Living Blues #21 May-June 1975 Jimmy Reed, DeFord Bailey
Cover Photo: Jimmy Reed by Jim O’Neal
Contents:
On the Road
Article summary:
alphabetical listing of 20 touring blues bands, from Luther Allison to Mighty Joe
Yong, plus numerous festivals from May thru July 1975; listing dates,
geographical locations and clubs
San Francisco Bay
Area Club Guide by Tom Mazzoloni
Article summary:
list of 27 nightclubs throughout the Bay area that play live blues, including
addresses, contact information, and lists of regularly featured artists;
locations covered include, San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, Berkeley;
performers listed are predominantly local residents such as Dave Alexander,
Jimmy McCracklin, L.C. Robinson etc… who play at all the clubs
Blues Notes by Eric
Kriss
-artists named:
Bach, Bessie Smith/ Article summary: musician’s definition of what “blue notes”
are; blues music samples given in comparison with both classical European music
and African music; two circular charts show the location of blue notes on
different scales
The Grand Old Opry’s
DeFord Bailey, by Bengt Olsson
-artists mentioned:
Charlie Pride, Bob Lee, Uncle Dave Macon, Sam and Kirk McGee, Uncle Jimmy Thom,
John Brim, Harmonica Frank, Sonny Terry, Dr. Ross, TV Slim, Lonnie Glosson,
Noah Lewis, Cannon’s Jug Stompers, D. H. Bilbro/ Article summary: brief
biography and discography of the first black musician to play on the Grand Ole
Opry in Nashville; details of his affliction with polio and his outside of
music jobs, including his own shoe shine stand; reunion in 1974 after being out
of the country music business for 33 years
Living Blues
Interview with Jimmy Reed by Jim & Amy O’ Neal, including sidebars from
Eddie Taylor, Kansas City Red & Blind John Davis, Mama Reed, John &
Grace Brim, Vivian Carter, Al Smith, Lefty Bates, Lonnie Brooks, Bill Tyson
& Howard Scott
-artists mentioned:
The Rolling Stones, Ike & Tina turner, Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, Freddy
King, Chuck Berry, the Chambers Brothers, Bill Cosby, James Cleveland Phillips,
Erman Phillips, B. Shaw, Sonny Boy Williamson (No. 2), James (Peck) Curtis, Robert
Jr. Lockwood, Sonny Boy Williamson (No. 1), Eddie Taylor, B.B. King, Jody
(Willie Joe Duncan), Jimmy Reed Jr (“Boonie”), Kansas City Red, Blind John
Davis, the Spaniels, Jerry Butler, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Memphis
Slim, Guitar Slim, Bo Diddley, (Bobby) Blue Bland, Sunnyland Slim, Dinah
Washington, Louis Jordan, Count Basie, Remo Biondi, Willie Mabon, Henry Gray,
Johnnie Jones, Earl Phillips, Morris Wilkerson, Lefty “Guitar” Bates, Mary Lee
(Mama) Reed , Big Joe Williams, Johnnie Mae Dunson Smith, Jimmie Reeves Jr.,
Willie Dixon, James Smith, Brook Benton, Louis Myers, Dave Myers, Malinda
(Reed) and the One Step Beyond band, Big
John Wrencher, Albert King, Little Milton, Jesse Reed, Benny Latimore/ Charley
Patton, Robert Johnson, Snooky Pryor, Floyd Jones, Junior Anderson, Johnny
Littlejohn / Tampa Red, Dr. Clayton, Big Bill Broonzy, “Red” Arthur Lee
Stevenson, Robert Nighthawk, Boyd Gilmore, Earl Hooker, Walter Shakey (Head)
Horton, Tim Overhall (Overton), Joe Turner/ Homesick James, Morris Pejoe/ Dee
Clark, Gene Chandler, Etta James, Dinah Washington, Lloyd Price, John Lee Hooker,
Lucius Washington, Cliff Davis, Little Wash, Red Holloway, Vernell Fournier, Al
Duncan, Floyd Morris, Phil Upchurch, Jimmy Gresham, Von Freeman, Phil Thomas,
Lonnie Brooks, Slim Harpo, Lee Baker Jr, Guitar Jr., Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker, B.B. King/ Scott
Brothers Soul Band, Johnny Winter, Nolan Struck, King Edward, Stevie Wonder
