A History of the Blues: Chapter 6
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1/ I can’t be satisfied – John Dummer blues band. 1995. U.K.blues & R & B, 1955-2001
A British blues/rock band that has been around in several forms since the 1960s. Great blues interpreters.
2/ Walking blues – Son House. 1941. Complete Library of Congress sessions
3/ Shetland pony blues – Son House. 1941. Complete Library of Congress sessions
See Chapter 4 for bio. (Recorded at Klacks Store, Lake Cormorant, Miss. Late Aug.1941)
4/ Walking blues – Jorma Kaukonen. 1985. Magic
See Chapter 3 for bio.
Note :- 1946:- The mechanical cotton picker is introduced; 20 years later only 5% of the Delta’s cotton will be hand picked.
Muddy Waters starts playing electric guitar, now living in Chicago
Network television broadcasts begin.
B.B.King leaves Mississippi and moves to Memphis.
5/ That’s all right – Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup. 1946.
B.1905, Miss. D.1974, Va. Started off playing on the Chicago streets for small change. Has never really been given the credit he deserves and didn’t start making much money till late in life. Had a few R & B chart hits in the late 1940s.
6/ That’s all right – Elvis Presley. 1955.
B.1935, Miss. D.1977, Tn.
A British blues/rock band that has been around in several forms since the 1960s. Great blues interpreters.
2/ Walking blues – Son House. 1941. Complete Library of Congress sessions
3/ Shetland pony blues – Son House. 1941. Complete Library of Congress sessions
See Chapter 4 for bio. (Recorded at Klacks Store, Lake Cormorant, Miss. Late Aug.1941)
4/ Walking blues – Jorma Kaukonen. 1985. Magic
See Chapter 3 for bio.
Note :- 1946:- The mechanical cotton picker is introduced; 20 years later only 5% of the Delta’s cotton will be hand picked.
Muddy Waters starts playing electric guitar, now living in Chicago
Network television broadcasts begin.
B.B.King leaves Mississippi and moves to Memphis.
5/ That’s all right – Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup. 1946.
B.1905, Miss. D.1974, Va. Started off playing on the Chicago streets for small change. Has never really been given the credit he deserves and didn’t start making much money till late in life. Had a few R & B chart hits in the late 1940s.
6/ That’s all right – Elvis Presley. 1955.
B.1935, Miss. D.1977, Tn.
7/ Katie May – Lightnin’ Hopkins. 1946. Complete Aladdin Recordings
8/ Short haired woman - Lightnin’ Hopkins. 1946. Complete Aladdin Recordings
9/ I can’t stay here in your town - Lightnin’ Hopkins. 1946. Complete Aladdin Recordings
B.1912, Tx. D.1982, Tx. Played the blues from the 1920’s until his death. Claimed to have led Blind Lemon Jefferson around the Houston streets. Had two brothers who were also talented blues players. First recorded in 1946 & worked under a number of names for several dozen record companies. Stuck to the Texas country blues all his life.
10/ Johnson machine gun – Sunnyland Slim. 1947. Chess blues
B.1907, Miss. D.1995, Ill. One of the great Chicago blues pianist/singers. Recorded 100’s of sides from the late ‘40’s until his death. Also played with most of the Chicago greats.
11/ Call it stormy Monday – T-Bone Walker. 1947.
B.1910, Tx. D.1975, L.A. One of the first bluesmen to amplify his guitar. Is quoted by most who followed as a huge influence.(particularly B.B.King). First recorded in 1929. Moved to L.A. in mid ‘30’s. Recorded prolifically until late ‘50’s & then intermittently till his death. A true original.
12/Call it stormy Monday – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. 1966.
B.1933, Cheshire. Elder statesman of British blues. Helped hone the skills of Eric Clapton, Peter Green & Mick taylor among others. Only an adequate singer but a multi-instrumentalist. Has played everything from Jazz to Rock but always comes back to the blues. Now lives in U.S.A.
8/ Short haired woman - Lightnin’ Hopkins. 1946. Complete Aladdin Recordings
9/ I can’t stay here in your town - Lightnin’ Hopkins. 1946. Complete Aladdin Recordings
B.1912, Tx. D.1982, Tx. Played the blues from the 1920’s until his death. Claimed to have led Blind Lemon Jefferson around the Houston streets. Had two brothers who were also talented blues players. First recorded in 1946 & worked under a number of names for several dozen record companies. Stuck to the Texas country blues all his life.
10/ Johnson machine gun – Sunnyland Slim. 1947. Chess blues
B.1907, Miss. D.1995, Ill. One of the great Chicago blues pianist/singers. Recorded 100’s of sides from the late ‘40’s until his death. Also played with most of the Chicago greats.
11/ Call it stormy Monday – T-Bone Walker. 1947.
B.1910, Tx. D.1975, L.A. One of the first bluesmen to amplify his guitar. Is quoted by most who followed as a huge influence.(particularly B.B.King). First recorded in 1929. Moved to L.A. in mid ‘30’s. Recorded prolifically until late ‘50’s & then intermittently till his death. A true original.
12/Call it stormy Monday – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. 1966.
B.1933, Cheshire. Elder statesman of British blues. Helped hone the skills of Eric Clapton, Peter Green & Mick taylor among others. Only an adequate singer but a multi-instrumentalist. Has played everything from Jazz to Rock but always comes back to the blues. Now lives in U.S.A.
