78 Quarterly No. 1 & 2

126 Pages·1992·33.9 MB·English

by  Dinosaur Discs

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78
Quor.ter$
What
does
he
say
abbut
How manvc onies
Tom-
of this?-Seei he
MY Rare Records
Jotrn- section... andt he
son?
auctions!
The truth about
CharleyP atton's
MURDER!
s!.65
Front cover photo by Fred Ramsey, fr.:
(Alabama-66 mlles out of Blrmlngham, on Route 5 t to llontgomery)
(Sifaer
AnnirtersffiU
Issue)
GRTTTINGS
fltNDS&
c0t-t-tcrOR$:
Wei nvitey out o partitipate
in this2 )!vearc elibraticionf
non-rtop'd"lu*peu blishinq
with our meaWr eprinto ["
lssuenso .1 5nd'no.2
Copyright @\967,1992,
78 Quarterly, Inc.
r,.ry
s
E LETTERS
F
$
I totheeditor
$
lr
QLtA RT E R Ly di s co ntinuzs publi c ati on-
[.. Cunn, Lod_i, N.].blatk phtti, gennefi.,
superror and paramormtAs the wife of an
auid iazz record collector. I unuld like"to
expriss my sympa.thiest 6 other uiues of
auid record colLictors. Ladies and niueS: ADVERTISING
much of your bu.deeta llotmnce is beins used RATES (black
to buy'stratclry-s"oundiner usic on suc\, & whi0eo nlv):
bizane labeLs'as Black?atti, Gennett. Suo- Orrc-sixthp agi
erior, and Paramount. I haue been manied' (2% bv 5% inches)
onb six months and, for the eood of my mar- -$6,N; Onc-third'
riarte, I made a significant dEcisioi: durins wee (2Y,b v 10%
my"hus barul' s re c"ent's ale s trip t o Chicaeo" for irCh.e.slgl1.00;
his manufacturing firm" I renn:ued the soltrc'e Une-lall paze
of di{ficiltv..,l iwde seueral triDs to our (8t/zb vStAinelrcs)
clnr'cbal c6okow behind the hnise..,meltine -$20.00: Tuo-
them dann into a uiscuous liouid. After'u nosnd thirds wee (5 by
tlle cfeatest Euer since the demise of hnur's-time. I fomd tlnt the-nateridl 10% iicEes)-$30:
TheRecord Chaneer, circa /958, all y:ou '{tior m yet sticky', By euenins, it Ltadr euerted Full paee( 8% bv
s.uys lnue been bringine out one naxiitus alnrd, bri{tle SubsnncT t}nt uns dark in 10Yzi ndhes) -$ 0.
ia2z publication aftEr u:rnther. They Last color and of ponderous mass-slnoed in the Mechanical Infm-
a fei issues thzn'fold. I mean. uh6.t's 'faotrnm of an iniperfect elobe. The s.lobe's mal,ion:lf possible,
tlie puroose of allihis eeotistic nonsense? oiter dia'rneiers ircasure siiand eieht Dlease subm,t ads
Wln't hhppens'if I take o"ut a year's sub- feet, respectiuelv: the total ueieht is ah in tle form of cam.
scription? Inciilently, this mitkes the fifth bsti'mated 950 o6inds. Mv husba"ndi s due to era+edd,y paite-ups.
so-ialled trwsazine'[ subscribe to, iu.3i to retttrn from Ais'soles' c6nference in htn AII olntbi or coi
make stse I don't miss any auctiois. When days, itnd I unuld Riue a fortme to see the tirutotts-tone art
is i-t^going- to endl When.aie you going to exbression on his face. Houeuer. I ltaue must be pre-screetzd.
end?1 do"n't mind spendine money on rare scheduled passaed on the Bremeihauen to for offsei priains.
records. I do mind ipendinls it on- mnsazines oisit relatiues iiEurope-Mrs. T. Croz. WiId- Otle'naise| lnUt6re
tlutt are uhreol.able-F. fuin. Neu Ydrk,'should flou.ter, Kansas a wealth of naterial / nesatiue stri>ins
N.y.hcrt rank Mrxic mliki children, iecently camz into an inheritance of uell ntile bv tle brirxer
be heard and rnt seen, Krist, you hothottse ouer $3,00O,M0 ilzroueh the death 6f an uill be'cln$ed at
flouers brins oa another FRONT LINE aurt. Naatrally, I amlookine for inierestins cost.