Main article
summary: biographical interview traces his growing up in Mississippi and
his long relationship with Eddie Taylor; recalls being turned town by Chess
Records and how he landed up on Vee-Jay; discussion of alcohol, illness,
missing shows, playing in Europe; noted that he had 11 songs break on the pop charts
(more than any other bluesman of the time), and how that made him popular with
whites; time spent in the army in 1940s
before coming to Chicago; [ his memory is often questionable and his
declarations of independence and claims to having creating his style with no
influences (beyond the two Sonny Boys on his harp playing) seem suspect];
sidebars from other musicians often contradict his story
Eddie Taylor: refutes many of Reed’s
comments, specifically about his role in creating the Reed style/sound
Kansas City Red & Blind John Davis:
Davis discusses Reed’s first band in
Chicago and touring in the south in the late 40s; also claims to have helped
create Reed’s signature sound
Mama Reed: talks about specific songs,
some of which she wrote, others on which she can be heard singing in the
background; his epileptic fits in NYC
John and Grace Brim: discuss giving
Reed his first gig in Chicago and being reunited with him in the 1970s
Al Smith: discusses recording Reed and
the difficulties of managing him in his last years due to alcohol; discusses
three-way contract fights with Reed and Johnnie Mae Dunson Smith; family
members say some nice things about Al Smith despite the popular opinion that he
cheated Reed
Lefty Bates:
recalls all the studio musicians used by Al Smith to make Reed sound different
(fuller) yet the same; noted that Bates was a much in demand session player but
still managed to tour with Reed off and on over the years
Lonnie Brooks: discusses the ease of
playing Reed’s material and the influence he had on Louisiana bluesmen, notes
his problems with alcohol and popularity with white college kids in the South;
listed as playing on Reed’s Big Boss Man session
Billy Tyson & Howard Scott: the
last managers of Reed discuss the past troubles with alcohol and a big NYC
“no-show”, but believe he has passed his worst and is now doing better,
attempting a comeback; the trouble getting him gigs as people believed he had
died
Richmond Blues:
Charles Conley by Tom Mazzolini
-artists mentioned: Johnny
George, Cool Papa, Charles Houff, Tommy Romerson, C.L. Jones, Wild Willie
Moore, Hi-Tide Harris, John Mayall, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, L.C.
Robinson, Charles Conley, Lil Son Jackson, Willie B. Huff, Robert Pete
Williams, Buddy Chiles, Gatemouth Brown, Lightnin’ (Hopkins), Eddie Boyd, Tampa
Red, T-Bone (Walker), Little Walter, Little B. B., Al Simmons, Slim Green, B.B.
King/Article summary: author discusses the importance of World War II and
shipbuilding in the development of the city of Richmond and the Richmond blues
scene; traces unrecorded blues artist Conley around Texas in the 40s-50s; later in Los Angeles and
eventually the move to Richmond after
two terms in prison; influenced by Lowell Fulson
Live Blues:
Elizabeth Cotten by Joan Brown/ University of Miami Blues Festival by Pete
Crawford/Yank Rachell by C. Chris Sautter/ Larry Johnson by Mike Bifulco
-artists mentioned:
Johnny Shines, Mabel (Mable) Hillery, Eddie Baccus, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Son
Seals with Koko Taylor, Jimmy Walker,
Robert Jr. Lockwood, Grady “Fats”
Jackson, Georgia Sea Island Singers, Bessie Smith, S.P. Leary, Pete Crawford,
Albert Ammons, Lonnie Johnson, Elmore James, Little Walter, Phil Guy, A.C.
