Yesterday at work I received a text from Amy that simply stated
"Honeyboy edwards passed away :("
Instantly I was filled with regret for not seeing him earlier in the year when he was in the area. An original Delta bluesman; his career crossed paths with many greats including Charlie Patton, Big Joe Williams, Howlin' Wolf, Magic Sam, and Muddy Waters. Probably the one artist he is most connected to is Robert Johnson. He was present the night Johnson drank the poison whiskey that killed him. Honeyboy also claims to have written 'Sweet Home Chicago.'
Honeyboy was first recorded in 1942 by Alan Lomax. He didn't record again until 1951 and later moved to Chicago. His first LP, I've Been Around, wasn't released until 1978. He continued to tour and tell the story of the delta blues up until his death on August 29, 2011 at the age of 96.
This is a bit of a detour from our other posts, but I hope people reading this will like it anyway. The Gun Club are one of my all-time favorite bands, and like the old blues music they drew inspiration from, I think their influence and sound remain just as relevant today. It will soon be 15 years since Jeffrey Lee Pierce passed away, but he still remains one of the best frontmen to ever live, and I'm using this as an excuse to make this post. It's not easy to describe their sound, as they pretty much created a genre all their own, so I'll let the music do the talking. This first video is their cover of Tommy Johnson's great Cool Drink of Water Blues from the groundbreaking album Fire of Love.
This is the first three songs from Jeffrey's somewhat overlooked solo album, Ramblin' Jeffrey Lee and Cypress Grove with Willie Love. This album is mostly a great collection of blues covers, spanning everything from electric style Chicago blues to acoustic, country blues.
And Mother of Earth from the album Miami, just because I felt like posting my favorite song.
Pinetop Perkins has passed away at the age of 97. What a true legend and incredible musician. He recorded music over the span of eight decades, yes, decades. He played with and had influence on just about every blues musician, including touring and working with Muddy Waters. Pinetop continued to record up until his death, even winning a Grammy last month for Best Traditional Blues Album. What an inspiration.
Never fear, Amy's finally here! Sorry I've been neglecting the blogosphere. Next up on our Delta blues list is Big Joe Williams. He was born in Crawford, Mississippi and started playing music at an early age, traveling and performing all over. His recorded work is impressive to say the least. He recorded for several labels over the span of five decades. Big Joe was known for his unique 9-string guitar sound, songwriting, voice, and possibly for being a bit...difficult. But, when you were the first to record 'Baby, Please Don't Go,' you can act however you want, right?
Yes, we've been slacking. Moving from child to adult can do that. Just
part of the blues. Amy's got an excuse and I do too. I promise to crank out some more insightful posts in the near future. For now, I'll let Blind Boy Fuller explain my absence for you.
The blues has a long tradition of passing songs from one generation to the next. This passing of the torch led to Rock and Roll. Many times we are so familiar with the newer rock version of a song that we either forget who originally created it or we never knew in the first place. Every Thursday (or at least when I can remember) I'll take a look at the songs that fall in this category.
Todays song is I'm a King Bee. Originally written and recorded by Slim Harpo in 1957, it has become a standard cover by many artists. The most prominent being the Rolling Stones version recorded for their debut album in 1964. Featuring a slide solo by Brian Jones their take is a generally more acoustic interpretation. Mick Jagger is quoted as saying
"What's the point in listening to us doing "I'm a King Bee" when you can hear Slim Harpo do it?"
Muddy Waters later recorded a version in 1981.
Not to mention the Blues Brothers performing it on SNL in bee costumes.
Robert Lockwood Jr. was born on March 27, 1915 in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas. 1915 was a special year, as several other influential blues artists were born within a 100-mile radius; most notably, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Little Walter Jacobs, Memphis Slim, Johnny Shines, and Honeyboy Edwards, with whom he would play with in later years.
It's no wonder Robert Lockwood Jr. had something special. He learned from the best. At age eleven he learned to play the guitar from Robert Johnson himself, who was living with Lockwood's mother at the time. He was already playing professionally by age fifteen, occasionally with Johnson and Sonny Boy Williamson II. He later reunited with Sonny in 1941, and they began hosting a radio show. Later Lockwood settled in Chicago in the early 1950s, and became a top session man for Chess Records. He continued to record and tour well into his 80's, and passed away at the age of 91 in 2006.
Born in Greenwod, Mississippi in 1893, Furry was one of the earliest bluesmen. His family moved to Memphis when he was 8. While there, he learned to play guitar from a man he simply knew as "Blind Joe." By 1908 he was playing shows with WC Handy. He cut his first records in 1927 but by the time of the depression he was working as a street sweeper. While not sweeping the streets he played them. His outdated style lead him to be forgotten until the blues revival of the 1960s. Joni Mitchell wrote "Furry Sings the Blues" about him for her 1976 album, Hejira. He died in Memphis at the age of 88.