issue..,Con,1 vou iust listen to the music? u,ays to inuesi a portion of ihis stun, As
You ruin it by'uriiins about it. tohrmy Dodds pait of rw ,inuestinent profrarn, I am e,xplor,-. , EDITORIAL
uns itnrticulate. Dois this mean anyihins ms nrctnod,s ol Durclasrng rare record,s. wluch STAFF: Editor-
to you? If it doesn't, then I can't erplnii it, I fuerstand, hirue .shani-a high net/ gioss. Rrblisher-Pele
Music is'meant to bi played or heard, not ratLo rrse-htsher tlan etther stnntDs or colns. WhelnnMutqnin-e
read, or read about.S:year subscription Of course, I ieed reassurance tlni the Edi0or-Nanc-v
Late in'57, I took out a tlvee-year sub- oberall nwdian uill continue its Dresent VlelanAsscr;'rate
scription to Th.e Record Clnnier. Howeuer, uv,urd spiml, an^dt lnl the cuneht prices Editors ard con--
I fuiue heord rwthinp since thdn. I urote at aie not the resuh o{ nanioulation by ato or hibutnrs-Fran/r
the time. askine ifiw subscription lnd th.ree indiuidwlsind tfuit rnlues /eflect Driges: La,orence
exoired and reieiited rc ansubr. It lp,s sowtd, erowth, ratler than acquisitiubness. Coffi: BiIl Ciuens:
belen about ten years, and I iust thoueld I For co:nnlex reasons. uhichl atn tnt at lib- I ohn'Godrich:D oti"e
unuld uoice nrt'opinoin aboin it and about eny b ditnlse, I haie been urnble n tydstruo: Beirnrd
the sad,s arc 6f iazz in eencral-L.V. deiosit tlp drisiwl smt directly into tle Klatzkai Ioln
Sozires. Paxtoh.'Maine. -"vordMul / can bcink for conueision to negotiables, Houteuer, MacKen'zieN: ick
oilv soeak for rivself ofLourse. Houeuer, I am lpldins the anount ilr its orisitnl form Perls: tacques
it ieeitts ob"uioui to inc'there is sornethins (i.e.,50's,"IN's ard up). I uill'prouide Rocle: Duhcan
teniblv urone with the cunent folk-blu.es- certain serial numbers of snnller'dercmin- Schiedt:J acobS ,
sceneT My o[mrel is rnt so mich utith the atiotts upon request. IncTudes unter-mark, Sclp..zeid,eRro: bert
cunent R'&' B or country blues reissues red-threh.d. rae-oulp stnck: 3 colors: 2 sreens Tmuis; Hew,r Ves-
('Psoadtt oknn).D ws. l'nr rnt on6 to krnck Clnrlie & black. dndlthe-Iinc steel ensrauinsfrom tinc: Gayle Wardlar.
Mi comolnint is with the listeners 28 oer c ent culner a re duc tion -T1 F oliiri sunrth
and, imiat6rs...iith the lnirswe, wunshed III.' N orth slpre. L.1.. N. Y.the bie Overseas
bodies of today's YOUTH (uho, I suspect, brbak 1'd like io know ulnt kindaf bhres- Remesentative
aTrVe dine osd6omreen ut A|oym rmeaecrctiindgls la eaMinys dt itsottditney's 'ieaizuze am atiheiaszpienre itso iCt.h tahrlaiet dMoeinsgnt'Lt so erb eOnmette aSdin oMn aNraaogieerr:.
'pfafsoolrlllero k b:tgybhsoble u.iu snuZt egrshs ose( nlresly oI b bLwf -bnoshi alsb eh.turehiesit i )uri,fn.s i eclivyido o,m uukfPrnen latmtiimnnsany iEtg -euyqadohnz.ueir ns reeB tn, hy uti ypTeiopir.-ueinve - trICbooal o-ue otleeetkes n tl '>hnsfryenuo t cbiu?sotglh oeh Tlte ihiaedse -s no a'a6ifdpfLfAcp l-rnatotorrlsceoecrw- iocclepydu xenrrp soaer.nrn edc[s',ew sIs nhiaeosigetntea e oyi6nof.' diborf.o'lo uinlvuktdo-stun' IBSBvTieuLlElxsUeDhs Ee.iRl Slr3o-, o BUaEiadANn .SgeLalaIaTc.n4kd-..
