DOCSLIB.ORG

“I Believe I'll Go Back Home”: Blindness in Blues and Gospel

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
“I Believe I'll Go Back Home”: Blindness in Blues and Gospel “I Believe I’ll Go Back Home”: Blindness in Blues and Gospel Race Records by John Francis Bagnato Bachelor of Music, Manhattan School of Music, 1995 Master of Music, University of New Orleans, 2002 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Jazz Studies University of Pittsburgh 2018 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences This dissertation was presented by John Francis Bagnato It was defended on April 10, 2018 Laurence Glasco, PhD, Associate Professor Mathew Rosenblum, PhD, Associate Professor Michael Heller, PhD, Assistant Professor Richard Randall, PhD, Associate Professor Dissertation Advisor: Adriana Helbig, PhD, Associate Professor ii Copyright © by John Francis Bagnato 2018 iii “I Believe I’ll Go Back Home”: Blindness in Blues and Gospel Race Records John Francis Bagnato, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2018 This dissertation analyzes the contributions and reception of blind African American musicians who produced phonograph recordings between 1926 and 1938. Their records were central in transforming Black popular music. The "downhome" aesthetic they popularized was a significant stylistic departure from previous Race records. The prevalent notion that downhome expression was an always already foundational Black expression complicates its association with blindness and the moment of its popularity in 1926. The downhome became a liminal space on records featuring performances by blind musicians for audiences affected by institutional racism as well as increased acts of racial terror. Relegating blindness to the downhome was extremely popular, and was also a disabling and inaccurate representation. While the musicians presented an aesthetic that suggested an authentic downhomeness, they were participating in a Black modernity as recording artists and performers in cosmopolitan urban centers during their era, far from downhome. The musicians were associated with a past during a period vital to the construction of African American collective memory. Their records functioned as auditory mnemonics through the downhome and the effect of phonographic reproduction. By 1938, at least fifty "Blind" monikers were credited to musicians on recordings marketed to African American consumers. Sight as a marker of modernity contributed to the industry's promotion of a "Blind" downhome expression. The musicians could not "see" the modernity their audiences were navigating, they also could not "see" themselves as a result of their social invisibility. Their recorded expression imposed a break from a present state of modernity, validating a post-agrarian position. Blindness functioned as an authenticating marker of this break. Drawing on public health documents related to African American communities from the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries, recordings, lyrics, interviews, films, and the Black Press, this dissertation shows how blind musicians became the most popular producers of Black popular music during the late 1920s. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 BLINDNESS IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN NADIR ....................................... 12 1.1 RACIAL TERROR IN THE MUSICIANS’ COMMUNITIES .................... 13 1.2 IMAGINING THE DOWNHOME .................................................................. 18 1.3 GREAT MIGRATION, MOBILITY, AND DISLOCATION ....................... 33 1.4 PUBLIC HEALTH IN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ............. 38 1.5 OBSTETRICS, MIDWIFERY, EARLY BLINDNESS ................................. 44 2.0 AFRICAN AMERICAN BLIND MUSICIANS IN POPULAR CULTURE ........ 54 2.1 BLIND TOM AND BLIND BOONE ............................................................... 55 2.2 THE LIVES OF THE MUSICIANS ................................................................ 61 2.3 FINDING AUDIENCES ................................................................................... 80 2.4 VAGRANCY AND SOCIAL SECURITY BLUES ........................................ 83 3.0 RECORDINGS OF THE MUSICIANS, 1926-1938 ............................................... 92 3.1 PARAMOUNT RECORDS AND THE BLACK PRESS: BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON, BLIND BLAKE, AND BLIND JOE TAGGART ................................. 