Big Road Blues

Show Notes:

Today’s show starts and ends on a somber note with of sides by fine R&B singer Lula Reed who passed away a month ago. Reed is little remembered these days and in fact I’ve yet to see any mention of her passing outside of a very brief note in a newsgroup I belong to. For just over a decade, 1951-1963, Reed cut in the neighborhood of 70 sides including recordings with Sonny Thompson and Freddy King. Most of her material was firmly R&B although she was versatile, cutting straight blues, Latin tinged numbers, proto-soul and gospel. We play her most famous number, “I’ll Drown in My Tears”, as well as a couple of my favorites, “I’ll Upset You Baby”, “Rock Love” and “(Let Your Love) Watch Over Me”, a wonderful duet with Freddy King. We don’t normally play gospel but I couldn’t help closing with her lovley “Just whsiper.”

We play a couple of twin spins today by Bukka White and Percy Mayfield. In 1930 Bukka White met furniture salesman Ralph Limbo, who was also a talent scout for Victor. White traveled to Memphis where he made his first recordings, singing a mixture of blues and gospel material under the name of Washington White. Victor only saw fit to release four of the 14 songs Bukka White recorded that day. As the Depression set in, opportunity to record didn’t knock again for Bukka White until 1937, when Big Bill Broonzy asked him to come to Chicago and record for Lester Melrose. White’s record “Shake ‘Em on Down” became a hit. The same year White was convicted of murder and sent to Parchman Farm prison. White cut two sides for John Lomax for the Library of Congress while in prison and when released resumed his recording career, cutting 12 sides for Okeh in 1940. We play “Fixin’ To Die Blues” from that session.  White continued to play locally in Memphis but didn’t record again until the 1960’s. Two California-based blues enthusiasts, John Fahey and Ed addressed a letter in 1963 to “Bukka White (Old Blues Singer), c/o General Delivery, Aberdeen, Mississippi.” By chance, one of White’s relatives was working in the Post Office in Aberdeen, and forwarded the letter to White in Memphis. Thus began White’s successful comeback. He went on to cut fine records for Takoma, Arhoolie, Biograph, Blue Horizon and others. He died in 1977. “Sad Day Blues”is from 1968 and can be found on Mississippi Delta Blues Jam in Memphis, Vol. II on Arhoolie. This album is a marvelous set of studio performances from artists appearing at the 1969 Memphis Blues Festival.

“River’s Invitation” is one of Mayfield’s most haunting numbers but it also has an irresistible, lilting hook. Mayfield had a keen insight into the dark side of human nature and was a penetrating student of the human condition as this song exemplifies. We pair this with one of his RCA numbers from the 1970’s. Mayfield was remarkably consistent and sailed into the 70’s in fine fashion cutting three very good LP’s for RCA: Percy Mayfield Sings, Blues And Then Some and Weakness Is A Thing Called Man. All these albums are out of print although a 25 track compilation was issued a few years back called Blues Laureate: The RCA Years on the Raven label.

A couple of weeks back we did a spotlight on Down Home harmonica players and we revisit a couple of those artists including Papa Lightfoot andJoe Hill Louis . Last time we played several of Lightfoot’s early singles and this time out we play the stomping “My Woman Is Tired Of Me Lyin’” from his lone album, Goin’ Back To The Natchez Trace. Joe Hill Louis was a good harmonica blower in his own right but also paired up with Walter Horton on several numbers for the Sun label in the early 1950’s. Horton really cuts loose on the rocking “Hydramatic Woman.” For whatever reason Horton was never comfortable as leader and his best work can be found on the records of others. In a couple of weeks I’ll be doing a spotlight on Horton and Little Walter. Less known is the amazing Rhythm Willie who demonstrates his impressive chops on “Wailin’ Willie.” Rhythm Willie was a shadowy Chicago player who made some little remembered sides between 1939 and 1950. He also played on records backing Lee Brown and Peetie Wheatstraw. He died in 1954. Scott Dirks wrote the definitive Rhythm Willie story in Blues & Rhythm 127.

As usual we spin a batch of fine pre-war blues selections. On the piano side there’s Dan Stewart wonderful vocal on “New Orleans Blues” with an excellent unknown piano player. This 1928 track is Stewart’s only record. “Louisiana Blues Pt. 2″ is a typically fine side by Little Brother Montgomery who cut one of the best bodies of piano blues records of the 1930’s. His Complete Recorded Works 1930-1936 on Document is an indispensable collection for piano fans. Another fine singer is Freddie ”Redd” Nicholson who’s backed by the superb Charles Avery on “I Ain’t Sleepy.” Avery was primarily a session pianist who was active in Chicago in the 20’s and 30’s. His lone record, “Dearborn Street Breakdown”,  is a tremendous boogie-woogie number and makes one wish he had recorded more frequently as a soloist. We also play a couple of fine blues ladies in Irene Scruggs and Berta Lee. Bertha Lee was Charlie Patton’s common-law wife and on January 31, 1934 she recorded “Yellow Bee” and “Mind Reader Blues” backed by Patton. This was Patton’s final recording session. Irene Scruggs cut some two-dozen sides between 1924-1930 backed by artists such as Lonnie Johnson, Blind Blake, King Oliver and others. Her “Voice Of The Blues” is a terrific number backed by a good unknown guitarist. We play several great guitarists including Blind Willie McTell and partner Curley Weaver, Oscar “Buddy” Woods and William Moore. Born in Georgia, William “Bill” Moore was a barber and farmer in Tappahannock, VA. He cut 8 sides for Paramount in 1928.

In addition to the lesser known artists we play tracks by blues legends like Earl Hooker, Elmore James, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Lonnie Johnson. Johnson’s “New Orleans Blues” is a gorgeous ballad about his hometown and is particularly resonant in the aftermath of Katrina as he sings: “Dear old New Orleans/They call it the land of dreams.” Johnson was just starting a successful comeback, and on this track he’s teamed with acoustic rhythm guitarist Elmer Snowden who had not recorded since 1934. Elmer Snowden was the original leader of the Washingtonians, a group that would become the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The duo recorded Blues & Ballads in 1960 with enough material left over for it’s sequel, Blues, Ballads, and Jumpin’ Jazz, Vol. 2.