done Iazz a great dtsertlce. lranslonrung- personal dessage in rural Southem'blues, It
the n;snlsii saea of the 1920's ihto a is rwt your cdtitre or era. You uere blind n 78 QIJARTERLY
oonderous"bore inll take some doinA, and the coitntry blues for 100 years. Notu.30 vears is oublislrcd bv 78
7'm confident 78 OUARTERLY uil(brins it aq.fftteerr iitt aallll eennddeedd,.''yyoouu aarree''nrna lloonnseeerr bSlliinndd:! Publishinl Coimpa''ny,
Qvoofnfu-lTrit .ve irlCeW,aouozou. rlsdW nit'ltod iilato wlbiteeer r,ba erKvtt cenrfos taloios -clciotleenrafairnrlvfe-- WWnilIS "itt bgen da rnCtolelei m3a0n yilneta rs' Bbiefufo BrEr6 yaoku'in s ive78 B319r1o 2Ro0kel1my,n'su.e N.iSS .Yt.rA.e.bt.
dbsiewted os such? Whv iutddy up the
bluei-iazz fiel.d uith thb sort of excrement
aonne a ?fimitdisre ro oh f tlteh ei nHteelmleicntewu.In y'pddirsetuctr ea?c It ioantn -'pCccr ooinmtiir weide nl'uni.en dtA erl li nr li"s(r ilnt st rseo sece i r fui cec d. Cosponsaed by ORIGIN
approach to'Iiterary tsiiine. And, as such, omri slued eellssaa nnhheerere'in'i n tthhiiss nke {.AZ-LIBBA-R!, Box 863,
I'iiLI ree direct mlethods fo see tlnt 78 aziiw I is covrrishted by 78 to Berkeley, Califdnia.
protect eact iub\tor, anl, i, cannot
be reproduced eitlrcr in ulnle or
put iritlww the author's consent.
NowR EN,LY
"eccentric" piano can
be heard on VANGUARD
"Skip
9219/ 7921 9, I ames/ Jabbo uns selected by
Todav." Tuo oiarn tracks Brunsuick Records in' 1929
ROBERTTR AVIS add io euitrr d.ccornpanied to froil a band tlwt the com-
blues tlo nake this bne of the 'rLnoiriyis hornd unuld compete uith
best--and. for me. the beit Armstrone and his Okeh
Tun exrellentr eissues hooes of boostins.s alei, blues rec6rd. Re cords. Siderien inc luded
SM"MIttLsitoihnoiItettIOblhe{ elLeteft n UEi fsRtsDntuno'ShN aaeyo eTTraiar dnUe O' rnsDdMe e.t N sSyao eI dha ELsd.nul:liEi dolursse asSg it a2noa .Tf 0buedonrOi0lratn ce af1Nt r u2b otTEPsroa0traeht nn A0a9idId r2lMrIp anto,R .o bb-haAnaetnnelill4dcy ;irsSWiITCfTott ioit dtfdos. uowTrNCieeancrreoo i, dttei Dluhel pPnosaimleetiddB.u^n i;J Io r lx:SdsIl.ai;rbu ic .'ene;|ln; leTBzvke'a; m o s ;ianrlnTutiu w.Dlesid oenclDsls h( e ossTCL o s "B&(l:wnt- couE oFtI"'alnite rnbtRe rEiwh6eibrvSr -aadsitei i e laRAom i, wr deFsBuFiwlo totcsalroo eanroetllornkg-ne, ")),,; RIasIrmot"teehS,n uioeaceu mlirdocosa eeD ri u rlpdotiletIthgv siiurIunbehvta eZasate en.r nV i lxecyMBadA c snilEnNpl,ede ilLelG pswrOGsf UtortoDir erAmoSemeItRoAnhieonateNDuaienad h l sde cattir7rh en iso3ue s "f2e,it1s ASlhLahlhpiensetiraaeslmp selruoravei edt.ernrsh e.el o,byted nlRhnn .I . cke udior(teenor i f'nnr y I.erIale1B ie)tsl 9R.tul htlh eh2fAo ota a9hbi7rfnts rei dIanod o ,tr1bos mhrecpoi9eeCa oenc aisanniso i rvascstiors ndzsldetnutoi2eisiiqdrvdn s cu iets p6 fcdaouemnSnltictdotesli-hymr-
luF.feoialrl mtliedn uJfoiartsllaet uiuttiwyrna ere 4 xcstoeeolrlu.eendt OPotercier6snb)t-roS sl t)eM. Oaalhn A (DuDadixvdi ve( lPa(arDdro adtTrdohstwn& tt' abhrloutisse tls oubteiot-hoo muit l riucoi.t f steulenh seinctio uauitnny t ry'and usc oolaplutheldi s tbl tniecta artt leilne I vt dhuneen 2r e0t-hs n.eo nrew'rke t
