or something like it. He rarely worked for whites except to furnish a night's entertainment, and he was never tied to a menial job or a plot of land for very long. He went where he pleased, stayed as long as he pleased, stayed as intoxicated as he pleased, left when he wanted to, and had his pick of the women wherever he went. And he created an enduring body of American music, for he personally inspired just about every Delta bluesman of consequence, and some blueswomen as well. Along with Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley, and a few others who created not just styles but dynasties, he is among the most important musicians twentieth century America has produced.

Yet we know very little about his formative years, and practically nothing about how he learned his art.

Willie McTell was a masterful twelve-string guitarist and singer. He
recorded from 1927 to 1955. His most famous song, "Statesboro Blues" has been covered by many artists including Taj Mahal, The Allman Brothers Band, and Bob Dylan. Dylan wrote and recorded a tribute to him.

He was blind from birth, and was an adept Braille reader. He learned to play six string guitar as a child and was a very skilled musician. I love his smoth voice, his quick delivery and his excellent guitar playing.

mp3s

"Mama 'Tain't Long for Day" (2:57, 517kB) - 40310-1, 18 Oct, 1927

"Statesboro Blues" (2:30, 439kB) - 47187-3, 17 Oct, 1928

"Broke Down Engine Blues" (3:08, 551kB) - 15905-1, 23 Oct, 1931

References

Blind Willie McTell (1898-1959) @ The New Georgia Encyclopedia

Blind Willie McTell @ Answers.com

Blind Willie McTell Festival

mp3s by Blind Lemon Jefferson

Blind Lemon Jefferson (September, 1893 - December, 1929) is another one of those prewar bluesmen that I consider a hero of the blues because he was so influential. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s.

His style of playing was fast and intricate and he sang with a high pitch that you sometimes here modern bluesmen like BB King and others use. He had the most influence on the Texas blues sound, some say he is the founder of that sound. And another reason to appriciate his music in because he influnced Texas bluesmen such as Leadbelly and Lightin Hopkins.

If you want to go back to the roots of the music, and the Texas style blues you have to consider Blind Lemon Jefferson and his music.

"Long Lonesome Blues" (2:54, 509kB) - 2742-1-Pm, Chicago, c. March 1926

"Match Box Blues" (2:54, 519kB) - 4446-4-Pm, c. April 1927

"Hot Dogs" (2:53, 508 kB) - 4578-3-Pm, c. June 1927

"See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" (2:50, 493 kB) - 20374-1-Pm, Chicago, c. February 1928

"That Crawlin' Baby Blues" (2:40, 461 kB) - 15671-Pm, 24 September, 1929


Song: Matchbox Blues Album: Legends of the Blues, Vol. 1 Artist: Blind Lemon Jefferson

Mrs. Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tenn. in 1894 she learned her craft working with the venerable Gertrude (Ma) Rainey. She was one of the earliest blues singers. She honed her considerable singing abilities working in traveling shows. She started her recording career in New York City, where she recorded more than 160 songs between 1323 and 1933. She worked with and recorded with jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Coleman Hawkins. She was even appeared in the 1929 movie St. Louis Blues.

She was called the "Empress of the Blues" because of her wonderful and powerful singing voice.

Like so many blues singers, the blues finally caught up with her. She died in a car accident while on tour in Mississippi in 1937.

"Down Hearted Blues" (3:24, 597kB) - Columbia 80863-5, New York City, 16 February 1923

"The St. Louis Blues" (3:10, 550kB) - Columbia 14064-D, New York City, 14 January 1925

"Cold in Hand Blues" (3:11, 558kB) - Columbia 14064-D, New York City, 14 January 1925

"Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (2:57, 511kB) - Columbia 14451-D, New York City, 15 May 1929

"I'm Down in the Dumps" (3:10, 548kB) - Okeh 8495, New York City, 24 November, 1933

Leadbelly has always been one of my favorite blues men. My affection for him stems from the fact that he played and sang his music in my home town of Shreveport, Louisiana, down on Fannin Street. As you have probably noticed if you frequent this blog or if you look around a bit I am attracted to the prewar blues men. Later I may focus more on the post war and modern blues musician, but right now I am happy to find and do research on the pre war musicians.

The details of Ledbelly's life can be found here in an article from Leadbelly @ wikipedia.org. Also of note is the very interesting entry from the ">Handbook of Texas Online Ledbetter, Huddie (Leadbelly). And finally an article that has some great links for those who are interested in Leadbelly's life.

"Midnight Special" (3:11, 541 kB) - 124-A-1, Louisiana State Penitentiary, 1 July 1934

"Packin' Trunk" (2:56, 508 kB) - 16685-1, New York City, 23 January 1935

"Death Letter Blues, Part 1" (3:18, 553 kB) - 16695-2, New York City, 24 January 1935

"The Gallis Pole" (3:01, 519 kB) - GM-509-A, New York City, 1 April 1939

"Good Morning Blues" (2:53, 498 kB) - 051501-1, New York City, 15 June 1940

Farewell to You Baby mp3

Joe Lewis Blues mp3