100 3.2 INCARCERATION BLUES: BLIND BLAKE, BLIND JOE REYNOLDS, BLIND BOY FULLER, AND BLIND WILLIE MCTELL. ........................................ 117 3.3 PENTECOSTALISM: BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON, ARIZONA DRANES, BLIND MAMIE FOREHAND ........................................................................................ 121 4.0 COLLECTIVE MEMORIES AND THE MUSICIANS ...................................... 138 4.1 TECHNOLOGIES OF THE TIME ............................................................... 145 v 4.2 COLLECTIVE MEMORY ............................................................................. 150 4.3 THE PHONOGRAPH AND PROSTHETIC MEMORY ............................ 152 4.4 PERCEPTIONS OF THE MUSICIANS’ AUTHENTICITY ..................... 157 4.5 THE SECRET AND SACRED SPACE OF BLINDNESS .......................... 160 4.6 BLINDNESS AND THE LYRICS ................................................................. 166 4.7 THE INFLUENCE AND CIRCULATION OF THE MUSICIANS’ RECORDINGS ................................................................................................................. 168 5.0 THE RENAISSANCE OF THE NEW NEGRO AND THE MUSICIANS ........ 180 5.1 VISION, VEILS, AND A BLUES DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS .............. 182 5.2 TRAUMA AND NOSTALGIA ....................................................................... 195 5.3 LOCKE AND THE NEW NEGRO................................................................ 206 5.4 THURMAN AND FIRE!! ............................................................................... 209 5.5 THE ART HOKUM AND THE RACIAL MOUNTAIN ............................. 213 6.0 CONCLUSION: THE MUSICIANS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY .. 219 DISCOGRAPHY....................................................................................................................... 226 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 227 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Census Table of Blind Population 1910 ......................................................................... 40 Table 2. Blind Musicians on Race records 1926-1942 ............................................................... 177 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Portrait of Blind Tom, American Phrenological Journal, December 1865 .................. 58 Figure 2. Blind Willie Johnson's only known photograph on a Columbia record sleeve ............. 59 Figure 3. Blind Lemon Jefferson's only known photograph on a Paramount record sleeve ........ 60 Figure 4. Blind Blake and Blind Lemon Jefferson recording session 1929. ................................ 68 Figure 5. Blind Boy Fuller Photograph......................................................................................... 83 Figure 6. Blind Boy Fuller 1937 Physician’s Report .................................................................... 84 Figure 7. Blind Lemon Jefferson advertisement ......................................................................... 104 Figure 8. Pittsburgh Race record distributor advertisement. ...................................................... 107 Figure 9. Blind Joe Taggart’s only known photograph on a Paramount record sleeve. ............. 112 Figure 10. Blind Blake’s only known photograph on a Paramount record sleeve. .................... 118 Figure 11. Arizona Dranes advertisement .................................................................................. 135 Figure 12. Supertone parlor guitars, Spring 1920 Sears and Roebuck catalog........................... 146 Figure 13. National resonator guitar, Spring 1930 Sears and Roebuck catalog. ....................... 146 Figure 14. Blind Boy Fuller with a National resonator guitar. ................................................... 146 Figure 15. 1920s Artophone Talking Machine ........................................................................... 162 viii LIST OF AUDIO Audio 1. Blind Willie Davis “I Believe I’ll Go Back Home” clip ................................................. 2 Audio 2. Blind Lemon Jefferson “Booster Blues” clip............................................................... 105 Audio 3. Blind Blake “He’s In The Jailhouse Now” clip .......................................................... 