'dMcbKutpouuelaeOarhtlre ataUbapbtathi r tNr utPclsTzu-ta hi't nrsaesate,oud tuso f.a iiawltelc&tlfttdeientLh, s le .seH relrnavirnsgiFsCsstg Ae-oS ecM nlrtonteEu-ynurieFaneltel'r, (PLCTI o eaoiiRrxixhlwaao7y dsb. DM .ebi Bsreltut ls LayesSotnshilnncw peee' it'aA s ,Bs oir phoRna nubai slpr agBd rya(i lmIueNtfnueriot,uiso.l, 2fein)s. " bttnifTlasonnal lrEerte s srrwhoi ealii ame nl s'os si en ftu ieaooltelmaru nldlmt s 't ap enantinsaotsdho s rbtlhtenewhei arses s.inw m si[ hophhi'ooionsslrswga t ao,Vnisnsled,t, abLpCtErrtoewldiednur,4rf siiootsid aefni tsla tienbenefnn trl-li vcse,'f d.otry t'p srJllsp reqcMtr.i,wo cboH u ubueRit s lhwae limidve,liyA. ron atlnutlRse yboson oseiyitonvhieol-rnd
ioe f i d.el itv'! R e c lnnrc I' Ieads off Maih McConiick's
iMnga fRora sinieerevo', s71 o9lm2 4?27 1na0)t L. b6bl, ALMANAC (nnber Tdfahteen sn,no "tsnHtel(yst i foaLnmo bniloieat"hr rtaoenc lodar'rdAnslels Jreacbobrod',ss r amn*me dw.sid oenly t hfreom
rnCbhliekemilcgeneor n drbcd trlreseaea snba >oahcaura rEintrif te diuto y lniiuoefl cliu nt y h bdkifvsur'noo o o.umdI.wp 'oH wnmnei si'llreal .nad ShTmsboletluatuuxrrieusaansie ilu i o. iosi tHnl hrn o eniitoef hwi wrsaeisn h" ct2s t lllit0usuirrqsott-cI . uaomhutns h oitdr 'clph 3eslteau0nidcvnsthrie,na"l-sl. NSGplGoekituasrilAfothloe" tR rl tmvaDLu nab osenlaneucsrzde Ze"i s soeu mixaoc(c cnHictilolteoopi nsud letipy-f a,?u bV lo,l)ov,Ai aBw NTrl nabh-cavek tuBt"Bho ,Ilclo u uat lerhzeekszo os " tl.nB .v" 'ara siBrtcttdaoole "lstb "'t"$b.6T liiannahSs etesufc 6 yiucil aofofT v lomii rnnp"clex
uunaT.iwtit\ ithauule t te blidtl lv$tic c,a htwrigtoctnwli:. g ety " r tJ sclae omtatam onloeadisu n'at ltsnbcv ogloeHi up.a'egatnanr-r' MatRotooe rbodeer boerolct a orCvdrenosreo,s.i Po bu eu.rtSrthn hoiaano nrdued a d Akson Ireeoexsul'.,nrwt rarLlieeoneacmdrpoo ibpvr dne a aCartrdahss ne "th BhRaeelonranebdc e bkfCors trl' a'sGS ioefatturntLIheYi"epn G aWl,"il- 'Dnniln aori ocbMt bkbpiaSolluab rtnybctv rtloddh tsni e hsw etc ihmd)o e tn ( lLnct lateo bryltuEbedno d Sdus l iimuhdeeitsnh
BBNtBSBeloilldlueouul,eshte eBusdtssl .'D uT '.. eBri AEBinsufixeiu.mie nosc vslsCsa ,Bb. eiC MmnllSula' o eelmBaarsT vonpB,he w, MoH e GduTa eBonrommndl'uTpe oeBhhnieli,Yuses, TrmCCeohhes rii emuccsmaa e-efo ,btSodfl .e.lCt wbI h r upheipt cm snpaooul reute s ncCrtroydL b pcsann Liree:ooned ersc ele eel-Y. uI9ttN nhil2 unooe2t lr te0uJ /d ./ ta "rTi7tn'eMn o0eded2in ssa1it ns tv0ao i "nsi l.nostd lsr l.oVei sit A p niNspga6 ris G6 feuiJ,Utaet oit Adt ht sg RnutntDigther aDitofhhonuieecrdt yk' i'tpA n hglucaelritl:ecmiuxsi sp, e iH iiel otviirlann tlw in rinncesnc niottndnhttte dvae'ti h- bslopipja-e altsadcy4.r alzmaeu n.oesdfde
Dod.hr Blue-s". /"The frla Gitnd.er") . Morta" rut
Tavlor ("Whores is Funlq ),
The'firyeD odds sidesa l,t WitI E)eIl and.A l Annois
cleaned uD and ressued nere ("Here I corie lith My Dirty
uere all inde ruith uqrious Dirtv Duckins On) and.m ore.
