Country blues guitarist and vocalist Blind Lemon Jefferson is indisputably one of the main figures in country blues. He was of the highest in many regards, being one of the founders of Texas blues (along with Texas Alexander), one of the most influential country bluesmen of all time, one of the most popular bluesmen of the 1920s, and the first truly commercially successful male blues performer.
~Joslyn Layne (allmusic.com)
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean:
Well, there’s one kind of favor I’ll ask of you
Well, there’s one kind of favor I’ll ask of you
There’s just one kind of favor I’ll ask of you
You can see that my grave is kept clean
Here is Bob Dylan’s take (from his first album – “Bob Dylan” (1962)):
From Wikipedia:
| Birth name | Lemon Henry Jefferson |
|---|---|
| Born | September 24, 1893 |
| Origin | Coutchman, Texas, United States |
| Died | December 19, 1929 (aged 36) Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, guitarist |
| Years active | 1926–1929 |
“Blind” Lemon Jefferson (Lemon Henry Jefferson; September 24, 1893 – December 19, 1929) was an American blues singer and guitarist from Texas. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s, and has been titled “Father of the Texas Blues”.
Jefferson’s singing and self-accompaniment were distinctive as a result of his high-pitched voice and originality on the guitar. Though his recordings sold well, he was not so influential on some younger blues singers of his generation, who could not imitate him as they could other commercially successful artists. However, later blues and rock and roll musicians attempted to imitate both his songs and his musical style. His recordings would later influence such legends as B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Son Houseand Robert Johnson.
Matchbox Blues:
Carl Perkins – Matchbox (1956):
Album of the Day:
Blind Lemon Jefferson [Milestone] (1961):
Other December 19:
- Professor Longhair (December 19, 1918 – January 30, 1980; born Henry Roeland Byrd, also known as Roy “Bald Head” Byrd and as Fess) was a New Orleans blues singer and pianist. Professor Longhair is noteworthy for having been active in two distinct periods, both in the heyday of early rhythm and blues, and in the resurgence of interest in traditional jazz after the founding of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
– - Philip David Ochs (December 19, 1940 – April 9, 1976) was an American protest singer (or, as he preferred, a topical singer) and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and distinctive voice. He wrote hundreds of songs in the 1960s and released eight albums in his lifetime.
– - “Blue Suede Shoes” is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and is considered one of the first rockabilly (rock and roll) records and incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time. Perkins original version of the song was on the Cashbox Best Selling Singles list for 16 weeks, and spent 2 weeks in the No. 2 position.
B-side Honey Don’t Released January 1, 1956 Format 7″ single, 78 RPM Recorded December 19, 1955 Genre Rockabilly Length 2:14 Label Sun Records, Sun 234 Writer(s) Carl Perkins Producer Sam Phillips
-Egil