118 Audio 4. Arizona Dranes “Lamb’s Blood Has Washed Me Clean” clip .................................... 124 Audio 5. Teddy Darby “Lawdy Lawdy Worried Blues” clip ..................................................... 131 Audio 6. Blind Mamie Forehand “I Wouldn’t Mind Dying If Dying Was All” clip ................. 134 Audio 7. Blind Willie Johnson “Let Your Light Shine On Me” clip ......................................... 137 Audio 8. Blind Lemon Jefferson “Booger Rooger Blues” clip .................................................. 170 ix PREFACE In writing this dissertation, my objective is to provide a candid speculative discussion relating to the significance of blindness in African American communities and the construction of cultural memories from a position outside of the collectivities of these musicians and their audiences. I am also answering an appeal
Load more

Recommended publications
  • TN Bluesletter Week 10 080310.Cdr
    (About the Blues continued) offered rich, more complex guitar parts, the beginnings of a blues trend towards separating lead guitar from rhythm playing. Shows begin at 6:30 unless noted Texas acoustic blues relied more on the use of slide, In case of inclement weather, shows will be held just down the and artists like Lightnin' Hopkins and Blind Willie street at the Grand Theater, 102 West Grand Avenue. Johnson are considered masters of slide guitar. Other June 1 Left Wing Bourbon local and regional blues scenes - from New Orleans MySpace.com/LeftWingBourbon June 8 The Pumps to Atlanta, from St. Louis to Detroit - also left their mark ThePumpsBand.com on the acoustic blues sound. MySpace.com/ThePumpsBand When African-American musical tastes began to June 15 The Blues Dogs change in the early-1960s, moving towards soul and August 3, 2010 at Owen Park MySpace.com/SteveMeyerAndTheBluesDogs rhythm & blues music, country blues found renewed June 22 Pete Neuman and the Real Deal popularity as the "folk blues" and was sold to a PeteNeuman.com June 29 Code Blue with Catya & Sue primarily white, college-age audience. Traditional YYoouunngg BBlluueess NNiigghhtt Catya.net artists like Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Boy Williamson July 6 Mojo Lemon reinvented themselves as folk blues artists, while MojoLemon.com Piedmont bluesmen like Sonny Terry and Brownie MySpace.com/MojoLemonBluesBand McGhee found great success on the folk festival July 13 Dave Lambert DaveLambertBand.com circuit. The influence of original acoustic country July 20 Deep Water Reunion blues can be heard today in the work of MySpace.com/DWReunion contemporary blues artists like Taj Mahal, Cephas & July 27 The Nitecaps Wiggins, Keb' Mo', and Alvin Youngblood Hart.
    [Show full text]
  • Memphis Jug Baimi
    94, Puller Road, B L U E S Barnet, Herts., EN5 4HD, ~ L I N K U.K. Subscriptions £1.50 for six ( 54 sea mail, 58 air mail). Overseas International Money Orders only please or if by personal cheque please add an extra 50p to cover bank clearance charges. Editorial staff: Mike Black, John Stiff. Frank Sidebottom and Alan Balfour. Issue 2 — October/November 1973. Particular thanks to Valerie Wilmer (photos) and Dave Godby (special artwork). National Giro— 32 733 4002 Cover Photo> Memphis Minnie ( ^ ) Blues-Link 1973 editorial In this short editorial all I have space to mention is that we now have a Giro account and overseas readers may find it easier and cheaper to subscribe this way. Apologies to Kees van Wijngaarden whose name we left off “ The Dutch Blues Scene” in No. 1—red faces all round! Those of you who are still waiting for replies to letters — bear with us as yours truly (Mike) has had a spell in hospital and it’s taking time to get the backlog down. Next issue will be a bumper one for Christmas. CONTENTS PAGE Memphis Shakedown — Chris Smith 4 Leicester Blues Em pire — John Stretton & Bob Fisher 20 Obscure LP’ s— Frank Sidebottom 41 Kokomo Arnold — Leon Terjanian 27 Ragtime In The British Museum — Roger Millington 33 Memphis Minnie Dies in Memphis — Steve LaVere 31 Talkabout — Bob Groom 19 Sidetrackin’ — Frank Sidebottom 26 Book Review 40 Record Reviews 39 Contact Ads 42 £ Memphis Shakedown- The Memphis Jug Band On Record by Chris Smith Much has been written about the members of the Memphis Jug Band, notably by Bengt Olsson in Memphis Blues (Studio Vista 1970); surprisingly little, however has got into print about the music that the band played, beyond general outline.