s In>das h. swinging South
Sif,e aroups circa [925-'27. Lil?e the others, Slnw' s
T he ie s ult i na f r ee <ph e.e.inl g stvle is highlv rhvtlunic,
blues style Efited,Dodds , uiored ictable'a nd.e uen enatic.
nluch better than,tne rnYlnmtc F6rtunatelv for us, h'ed oes not
confines of the Hot F iie arul seemt o fuiu'ep layedm uch
SeJen, Soine of,his most , du.rinet he lnti 3As and 4Os
exoressiue uoik is included ond,t "oh aue picked up the newer
It e're. styles. Neubrthelesi,h is.u ig-
urbtts plavins.i ndicates that
Irrcludedt oo is fine he is hot'far"out of his Prime-
bitins trumpet bv 1'ommY AII in aII. a mouiie.a nd sotis-
La.dnier arid, oddlv, two '{dveinlie" gahrttis's t that Pr:oiectst hc
sides with Ioe Sriith aLI of the l'ow'life. Rec'
the uny from Neu' York. ordiingi s blwlly sati3t'actory.
$ point of discographic As g4pegted, Mack McCor'
id"etiUiiciya cv .ris'" rraaricsee d[ bDyY tLhnee mick liachs ub the recordu ith
Iipn dtl ndt'isshmoiuslsde d,,b eD roudi,dnsti'o nperde,' aonn Silllunmuti.r nthtien sx.S tarenatati sFee "on
sseennccee Liss qquueesstionnble oit eroup, and,T exas piarn in
tithhheee {ffiiirrrssst tt ttthh1rrveeeeee LLoouuiiee AAuussttiinn V"oeoniniita l Onei ileiestin"sfast
ssiiddedss.. LWlh hena sk""e d, Mr. 't*estennrnd"e is tlnt the
KkKie" coeenpnenn-ea"u t*s ssaaiidd EEuueerrvtbbooddYy stvle tlut lns-b een
in the unrld'thinhs tthhbbyv aarrbe utritten aboit repeatedlYi n
DDUooo dddddts],s s eeexxxcc e eqo tt ,illlt aarrttlinnn VVl4iiL llllIil aitaamrms. East is wknani to the-
HHee ssaayvss tt,hiv arc timmY players on the sPot.
QO'lBBrria-lwa.n"'tlv.ie too, bw dec' All tracks are excellentlv
iiddee {{tt''rr vvoouurrsseelfl.f . OOnnee uunnYY E::nnx'so*ii:frztTrhier m-ost important dubbed {rom uirttnLly rciie
oo,r tthhee 6ritthhccrr tthhbbvy aarree qouuiiiiee retssue set to appear Ln free _78i, a decided plus tlwt
exciting recordS. AC uill srow or ilie. I, lor seueral vear"c ii ihe nn- we do not get uery oJten.
l-unuld-sqgesltt ry4fo 1, oasn es,a ltwlsptYZt lnogr fausw tert.uissos tutce.s orenc MorEdL sObDt.I ANl ab73b2o6 S/7m3i2th7". I thirh that euerv tradit-
tlose of us wfin rtgld mltuts Most of tluse sid.es lnoe iornl iazz fan, ufrether his
it unuld be nice uhen ws- +F"WftC"NYFn:e8oer9 bee'n, reissued in any taste'end, N 1929 or start al
sible to keep orig.inal rbcor' fom onl, d,ocwnent a uery' 1930 trrill be glod lw lro.s
dlng dates iogether, ratlryr 13383,H ousnn 19, T'exas. he gle c ted. trump et giant.- these.
tlnn scatterlng them Ln rne
$$ffioN
s bGv A*YoLo'o 'o*.
Fgf Lf,-
Co pyight, 1967,G aYIeD eqnW u dlow
All Rights Reserued.
IN 78 QUARTERLY's
LEAD ARTICLE,
GAYLE WARDLOW
INTERVTEWSK ING
SOLOMONH ILL's
WIF'E...REVEALS
i
HILL'S STARTLING
TRUE IDENTITY...
