March 6: Furry Lewis Birthday

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)

Furry Lewis was the only blues singer of the 1920s to achieve major media attention in the ’60s and ’70s. One of the most recorded Memphis-based guitarists of the late ’20s, Lewis’ subsequent fame 40 years later was based largely on the strength of those early sides. One of the very best blues storytellers, and an extremely nimble-fingered guitarist into his seventies, he was equally adept at blues and ragtime, and made the most out of an understated, rather than an overtly flamboyant style.
~Bruce Eder (allmusic.com)

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:

  • James Robert Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975), better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western swing, he was universally known as the King of Western Swing.
    Birth name James Robert Wills
    Also known as “Jim Rob” and “Bob”
    Born March 6, 1905
    Origin near Kosse, Texas, United States
    Died May 13, 1975 (aged 70)
    Fort Worth, Texas, United States
    Genres Western swing
    Years active 1929–1969
    Labels Vocalion, OKeh, Columbia, MGM,Liberty
    Associated acts Light Crust Doughboys, The Texas Playboys

    bob wills

  • David Jon Gilmour, CBE (born 6 March 1946) is an English musician and multi-instrumentalist, who was the guitarist, lead singer and songwriter of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. It is estimated that as of 2010, the group have sold over 250 million records worldwide, including 74.5 million units sold in the United States.In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of artists, and has enjoyed a successful career as a solo artist. Gilmour has been actively involved with many charities over the course of his career.In 2003, he was appointed CBE for his charity work and was awarded with the Outstanding Contribution title at the 2008 Q Awards. In 2011, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him number 14 in their list of the greatest guitarists of all time.david_gilmour

-Egil