As with all things, music evolves. The blues is no different. In terms of current musicians, Jack White is one of the most influential players going. The White Stripes arguably brought blues into the 21st century. The whole brother/sister, ex-husband and wife gag and the candy cane apparel was always their admitted way of ‘getting away’ with playing the blues, a distraction. But when a band plays the blues that honestly and have such a strong appreciation, I don’t think they were getting away with anything. And I never understood how some complained about Meg’s drumming, did they want Billy Cobham? Her drumming was the key to their sound, and how Jack was able to play the style of music he did. You know how you can’t just eat one chip? This cover of Death Letter is the same, you can’t just watch once. And it ends with a goosebump-inducing version of “Grinnin’ In Your Face,” Jack’s favorite song. And it’s no coincidence we chose three videos.
Let me guess. You haven't heard of him. He is also known as Ted
Williams. Not the baseball player. Still haven't heard of him? Neither
had I until about two weeks ago when I listened to the song 'Down in
Lamar.' What a song. Bought the album Mean Blues late last week. What an
album. One of the best blues albums I've heard. Just found out about a
documentary, "Full Moon Lightnin'," about his trip to find his family he
left 60 years ago. When I see that I will post a more in depth look at
this woefully under-appreciated man. Till then, enjoy some Down in
Lamar.
Alright, so we've decided that every month or so we'll make our own list of the most important/influential blues musicians of each genre and style (i.e. Delta, Piedmont, Chicago, Jump, etc.). Then we'll do an individual, in-depth post for each on our list. Some may show up again, who knows. And no, we did not put Jack White on our list simply because The White Stripes broke up, he was on there before the news broke. Also, if we left someone off, we may have stuck them in another category...or simply forgot. First up is the Delta.
Let the Rev. Gary Davis take you to church with this one. Death Don't Have No Mercy will open the most closed of all souls.
Death Don’t Have No Mercy
Death don't have no mercy in this land Death don't have no mercy in this land He’ll come to your house & he won’t stay long You look in the bed, & somebody will be gone Death don't have no mercy in this land
Death will go in any family in this land Death will go in every family in this land Well he’ll come to your house & he won’t stay long Look in the bed & one of the family will be gone Death will go in any family in this land
Well he never takes no vacation in this land Old Death don't take no vacation in this land Come to your house, & he won stay long Look in the bed & your mother will be gone Death don't take no vacation in this land
Well he’ll leave you standing and crying in this land Death will leave you standing and crying in this land He comes into your house and he won't stay long You look in the bed, & somebody will be gone Death will leave you standing and crying in this land
Death is always in a hurry in this land Death is always in a hurry in this land Come to your house, & he won't stay long Look in the bed & your mother will be gone Death is always in a hurry in this land
Well, he won’t give you time to get ready in this land Well, he won’t give you time to get ready in this land Come to your house, & he won't stay long You look in the bed, & somebody will be gone Death won’t give you time to get ready in this land
It’s only right that we start with the one and only Robert Johnson, and the song from which this wonderful blog got its name, “Hellhound On My Trail.” This song was recorded in a warehouse in Dallas, Texas on June 20, 1937. Johnson only recorded 29 songs, but his pioneering guitar work, unmatchable voice and innovative styling of songs has influenced generations of musicians. But his genius may have come at a price. Legend has it that Johnson went down to the crossroads in Mississippi and sold his soul to the devil; and “Hellhound” itself adds to the mysticism, as it portrays a man being swallowed by evil (is this starting to sound like an episode of The Twilight Zone?). This arguably makes him the most mysterious of all the Delta bluesmen, as he is considered the first member of the infamous “27 Club” and little else is known about him.
The lyrics are likely influenced by the idea that hellhounds (evil hell-spawn-type dogs found throughout mythology) were out to get sinners, an idea common in southern churches at the time.
I got to keep movin', I got to keep movin'Blues fallin' down like hail, blues fallin' down like hailMmmm, blues fallin' down like hail, blues fallin' down like hailAnd the days keep worryin' me, there's a hell-hound on my trailHell-hound on my trail, hell-hound on my trial
"Hot foot powder" was a concoction used to drive away unwanted persons and spirits, and Johnson's woman wasn't afraid to use it.
All I would need is my little sweet riderJust to pass the time away, huh huhTo pass the time awayYou sprinkled hot foot powder, mmmMmm, around my doorAll around my doorYou sprinkled hot foot powderAll around your daddy's door, hmm hmm hmmIt keep me with ramblin' mind, riderEvery old place I goEvery old place I go
To add to the myth that is Robert Johnson, it is said he was poisoned by a strychnine-laced bottle of whiskey. This song is full of desolate images and perhaps, for those believers, foreshadows the morbid death that was imminent.
I can tell the wind is risin'The leaves tremblin' on the treeTremblin' on the treeHmmm hmmm hmm mmmAll I need is my little sweet womanAnd to keep my company, hey hey hey heyMy company
Whatever the origin or belief, you can feel in your bones how Robert Johnson meant every word he sang and every note he strummed. Songs don't get more powerful, eerie or transcendent than this...
Instantly I was filled with regret for not seeing him earlier in the year when he was in the area. An original Delta bluesman; his career crossed paths with many greats including Charlie Patton, Big Joe Williams, Howlin' Wolf, Magic Sam, and Muddy Waters. Probably the one artist he is most connected to is Robert Johnson. He was present the night Johnson drank the poison whiskey that killed him. Honeyboy also claims to have written 'Sweet Home Chicago.'