I
WHEREH E's FROM...
IVHOH E PLAYED WITH!
l{orttrerLno uisiana
is a Mrrenco untwryi th
fewin habitanatnsa ,h tn-
dancoef r edc lays oil, JoeH olmesar liasK ingS olomon
andm ileasn dm ileosf Hill (the name was probabJyg lv€n to
commertcimiahl r him bv Paramount's recordlng dlr-
ector. Arthur l,aibley)' was a natlve
hrlginogu tf romth e south Vlississippi. l{e was born near
valleyws tticlhie between McComb in 1897'
sparseplyo pulated FollowingC harlieH olme-sa,n
sawmtilol wntsh ats ubsist olderb rothebi y teny ears'J oec ame
to northemL ouisianhin 191 5' where,
ont hep ulPwood three years later, he marriedR oberta
industries. Allumi. Their onlv child, Essie
(who now lives in Chicago),w as born
in the wintero f 1918.
Sible!, Louisiana,-some3 0 miies Joe soonf lGlI restlessi n Louisiana
fromS hrlvePort,a nd five miles and in 1920G turned to McCombw ith
6eLo* Minadn,i q.a town oI some [is *ife and child. In Burgarlandt,h- e
500 resideats. Two railroads cross colored section o[ north MCCombh' e
iust outsidet he citY limits--the met its most famousb lues singer,
l-oui";unu and Arkansasa nd the SamC ollins. On one of the few oc-
Illinois Central. casions RobertaH olmes went out
with her husband,a n unflaggingp arty-
sbthareotA woennrn o os tshhldieao 1 cpnrlos<|wo0r cllhi lhnt iloc mhhfi e asw analan ostd.ledr l er,so eucmlnvtenP langalct riKionemtsed sCsCotooielllIllr ii,nrn sesshc a*eolt iss canah wii iue hak tipehmp ,i 5oeal iiacnkrcteeo.n dmwSe Pishts-heao c anfaSnYna amd
of upkeep. for one of his Black Patti recordings'
With an ?if of expectancYI . .
asked.' ..everh earo f a young- btues
;i;n; namedK ing SolomirnH ill?
it"'u.t"d to live aioundt his areqand
ir;.;;* "aan ds ons about the Gone Dead
Tirin. abo"utT ell Me BabY'
lli;i i;iiVou Find In Uc?'
The old ffill searchedh is mcmory
uith a scnilee xprcssionb; ut with a
'
frien d Iv s mile, reP licd, Don 't
rememb'enro SolomonH ill, but I had
a cousin namedl oe l{olmesw ho used
to sing all themtongs you mentioned.'
Thirty minules latcr I bcgan nry
conversationw ith Holmes's"wfie ,-a
sentle womanw ho for 3l years had
lived with one of the mosi incredible
mvsteries in the historv of the countrv
bfues. A three-day-seirchin five
differcntt owns belan to pay off.
cotntesy of tohn Steiner
llhile travelins bv rrain to
E Texas in 1928, th--efe gendary Blind
Lemon lefferson made a bririf stop
at Mind6n. Shortly thereafter, ]o6
and a efose friend who lived ndar
F.
r Minden, George YounE, Feft on a-
r Illinois Cent[l passdnsent rain for
t- Wichita Falls, a'favorit! hangouto f
Lemon's in Texas.
Lemon Jefferson, fat, and a slovenly
dresser, always cariied a pearl-handleil'
.45 pistol, iu6t as he latef did in the
MisCissippfD elta whereh e used Ishman
Braceya s a guide and travelling
companron.
Twom nlhs latel, Holmesa nd
l.efferson parted gompgny. After making
tne roundso I varrous lexas towns
and road stops. Ioe and his friend
Georse returned"to Siblev to plav in
the blrrelhouses and iuk'es oI N6rthem
Louisiana.
An affemath of Lemon's trip
throushM indenm ay have been-the
1928P aramounts ession which
markedt he debut of Willard (Ramblin')
Thomasi a blues singer who prob-
Holnres'( Hill's) wife. Roberta. ablv hailed from West Texas or
recomizdd this'drawins of Ari2ona. It seemsp ossible that
Collis (ftom a Black Fatti ad)
Paramountc ontactdd Thomas on
J effersonrs recoqrfie ndation.