    [Show full text]
  • The History of Rock, a Monthly Magazine That Reaps the Benefits of Their Extraordinary Journalism for the Reader Decades Later, One Year at a Time
    L 1 A MONTHLY TRIP THROUGH MUSIC'S GOLDEN YEARS THIS ISSUE:1969 STARRING... THE ROLLING STONES "It's going to blow your mind!" CROSBY, STILLS & NASH SIMON & GARFUNKEL THE BEATLES LED ZEPPELIN FRANK ZAPPA DAVID BOWIE THE WHO BOB DYLAN eo.ft - ink L, PLUS! LEE PERRY I B H CREE CE BEEFHE RT+NINA SIMONE 1969 No H NgWOMI WI PIK IM Melody Maker S BLAST ..'.7...,=1SUPUNIAN ION JONES ;. , ter_ Bard PUN FIRS1tintFaBil FROM 111111 TY SNOW Welcome to i AWORD MUCH in use this year is "heavy". It might apply to the weight of your take on the blues, as with Fleetwood Mac or Led Zeppelin. It might mean the originality of Jethro Tull or King Crimson. It might equally apply to an individual- to Eric Clapton, for example, The Beatles are the saints of the 1960s, and George Harrison an especially "heavy person". This year, heavy people flock together. Clapton and Steve Winwood join up in Blind Faith. Steve Marriott and Pete Frampton meet in Humble Pie. Crosby, Stills and Nash admit a new member, Neil Young. Supergroups, or more informal supersessions, serve as musical summit meetings for those who are reluctant to have theirwork tied down by the now antiquated notion of the "group". Trouble of one kind or another this year awaits the leading examples of this classic formation. Our cover stars The Rolling Stones this year part company with founder member Brian Jones. The Beatles, too, are changing - how, John Lennon wonders, can the group hope to contain three contributing writers? The Beatles diversification has become problematic.
    [Show full text]
  • Southeast Texas: Reviews Gregg Andrews Hothouse of Zydeco Gary Hartman Roger Wood
    et al.: Contents Letter from the Director As the Institute for riety of other great Texas musicians. Proceeds from the CD have the History of Texas been vital in helping fund our ongoing educational projects. Music celebrates its We are very grateful to the musicians and to everyone else who second anniversary, we has supported us during the past two years. can look back on a very The Institute continues to add important new collections to productive first two the Texas Music Archives at SWT, including the Mike Crowley years. Our graduate and Collection and the Roger Polson and Cash Edwards Collection. undergraduate courses We also are working closely with the Texas Heritage Music Foun- on the history of Texas dation, the Center for American History, the Texas Music Mu- music continue to grow seum, the New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music, the Mu- in popularity. The seum of American Music History-Texas, the Mexico-North con- Handbook of Texas sortium, and other organizations to help preserve the musical Music, the definitive history of the region and to educate the public about the impor- encyclopedia of Texas tant role music has played in the development of our society. music history, which we At the request of several prominent people in the Texas music are publishing jointly industry, we are considering the possibility of establishing a music with the Texas State Historical Association and the Texas Music industry degree at SWT. This program would allow students Office, will be available in summer 2002. The online interested in working in any aspect of the music industry to bibliography of books, articles, and other publications relating earn a college degree with specialized training in museum work, to the history of Texas music, which we developed in cooperation musical performance, sound recording technology, business, with the Texas Music Office, has proven to be a very useful tool marketing, promotions, journalism, or a variety of other sub- for researchers.
    [Show full text]
  • Julius Eastman: the Sonority of Blackness Otherwise
    Julius Eastman: The Sonority of Blackness Otherwise Isaac Alexandre Jean-Francois The composer and singer Julius Dunbar Eastman (1940-1990) was a dy- namic polymath whose skill seemed to ebb and flow through antagonism, exception, and isolation. In pushing boundaries and taking risks, Eastman encountered difficulty and rejection in part due to his provocative genius. He was born in New York City, but soon after, his mother Frances felt that the city was unsafe and relocated Julius and his brother Gerry to Ithaca, New York.1 This early moment of movement in Eastman’s life is significant because of the ways in which flight operated as a constitutive feature in his own experience. Movement to a “safer” place, especially to a predomi- nantly white area of New York, made it more difficult for Eastman to ex- ist—to breathe. The movement from a more diverse city space to a safer home environ- ment made it easier for Eastman to take private lessons in classical piano but made it more complicated for him to find embodied identification with other black or queer people. 2 Movement, and attention to the sonic remnants of gesture and flight, are part of an expansive history of black people and journey. It remains dif- ficult for a black person to occupy the static position of composer (as op- posed to vocalist or performer) in the discipline of classical music.3 In this vein, Eastman was often recognized and accepted in performance spaces as a vocalist or pianist, but not a composer.4 George Walker, the Pulitzer- Prize winning composer and performer, shares a poignant reflection on the troubled status of race and classical music reception: In 1987 he stated, “I’ve benefited from being a Black composer in the sense that when there are symposiums given of music by Black composers, I would get perfor- mances by orchestras that otherwise would not have done the works.
