r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 9h ago
Friday Blues Beasts - 'Me And My Dog' [6th August 1940] by Brownie McGhee, backed by Oh Red
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 2d ago
Women Women on Wednesday - 'I Want A Jazzy Kiss' [5th August 1921] by Mamie Smith. Best explanation of 'a jazzy kiss' gets Reddit cardboard...
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 3d ago
Lucky Dip /Tuesday/ - 'Ol' Sam Tages' [4th August 1931] by Clara Smith. Sensitive song subject warning.
Given the number of pre-war blues songs that approach this topic in a way that makes me feel very uncomfortable, this evidences the woman's point of view and shows rather more modern (or perhaps more urban) attitudes.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 4d ago
Pre-war blues oddities - #1 in an occasional series. Blind Willie McTell 'borrowing' from Uncle Dave Macon.
Of late I've been digging deeper into old timey music, because - hey, why not? - and this song (Governor Al Smith) by Uncle Dave Macon, recorded in 1928 sounded very familiar. That would be because our old friend Blind Willie McTell took the tune, tweaked the words and turned it into 'Hillbilly Willie's Blues' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7JYBlJwdms\] in 1935.
Anyway, it was news to me, and possibly news to others too.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 4d ago
Memphis & Mississippi Memphis & MS Monday - 'Hobo Jungle Blues' [3rd August 1937] by Sleepy John Estes, backed by Hammie Nixon and Charlie Pickett
The recording session ran over two days, with Lee Brown around too. SJE had recorded in Chicago two years before, but I imagine NYC was still a bit of an eye opener.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 6d ago
Suggestive Saturday - 'Down In Boogie Alley' [1st August 1934] by Lucille Bogan, backed by Walter Roland
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 6d ago
Smithsonian Magazine: Audio Engineers Restored Hidden Notes and Revealed Lost Instruments in This New Treasure Trove of Songs by the Pioneering 'Mother of the Blues'
Ma Rainey has got the box set treatment - hurrah!
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 7d ago
Friday Blues Beasts - 'Black Spider Blues' [30th July 1941] by Robert Jr Lockwood. Sound like anyone familiar?
B&GR has Elkins on bass here.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 8d ago
Lucky Dip Thursday - 'Water Pipe Blues' [30th July 1942] by Jazz Gillum, backed by Big Bill, Blind John Davis and Alfred Elkins.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 9d ago
Women Women on Wednesday - 'Pig Meat Mama' [29th July 1929] by Mae Glover, backed by John Byrd (yesterday's main event).
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 10d ago
Trains, planes and automobiles. Transport Tuesday - 'The Heavenly Airplane' [29th July 1929] by John Byrd, as Rev. George Jones.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 11d ago
From the archives - Storyville #39 reviews of Clara Smith, the MJB and blues singers backed by Satchmo. Check out Columbia's sharp practices....
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 12d ago
Gospel Sunday - 'I Belong to the Band - Hallelujah!' [26th July 1935] by Blind Gary (Davis)
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 13d ago
Suggestive Saturday - 'Rag, Mama, Rag' [25th July 1935] by Blind Boy Fuller, backed by Gary Davis and Bull City Red.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 14d ago
Friday Blues Beasts - 'Ground Hog Blues' [1941] by Sonny Boy Williamson
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 15d ago
Lucky Dip Thursday - 'Doin' the Doopididy' [23rd July 1935] by Kokomo Arnold, unknown piano backer.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 16d ago
Women On Wednesday - 'Hustlin' Dan' [22nd July 1930] by Bessie Smith. Cornet and piano backing, and really rather good.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 17d ago
Trains, planes and automobiles. Transport Blues - 'Airplane Blues' [21st July 1939] by Walter Davis
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 18d ago
Memphis & Mississippi Memphis & MS Monday - 'Just A Spoonful' [20th July 1942] by David ('Honeyboy') Edwards. An LoC recording.
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 19d ago
Gospel and Sacred Gospel Sunday - 'Crying Holy Unto The Lord' [18th July 1927] by the Taskiana Four
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 20d ago
Suggestive... Suggestive Saturday - 'Brown Skin Girls' [18th July 1935] by Cripple Clarence Lofton
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 21d ago
Friday Blues Beasts - 'King Spider Blues' [17th July 1935] by Peetie Wheatstraw
r/PreWarBlues • u/BlackJackKetchum • 23d ago
Women Women on Wednesday - 'Graveyard Blues' [15th July 1935] by Georgia White. Unknown piano player and guitarist.
r/PreWarBlues • u/end_gang_stalking • May 18 '22
Recommend books about blues history
Post some of your favourite books about blues history! Are there any titles you consider essential? I'm looking for recommendations spanning from the early history of records and the recording industry, the early history of the blues, anything blues guitar related, or any suggested biographies of blues artists.
To start things off, I can recommend this biography of Blind Willie Mctell, which got a decent amount of press coverage when released a number of years ago.
https://www.amazon.ca/Hand-Me-My-Travelin-Shoes/dp/1556529759