The family remained tosetfier in
McCombf or [2 months. Then Roberta
and Essie went back to their home in
Siblev. Ioe staved an extra six months,
just flay'ing m.usica nd doing as little
worK as possrDle.
ln latef yeals, Holmes was known
'
for a song that besan, Going to
Shrevepoit, tell thE chief police.'
This niav have been his vbrsion of
Collins'' Iailhouse Blues on
Gennett6 167.
ffi$ffi$ffi
Joe Holnes (Kinq SolomonH iil)
often travelled io Sh"reveportto oliv
with Thomas, who later rirovedi irst'
north of that town, and who waj to
travel through many parts of Texas and
Louisiana. Toberta iemembers that
'
foe had ratler play with Thomas than
with any other sins6r.' Next to Georse
Young, Thomas wals Holmes' best
friend.
t[e[ Thomas came to Siblev.
he and Ioe went down in the cfav hill
vallev irea that was mentioned 6n
'
WHOOPEE BLUES: I got to so ro
that valley, there ain't i hous6 for 25
miles arorind.' They olayed in the
small sawmill settlbmeni of Roytown.
performing at a iukehouse that iryasc iosed
by the lafr in thL late 1930's after two
piople were killed there in a single
nlght.
In eerly l9ililr a scout lor Paramount
Recordsf ound loe singingi n uptown
Mindena nd ask"edh im if he wanted to
r"cord. Ioe went homea nd askedR oberta
*hat she"t hought about the opportuni ty.
'
Shef old him, Co wherey ou wanna
so.' Holmesd id exactly that, although
Robertar emembersth at he was not too
;;"it"a about the then forthcomingt rip
to Wisconsin.
Thg scout in cuestion,P robablY
Art Laiblev (soorit o be the subject-of
a seDaratea rticle by this auth-or,w h.o
**'"U1" io locate liim severalm onths
"go), u""ornpaniedJ oe to.Birmingh3m'
wlreret he two were lotned- by tten L urry'
Curry, an old friend'o.Jf ge's, *as ,
;it':i; fii"?;iity't illi-olti i#nt."'lu iaoi;u ;lL" of uii;'s iiia'; n' ra',ij, dX; ; !.31: llas Done Got
Panmount l3t
been found.
HOlmeSw as the last to record:s ix
sonss.a ll of whichR obertas aid hc had
bceil performinsb eforeh is triP to
Grafton.O ne,i he GONE DEADT RAI\'
was one of the best train blues o[ the
1930's. Usin"grtc hacs Pons'e, udonyqr,-fsoor me...
unJetermined King Solomonll ill,'
he told o[ his expcriencehso boinga nd
hustlinc on tlrc Southern railroad[ uhich
runs frdmN cw Orleanst o New York
via Birminsham)a,n do n the Illinois
('entral( "6ich runst hroughS iblcy).
1)n( iONL-D L,ADl 'RAlN, Ilill also alluded
to thc to$n of F ryburg,w hich consist.s
of hut a storca nda posto lltce tcn mtles
southo [ SibleY.
The llip sirlc oI that record,r eleased
on I'aramount1 3129,w as a versrono l
thc old \4cmnhis\l rrrnica nd loe McCoy
duet,W llA'['l"Atl. T YOt FND lN \lE.
His lyrics for his othcr two recordcd
n,.,mbcrsDl owN oN \{Y IIENDED K\t'-l'-
*a WHOOpEBEL UES( Paramoun1t 3116)'
exDresst he attitudco f the macho,- a
stince not unlike that takenb y Robert
Johnsona nd Isaiah Nettles.
Theset wo singcrsg. ]"ngt itl\
thc Alabama blue-i-man\l arshall Uwens
l'"a tn""f ^*ous BluesJ ay.Singers
oI Birminghanlt,h en travelledt o
i';;;;i;tft' " Gralton studi os'
The ouartel opencd the recording
scssion with two sides, followedb y.
Currv's [ive, one of which [eaturedb oth.
l;;;3 ;*; harmonicap laYinga- nd Owcns'
iuitar. On all of his own srdes'L urry
iised his mandolin,t he instrumenth e
pi"y"a with the greatest proficiency'
Owens, then a man in his late fifties
or earl'v*t stii"xttt ies, recordedf our-sides,.
i*" .f hau" neu"t been located
Ln-u-t""otac ollector. His TEXA-S-- . .-
Rl.uESb. i; fnY Ne oNEM oRET IME
[i"t"i."a onP aramou1n3t 117),.ais
classic example of an early style ol
blues that evblved into the southern
nf uU"tt" Stres style-..A lthough Owens'. ,
music has many qualrtres tn common w.ltn
T;;;. 6i;.;; hiis'si4ginsgt Ylei s highlY
r"*lnl"i""nt of Ed Bell's.
ever; few people aroundS ibley even
knew that'Joe made records,b ecause
they were ieleased under an assumed
name.