    [Show full text]
  • The Secret Speech of Lirnyky and Kobzari Encoding a Life Style Andrij Hornjatkevyč, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies University of Alberta
    32 The Secret Speech of Lirnyky and Kobzari Encoding a Life Style Andrij Hornjatkevyč, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies University of Alberta In Ukraine, minstrels have been part of the folk tradition for centuries. There were two types of minstrels: kobzari who played a stringed musical instrument called the kobza, later to develop into the bandura, and lirnyky, who played the crank-driven hurdy-gurdy called the lira. These minstrels were traveling musicians – and much more besides. They were major sources of historical and religious information and, interestingly, most of them were blind. This infirmity made them dependent upon others for their livelihood, but they were not beggars. On the contrary, they were well-respected by the general populace. As with other professional groups, they belonged to guilds and new members, young children, went through an extensive apprenticeship period. Minstrels also spoke using a secret language called lebiis’ka mova, henceforth the Lebian language (argot) or Lebian. It should be pointed out immediately that this was not a full-fledged language with a distinct phonetic, lexical, morphological, and syntactic system. On the contrary, its underlying structure was that of contemporary Ukrainian, but crucial standard Ukrainian lexemes – nouns, pronouns, adjectives, numerals and verbs – were replaced by others. To an outsider, i.e., one not initiated into the guild, who might chance to hear a conversation in this argot, it might sound like Ukrainian, but, except for such ancillary parts of speech such as conjunctions, prepositions, interjections and particles – words that carry only relational information – it would be entirely unintelligible. This was reinforced by the fact that Lebian lexemes would be inflected – declined or conjugated – exactly as analogous Ukrainian words would be.
    [Show full text]
  • Disability and Music
    th nd 19 November to 22 December UKDHM 2018 will focus on Disability and Music. We want to explore the links between the experience of disablement in a world where the barriers faced by people with impairments can be overwhelming. Yet the creative impulse, urge for self expression and the need to connect to our fellow human beings often ‘trumps’ the oppression we as disabled people have faced, do face and will face in the future. Each culture and sub-culture creates identity and defines itself by its music. ‘Music is the language of the soul. To express ourselves we have to be vibrating, radiating human beings!’ Alasdair Fraser. Born in Salford in 1952, polio survivor Alan Holdsworth goes by the stage name ‘Johnny Crescendo’. His music addresses civil rights, disability pride and social injustices, making him a crucial voice of the movement and one of the best-loved performers on the disability arts circuit. In 1990 and 1992, Alan co- organised Block Telethon, a high-profile media and community campaign which culminated in the demise of the televised fundraiser. His albums included Easy Money, Pride and Not Dead Yet, all of which celebrate disabled identity and critique disabling barriers and attitudes. He is best known for his song Choices and Rights, which became the anthem for the disabled people’s movement in Britain in the late 1980s and includes the powerful lyrics: Choices and Right That’s what we gotta fight for Choices and rights in our lives I don’t want your benefit I want dignity from where I sit I want choices and rights in our lives I don’t want you to speak for me I got my own autonomy I want choices and rights in our lives https://youtu.be/yU8344cQy5g?t=14 The polio virus attacked the nerves.