Note:- 1948:-WDIA, in Memphis, becomes the first radio station to switch to all black programming; B.B.King will soon be a disc jockey there.
The long playing record (L.P). is introduced.
13/ Boogie Chillen – John Lee Hooker. 1948.
14/ Crawling King Snake – John Lee Hooker. 1948.
B.1917, Miss. D.2001, Calif. King of the ‘endless boogie’ & one of the all time greats. Made literally thousands of recordings, many under assumed names. Was taught guitar by his stepfather, Willie Moore, who knew Patton, Jefferson, Blind Blake & many other greats. Moved from place to place for a number of years before settling in L.A. First recorded in 1948 & continued till his death. Hits were too numerous to count.
15/ My sweet lovin’ woman – Robert Nighthawk. 1948. Chess blues
B.1909, Ar. D.1967, Ar. One of the unsung greats. Linked the Delta blues to Chicago blues in much the same way as Muddy Waters. Did not record prolifically, which probably held his career back. Was a great traveller & could never stay anywhere for long.
16/ Memory of Sonny Boy – Forest City Joe. 1948. Chess blues
B.1926, Ar. D.1960. Great harmonica player who was hugely influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson. Didn’t record much but made one of the earliest tribute songs from one bluesman to another. Played in a more rural style than most of his Chicago peers.
Note:- 1949:- Leadbelly appears in France, becoming the first country bluesman to perform in Europe.
17/ Sweet Black angel – Robert Nighthawk. 1949. Chess blues
18/ Miss Martha King – B.B.King. 1949. King of the Blues.
19/ Luedella – Jimmy Rogers. 1950. Chess blues.
B.1924, Miss. D.1997. Started out on harmonica but due to influence of Bill Broonzy & Robert Jr. Lockwood, eventually switched to guitar. Early ‘40’s moved to Chicago & gigged with Sonny Boy, Broonzy & Sunnyland Slim, still playing harp. Played guitar with Muddy waters from 1946 till 1955, when he formed his own band. Retired from mid ‘60’s till 1972 when he started playing with his own band until his death.
20/ Mother Earth – Memphis Slim. 1950. Chess blues
B.1915, Tn. D.1988, Paris. Began recording as a bandleader in 1939 & continued till his death. Worked for a large number of labels. Did a tour of Europe with Willie Dixon in 1960, & moved to France permanently in 1962.
14/ Crawling King Snake – John Lee Hooker. 1948.
B.1917, Miss. D.2001, Calif. King of the ‘endless boogie’ & one of the all time greats. Made literally thousands of recordings, many under assumed names. Was taught guitar by his stepfather, Willie Moore, who knew Patton, Jefferson, Blind Blake & many other greats. Moved from place to place for a number of years before settling in L.A. First recorded in 1948 & continued till his death. Hits were too numerous to count.
15/ My sweet lovin’ woman – Robert Nighthawk. 1948. Chess blues
B.1909, Ar. D.1967, Ar. One of the unsung greats. Linked the Delta blues to Chicago blues in much the same way as Muddy Waters. Did not record prolifically, which probably held his career back. Was a great traveller & could never stay anywhere for long.
16/ Memory of Sonny Boy – Forest City Joe. 1948. Chess blues
B.1926, Ar. D.1960. Great harmonica player who was hugely influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson. Didn’t record much but made one of the earliest tribute songs from one bluesman to another. Played in a more rural style than most of his Chicago peers.
Note:- 1949:- Leadbelly appears in France, becoming the first country bluesman to perform in Europe.
17/ Sweet Black angel – Robert Nighthawk. 1949. Chess blues
18/ Miss Martha King – B.B.King. 1949. King of the Blues.
19/ Luedella – Jimmy Rogers. 1950. Chess blues.
B.1924, Miss. D.1997. Started out on harmonica but due to influence of Bill Broonzy & Robert Jr. Lockwood, eventually switched to guitar. Early ‘40’s moved to Chicago & gigged with Sonny Boy, Broonzy & Sunnyland Slim, still playing harp. Played guitar with Muddy waters from 1946 till 1955, when he formed his own band. Retired from mid ‘60’s till 1972 when he started playing with his own band until his death.
20/ Mother Earth – Memphis Slim. 1950. Chess blues
B.1915, Tn. D.1988, Paris. Began recording as a bandleader in 1939 & continued till his death. Worked for a large number of labels. Did a tour of Europe with Willie Dixon in 1960, & moved to France permanently in 1962.
21/ Moanin’ at midnight – Howlin’ Wolf. 1951. Chess blues
B.1910, Miss. D.1976, Ill. THE great primal force in the blues. Put everything he had into his music & would sometimes actually scare the audience with his power. Had a radio show in Memphis during the ‘40’s & first recorded in 1951. Scores of his songs have been recorded by numerous blues/rock artists such as the Doors, Electric Flag, Cream, Jeff Beck etc. Inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll hall of fame in 1991 & in the mid ‘90’s his face was on an American postage stamp. Now has a statue in Chicago.
B.1910, Miss. D.1976, Ill. THE great primal force in the blues. Put everything he had into his music & would sometimes actually scare the audience with his power. Had a radio show in Memphis during the ‘40’s & first recorded in 1951. Scores of his songs have been recorded by numerous blues/rock artists such as the Doors, Electric Flag, Cream, Jeff Beck etc. Inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll hall of fame in 1991 & in the mid ‘90’s his face was on an American postage stamp. Now has a statue in Chicago.