Joe conlinued to travel in the 1930's
to nearbyS hreveporta nd Monroe.a s
well as bn to ea6tem Texas. He also
qpentt ime in small towns like Choudrant.
Ringold, and Ionesboro. Roberta
'
rememberst hdt He we_nut p in Arkansas
ttoo ppllaayy..aanndd ppeeooppllee --wwoouullddcc ddmmee ffrroomm EEiriis
aanndd UUaallhhoouunn aa nndd ootthheerr t toowwnnss ttoo goee!f him
.hiq
to play after they heard tell abou"th im.'
A satmill U0tket at Heflin. a small
town south of Siblev. saw Holmes set
off a train from Lonsview one nishf
after he had been playing out in Texas.
I
Funniest sight I ever see'd: that
guy didn't stay in town 30 minutes before
he got in an argumentw ith this other
guy in this ioin1. That other suy iust
pulled out his pistol and sho[ at him three
times. He didn't stop runningu ntil he was
clear out of town. ftist left h'is bassase
and guitar layin' down there on thElll5or.'
His belongingsw ere eventuallv
retrieved by Inother friend.
- By the lalg 1940's, Holmes was
drinking more and more. but was
still playing mlrsic. He never attended
'
church; hrs wife recountst hat Ioe iust
kept right on, just like he was g6ing"
stfaight to the"devil.'
.[n l!49, Holmes took sick. Roberta
splg, :tl.e never went to no doctor. Ta--k-e-
sick; laid around about threl davs-.
then he died. Been drinkins before he
died and he starte d bleedin"gi nsidl- Had
a hemmorage.t
(" "1 d%1'"T JF,f""t.l:,s h|f lit ru,:l s;l:
and Skip.J"t-n""),H glmes was very short.
He stood only lrve feet and threei nches.
He weigheda bout 130 pounds,a nd was
brown-skinnedin complexion.H e smoked
constandv.
HObeila rememberst wo other facts,
o.nep grtaining to his musical development.
The ftUOs ongs which completed the other to.the tragedyt hat led to his
that session have never been located death.
by a collector. One of them MY '
BUDDY BLIND PAPA LEMON. was She said, He learnedh imself how to
written as a tribute to Lemon. with play, b'e foreh e ever came to Sibley.' The
whomH olmes played on at least three other: He drank all the time. He'was
occasions.d u.ring J efferson's stop- drinking when we married.'
overs ln Mrnden.
The othel missins sons. TIMES GayleW ardlorytsti relessa nd resourceful
HAS DONE C,OTO Ij'T OF*HAND. WAS researchi n the bluesf ield ias-ilre'aiJ''
a.typical 'hard times' depression uncoueredt he Vi c tor-Pa ramaunta rtisi
prece. IshmanQ lacgy,t he Paramountta lent scout
an_dtr_o ubleshooteHr .C. Spiers,a s well as
0n all of his extant pieces. Hill Elder.Cunya nd Reu. O.C. Eii:a *;";i;i"
used a cow bone for chrirdine.'in the ol,rese&rcho n sanctifiedm usic--ando thei
modeo f SamC ollins' blues." oruesa rttsts-ol rural renown. He also did
JOg brought cbpies of all three ney_ oehmd-the-scenerse searchw hich led
records bac[ to Sfblev with him. but all to the' rre-Udis!co"u*erriets!o ",f oiS"kk:ip[ gj"ar[ofii ,W-Sii-lisi
have leen_destroyed.' Holmes retumed fr'tif f
wwirtthh tEheen u Lnlruercryb,r adnedd Gboetohr smee Yno.u anlocn. -s Q4l2r5,9,.qidth e {wos anctifieain li",
made a trip to Texas to p"ublicize"iheir OJLI2 & 13. ln thec ourseo Tn is-ir"riti
recent recordings. Few copies of anv as a sportswritgr fo-ya Jacks6n newsDaDer.
single Holmes 6ffort were sold, how-' a,:n:a, :a!ys !a! fr ecord collector, he has anisied-
_.?!*ytign gyltrr y 4isl?r;i i.-
?Tf 'ilr!,!trtiag!!",f'l:r"Hf*oFinf y:,r,r
cunently writing.