Airwaves (1979-10)

AIRW\VES A Service of Continuing Education and Extension - University of Minnesota, Duluth october In this issue: MARATHON FOR WDTH RADIO OCT.18-21 INTERVIEW WITH BROWNIE MCGHEE CALENDAR AND PROGRAMING GUIDE . SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ---------l5il UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-------'---- ouLUTH lnfervie\,\/: with Brownie McGhee Amidst an outstanding group have to do is stay out of the play guitar. you must pick of performers at the 6th hospital and the graveyard.." it".He stopped me from Annual Winnipeg Folk Festi- strumming, I know that. And val 1979, one man stood out This is Brownie McGhee's story my writing ability .•. I come as something special, his in his own words from the to put stories together be- name was Walter Brown McGhee Winnipeg Folk Festival July cause my father sang about one of. the giants of the 8th, 1979: his daily life. His work, blues. his hard.ships, his persecu- tions and being young. I As a singer, songwriter, and JZ: I'm talking with a man didn't know very well, but guitar playing blues legend, who, I hope you don't mind if as I grew older, I realized Brownie McGhee together with I call you a legend in your what he was singing about. harmonica player Sonny Terry own time. have become household words JZ: You have fond remember- among fans of the blues. BM: If you want to. ances of your father, I They have performed for the think, one time, you said his last four decades all over JZ: I want to. His name is hands were like a steam this country as well as Brownie McGhee, and I've en- shovel, reaching many remote parts joyed you at a workshop and of the globe. the Friday evening concert. BM: Yeah, they were. He played guitar with all his Stricken with polio while BM: Thank you. fingers and said something still a boy in Tennessee, should be happening all the Brownie overcame this handi- JZ: And can we go back a time on a guitar, not one cap and all others presented little bit, take a trip down string at a time, you're sup- him to become a leading memory lane? posed to play them all. spokesman for the blues. He performed in Washington,D,C. BM: If you want to. JZ: And I think you started on a bill headed by Paul Rob- before you had a guitar, eson, Brownie considers this JZ: Back to 1915 and Knox- playing on a Prince Albert his professional debut but it ville, Tennessee when a little can with rubber bands. was only the beginning as he package came to the McGhee's. moved North to New York where You said you learned from BM: Well I did (laughs) and he lived and played with your father George McGhee who he bought me a make-believe Leadbelly, Josh White, Pete was a big influence. -thing, but I liked the Prince Seeger, Woody Guthrie and Albert can better. many of the legendary fig- BM: Not only was he a big ures of the 40 1 s and 50's. influence, he was •.• JZ: And them came I guess His recording career began piano and guitar. I didn't with talent scout J.B. Long JZ: I guess you said all you know you played, for Okeh Records in the early know he taught you. 40's and continues until this BM: Well, piano is the first day. He continues to play BM: Well, I don't say all instrument that I played, My concerts, clubs and festivals I know he taught me, but what father played the guitar and and as he says " ••• if there I learned was my picking I played the piano and he were more months in the year style from my father, which didn't know I played piano. I'd work more months ••• all I he said, "If you're gonna People back in those days thought girls should have BM: Oh yes, he was older than my guitar in there, and those art, but boys could work for me and I said I got the guitar guys ••• kept 'em cheered up it. My daddy had that kind because I didn't have one, and all the time, and I got to of idea. Boys can make it, I was just borrowing people's where I'd go steal stuff from but the girls need music. So guitars, and they'd come and the diet kitchen. They'd he bought a piano and import- get it just at the time I'd want milk and stuff and I'd ed a teacher 50 miles, and my want to play it; they needed get in a wheelchair and take sister, damn, never did learn it. He said, "I've got a off and get it. So when I a thing, so he give it to me guitar for $1. 50, " and I gave come out I run into a lot of and my brother and we learned him 50¢ down on it, and he guitar players, but my big- to play it; I learned to said, "You can have it," but gest after my father was play the piano. I thought I kept it a long time. Lonnie Johnson. That was the about me having a handicap man that bears upon my mind. with polio. I was a little JZ: You remember those I ain't met nobody year or embarrassed to put the guitar learning days .•• heard nobody yet that could on my back cuz it bumped play any more guitar than against my crutch and cane, BM: Well ••• Lonnie Johnson. so I only played the guitar at home. And so when I found JZ: He played a lot of nice a piano wherever I'd go, I duets with Ed.die Lang, didn't . played the piano; and people "... all I Have to do is he? only knew me by playing the piano because they never heard Stay Out of the Hospi- BM: He did guitar playing me play the guitar. tal and .the·Graveyard." with anybody. He was absolu--he's the greatest JZ: Is that right? That that ever did it. I mean first guitar you got, it's when Brownie McGhee says a classic story. You were that, that's coming from way something like years pay- 3 JZ: Who might you have been back there and I've listened ing the cat across the street to everybody today and I hear for a $1.25 guitar, I think listening to other than your father? Lonnie Johnson. Everybody you got him 50¢. plays guitar. I hear him BM: Well, I didn't really . 'cuz there's nothing they're BM: Well, I gave him 50¢ doing that he didn't do and down on it, but I was going listen to anybody until after I got up after my operation. that's why I say .•. because to school then and I really if they's doing something just didn't have no money See, I went to a hospital with this guitar. I took that's happening that Lonnie cuz my room was costing me didn't do. I've got every a dollar and a quarter a week, this guitar to the hospital with me. And for 9 months, -record he ever made. But five dollars a month. By the I was in the hospital, I had ain't nothin' that modern time I hustled a $1.25 a week guitar players, what I call for my rent and I was eating my operation, was under the March of Dimes when Roosevelt modern electric guitars, at the school (laugh) I become President. So I got acoustic guitar players doing didn't have no surplus money this operation to rid myself that Lonnie couldn't do, or to give him, but I ducked him of that crutch and cane. So didn't do. I admire him most of the time. He said I was a state patient so they because he was just good in "Give me a quarter at a time'; put me in a room, not in a everything, singing ..• I but a quarter was such a •.• ward, so I could lay there liked his singin'; I liked you know, that was a lot of and play my guitar all I his phrasin'; and I liked his money to me. I'd give him my wanted to; but I got lonely playin'. quarter, I ain't got no in there. So I made them put money; but I had my guitar, me in a ward where all the JZ: You've never let any so I eventually paid him for other people were. kind of handicap be any kind the guitar. of handicap. At one point JZ: He threatened to take it JZ: Other cats who played or Brownie McGhee went out on the back a whole lot of times. other people to listen? the road hitchhiking for about 6 years. BM: I'll tell you who he BM: No, they wanted to was; he was my oldest listen, and I wanted to see BM: That's how I got started sisters' husband's uncle. whether I was good enough for in the record business. I them to listen to, so I got was walkin' when the man saw JZ: He was older than you in and cheered them up, I me. I didn't know what re- then. did a lot of damn things with cords was. It was 1939.

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