    [Show full text]
  • 88-Page Mega Version 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
    The Gift Guide YEAR-LONG, ALL OCCCASION GIFT IDEAS! 88-PAGE MEGA VERSION 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 COMBINED jazz & blues report jazz-blues.com The Gift Guide YEAR-LONG, ALL OCCCASION GIFT IDEAS! INDEX 2017 Gift Guide •••••• 3 2016 Gift Guide •••••• 9 2015 Gift Guide •••••• 25 2014 Gift Guide •••••• 44 2013 Gift Guide •••••• 54 2012 Gift Guide •••••• 60 2011 Gift Guide •••••• 68 2010 Gift Guide •••••• 83 jazz &blues report jazz & blues report jazz-blues.com 2017 Gift Guide While our annual Gift Guide appears every year at this time, the gift ideas covered are in no way just to be thought of as holiday gifts only. Obviously, these items would be a good gift idea for any occasion year-round, as well as a gift for yourself! We do not include many, if any at all, single CDs in the guide. Most everything contained will be multiple CD sets, DVDs, CD/DVD sets, books and the like. Of course, you can always look though our back issues to see what came out in 2017 (and prior years), but none of us would want to attempt to decide which CDs would be a fitting ad- dition to this guide. As with 2016, the year 2017 was a bit on the lean side as far as reviews go of box sets, books and DVDs - it appears tht the days of mass quantities of boxed sets are over - but we do have some to check out. These are in no particular order in terms of importance or release dates.
    [Show full text]
  • Puzzling the Intervals: Blind Tom and the Poetics of The
    “Puzzling the Intervals” Oxford Handbooks Online “Puzzling the Intervals”: Blind Tom and the Poetics of the Sonic Slave Narrative Daphne A. Brooks The Oxford Handbook of the African American Slave Narrative Edited by John Ernest Print Publication Date: Apr 2014 Subject: Literature, American Literature Online Publication Date: May DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199731480.013.023 2014 Abstract and Keywords This article explores the enslaved musician Blind Tom’s sonic repertoire as an alternative to that of the discursive slave narrative, and it considers the methodological challenges of theorizing the conditions of captivity and freedom in cultural representations of Blind Tom’s performances. The article explores how the extant anecdotes, testimonials and cultural ephemera about Thomas Wiggins live in tension with the conventional fugitive’s narrative, and it traces the ways in which the “scenarios” emerging from the Blind Tom archive reveal a consistent set of themes concerning aesthetic authorship, imitation, reproduction and duplication, which tell us much about quotidian forms of power and subjugation in the cultural life of slavery, as well as the cultural means by which a figure like Blind Tom complicated and disrupted that power. Keywords: sound, listening, sonic ekphrasis, echo, memory, reproduction, imitation, transcription, notation, improvisation For my master, whose restless, craving, vicious nature roved about day and night, seeking whom to devour, had just left me with stinging, scorching words, words that scathed ear and brain life fire! —Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861) I have sometimes thought that the mere hearing of those songs would do more to impress some minds with the horrible character of slavery, than the reading of whole volumes of philosophy on the subject could do.
    [Show full text]
  • Gene Autry Personal Papers and Business Archives T.MSA.28
    http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8zp46v9 No online items Finding Aid to the Gene Autry Personal Papers and Business Archives T.MSA.28 Finding aid prepared by Holly Rose Larson Autry National Center, Autry Library 4700 Western Heritage Way Los Angeles, CA, 90027 (323) 667-2000 ext. 349 [email protected] 2012 January 27 Finding Aid to the Gene Autry T.MSA.28 1 Personal Papers and Business Archives T.MSA.28 Title: Gene Autry Personal Papers and Business Archives Identifier/Call Number: T.MSA.28 Contributing Institution: Autry National Center, Autry Library Language of Material: English Physical Description: 446.0 Linear feet(approximately 300 boxes) Date (inclusive): 1900-2002 Abstract: Orvon Gene Autry (born September 29, 1907 - died October 2, 1998) was a legendary recording and movie star whose career spanned over 60 years in the entertainment industry. Sometimes called “The Singing Cowboy,” Autry was also a broadcast executive for KTLA and owned the Major League baseball team, the Los Angeles Angels, among other business pursuits. Autry also co-founded the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum, now known as The Autry National Center of the American West, with wife Jackie Autry and Monte and Joanne Hale in 1988. The Gene Autry Personal Papers and Business Archives span from 1900 to 2002 and document Autry’s personal and family life, including wives Ina Mae Spivey and Jackie Ellam; Autry’s military career during World War II; entertainment career; other business holdings; and honors received. Materials include administrative records; advertising material; awards; ephemera; correspondence; photographic material; posters; scrapbooks; and sheet music.
