Tag Archives: Delta Blues

Today: The late Furry Lewis was born in 1893 – 120 years ago

furry lewis

Good Morning, Judge.
What will be my fine?
Good Morning, Judge.
What will be my fine?
He said I’m glad I got to see you,
That’ll be a dollar forty-nine.

They arrested me for forgery, I can’t even sign my name
(Judge Harsh Blues)

Wikipedia:

Birth name Walter E. Lewis
Born March 6, 1893
Origin Greenwood, Mississippi, United States
Died September 14, 1981 (aged 88)
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Genres Delta blues, country blues
Occupations Singer, guitarist, songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active Late 1920s – 1970s
Labels Vocalion, Victor, Barclay, Lucky Seven, Universal

Furry Lewis

When I lay My Burden Down:

Walter E. “Furry” Lewis (March 6, 1893 – September 14, 1981) was an American country blues guitarist and songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis was one of the first of the old-time blues musicians of the 1920s to be brought out of retirement, and given a new lease of recording life, by the folk blues revival of the 1960s. (Read more...)

furry lewis memphis

Casey Jones:

Album of the day:

Shake ‘Em Down (1972)

furry lewis shake em down

….done for two Prestige/Bluesville albums (Back on My Feet Again, Done Changed My Mind) in April and May of 1961 at Sun Studios in Memphis. Lewis is in brilliant form throughout, his fingers nearly as fast and his voice as rich as they were 30-odd years earlier.
~Bruce Eder (allmusic.com)

Other March-06:

Continue reading Today: The late Furry Lewis was born in 1893 – 120 years ago

Today: The late Robert Nighthawk was born in 1909 – 103 years ago

robert-nighthawk

 

Of all the pivotal figures in blues history, certainly one of the most important was Robert Nighthawk. He bridged the gap between Delta and Chicago blues effortlessly, taking his slide cues from Tampa Red and stamping them with a Mississippi edge learned first hand from his cousin, Houston Stackhouse.
~Cub Koda (allmuisc.com)

Continue reading Today: The late Robert Nighthawk was born in 1909 – 103 years ago

Today: The late R. L. Burnside was born in 1926 – 86 years ago

“He was a happy-go-lucky nihilist…. he took things exactly as they were. No more, no less.”
~Matthew Johnson, the founder of Mr. Burnside’s record label, Fat Possum.

See My Jumper Hanging On the Line (1978):

From Wikipedia:

Birth name Robert Lee Burnside
Born November 23, 1926
Harmontown, Mississippi, Lafayette County, United States
Origin Oxford, Mississippi, United States
Died September 1, 2005 (aged 78)
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Genres Blues, garage rock
Instruments Guitar, vocals
Years active 1960s–2005
Labels Fat Possum
Associated acts Calvin Jackson
Jon Spencer

R. L. Burnside (November 23, 1926 – September 1, 2005), born Robert Lee Burnside, was an American blues singer,songwriter, and guitarist who lived much of his life in and around Holly Springs, Mississippi. He played music for much of his life, but did not receive much attention until the early 1990s. In the latter half of the 1990s, Burnside repeatedly recorded with Jon Spencer, garnering crossover appeal and introducing his music to a new fanbase within the underground garage rock scene.

One commentator noted that Burnside…. were “present-day exponents of an edgier, electrified version of the raw, uncut Delta blues sound.”

Poor Black Mattie:

In the 1990s, he appeared in the film Deep Blues and began recording for the Oxford, Mississippi, label Fat Possum Records. Founded byLiving Blues magazine editor Peter Redvers-Lee and Matthew Johnson, the label was dedicated to recording aging North Mississippi bluesmen such as Burnside and Junior Kimbrough.

Burnside remained with Fat Possum from that time until his death.

Burnside’s 1996 album A Ass Pocket of Whiskey (recorded with Jon Spencer) gained critical acclaim, earning praise from Bono and Iggy Pop.

Style:

Burnside had a powerful, expressive voice and played both electric and acoustic guitars (both with a slide and without). His drone-based style was a characteristic of North Mississippi hill country blues rather than Mississippi Delta blues. Like other country blues musicians, he did not always adhere to 12- or 16-bar blues patterns, often adding extra beats according to his preference. He called this “Burnside style” and often commented that his backing musicians needed to be familiar with his style in order to be able to play along with him.

Burnside collaborated in the late 1990s with The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion on the album A Ass Pocket of Whiskey. Consequently, he gained the attention of many within this underground music scene, cited as an influence by Hillstomp and covered on record by The Immortal Lee County Killers.

Burnside’s “Skinny Woman” was also interpolated into the song “Busted” by fellow Fat Possum musicians The Black Keys, who have listed Burnside as an influence on their music.

Shake ‘em on down – Live:

Album of the day:

Too Bad Jim (1994):

Other November 23:

Continue reading Today: The late R. L. Burnside was born in 1926 – 86 years ago