    [Show full text]
  • In Search of Blind Blake Arthur Blake’S Death Certificate Unearthed by Alex Van Der Tuuk, Bob Eagle, Rob Ford, Eric Leblanc and Angela Mack
    In Search of Blind Blake Arthur Blake’s death certificate unearthed By Alex van der Tuuk, Bob Eagle, Rob Ford, Eric LeBlanc and Angela Mack t is interesting to observe that the almost completed the manuscript. A framed copy of the toughest nuts to crack, but did not seem of the envisioned cover of the book hangs in his impossible. Lemon Jefferson’s death certificate New York Recording Laboratories record room. Hopefully such an important work did turn up as late as 2009 when it was found recorded and issued a relatively will see the light of day in the near future. listed under a different Christian name, notably Ilarge group of blind musicians for Blind Arthur Blake, Blind Willie Davis and Blind supplied by his landlady. their ‘race’ series, the Paramount Joe Taggart have been the ultimate frustration for researchers. Especially Blind Blake, for whom not Night And Day Blues 12000 and 13000 series. One would a shred of official documentation has been found By the early 1990s a new, important instrument only have to think of blues artists that he ever walked on this planet, aside from a for researchers was starting to develop: the like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind handful of accounts collected from people who Internet. Researchers were already integrating saw him play or played with him. Arthur Blake, Blind Willie Davis, official documents into their publications, like We only have an occasional report in the census reports from the Federal Census Bureau, Blind Roosevelt Graves and Blind Chicago Defender and the legacy of his Paramount as well as information found on birth and death Joel Taggart to name some of the recordings.
    [Show full text]
  • April-May 2021
    The April/May 2021 A publication by the Southwest Bluegrass Association SWBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Bluegrass Soundboard STAFF President Vice-President Terry Brewer Marc Nelissen Managing Editor Terry Brewer 661-364-9321 909 289 8730 661-364-9321 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Associate Editor Treasurer Secretary Sheila Brewer Paula De Bie Missy Lyn Gibson 951-934-3478 774-248-4128 Regular Contributors [email protected] [email protected] Terry Brewer, Bert Luontela, Ann Smith, Membership Connie Tripp Chris Jones, Wayne Erbsen, Eric Nordbeck Sheila Brewer 661-305-1554 Distribution 661-364-7415 [email protected] Flo De Bie, Carol Lister, Frank & Patsy Abrahams, [email protected] Susan Brown, Ella Carter, Paula De Bie Louie De Bie The Bluegrass Soundboard Deadlines 951-934-3478 [email protected] DECEMBER JANUARY issue November 1st FEBRUARY /MARCH issue January 1st APRIL MAY issue March 1st COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS JUNE JULY issue May 1st AUGUST SEPTEMBER issue July 1st OCTOBER NOVEMBER issue September 1st Soundboard & Web manger Terry Brewer Terry Brewer Missy Lyn Gibson ADVERTISING RATES Julie Ann Evans Single Issue Yearly SWBA Host Full page $65 $350 Sheila Brewer Advertising Half page $35 $190 $25 SWBA Jam Host Missy Lyn Gibson Quarter page $130 $10 $60 Howard Doering Terry Brewer Card size Marc Nelisse Foe more information concerning advertising Mark Shutts Campout Hosts (including special rates and discounts) Contact Terry Brewer René Baquet Paula De Bie 661-364-9321 [email protected] SWBA School
    [Show full text]