Reed, Jack McDuff, Groove Holmes, Jimmy Smith, Albert King/ LeRoy Bates, Sammy
Hampton, Winfield Cooper, Dave Davison, J.T. Adams/ Bobby “ Professor Six
Million” King, Tom Pomposello, Leroy Carr,
-Article summaries:
Cotten performs left-handed acoustic blues before a white folk café audience;
recently performed at the White House/ 4th Annual Miami Festival;
artist by artist review; poorly attended despite being free; Lockwood was a
hit; it was Lockwood’s 4th straight year appearing/ small club
regular performance of Rachell with small band; jam atmosphere/ private blues
club performance with a guest appearance by Pomposello and magic tricks by King
Blues News:
Tennessee: The Folk
Life Center of the Smokies in Cosby, presents the First Annual Blues Heritage
Gathering with Bessie Jones, Uncle Homer Walker, Trav Travis, John Davis, and
Sparky Rucker of Knoxville
Mississippi: James “Sonny
Ford” Thomas played with one-fingered guitarist Willie McCullen (lost his
fingers in a gun fight) at Mississippi State Hospital/Houston Stackhouse at
Folk Arts Festival in Jackson/ Sam Myers playing weekends at Club Sunset in
Jackson/C.V. Weal plays weekends in Clarksdale/Sam Carr, Frank Frost and Big
Jack Johnson play the Black Fox in Clarksdale regularly; the club is owned by
Johnson
Ann Arbor:
benefit at the Blind Pig for Lightnin’ Slim’s wife, with Dr. Ross, Bobo
Jenkins, Boogie Woogie Red, Eddie Burns, John Nichols and Jimmy Jones/Boogie
Woogie Red has played the Blind Pig every Monday for three years; plays
Tuesdays in Grand Rapids, Wednesdays and Thursdays in Saginaw
Chicago: Otis Rush
in the studio for Delmark session/ Dick Shurman working with Louis and Bob
Myers, Jimmy Rogers, Johnny Littlejohn
and Eddie Taylor for releases on Advent/Sunnyland Slim, Eddy Clearwater and
Freddy Young all recording on their own
labels/Alligator announces its next records, a live Hound Dog Taylor and a new
Son Seals LP/ Jimmy Reed at the Golden Checkmate with large crowds/Steve Wisner
recording may artists who have either never recorded or recorded previously
only as sidemen, including George Mayweather and Billy Branch; some sessions
supervised by Willie Dixon at Blues Factory Studios/ Albert King still plays
black clubs; double bill with B. B, King at the High Chaparral/ O. V. Wright
and Little Milton also playing black clubs/Blind John Davis opens for John
Hammond/Eddie Taylor has formed new band with Carey Bell/Jimmy Rogers has
formed a band with Sam Lay and Good Rockin’ Charles/ Johnny Twist has replaced
Eddie King in Koko Taylor’s band; King has moved to Peoria/ WMAQ-TV to air a
show with Magic Slim, Bob Koester and Jim and Amy O’Neal/ Bruce Iglauer and Jan
Loveland married in Cincinnati; met at a Hound Dog Taylor concert; music at the
wedding provided by Son Seals/ B. J King, local singer who plays B. B. King
songs, now driving B.B.’s tour bus/British TV 16 part series: All You Need is
Love: The Story of Popular Music, filming in Chicago and at the New Orleans
Jazz & Heritage Festival
Texas: Zydeco dances
continuing regularly in Beaumont: Rockin’ Dopsie at Mother of Mercy, Marcel
Dugas at the Knights of Peter Claver Hall before Lent/ Clifton Chenier in
Bridge City and Austin where he is very popular, playing before full houses/
Dopsie’s rubboard/harp player, Chester Zeno now singing Boozoo Chavis with the band; formerly played rubboard with
Chavis
New York: weak blues
line-up for Newport Jazz Festival, but B. B. King will appear/gospel show featuring
Thomas Dorsey honoring Mahalia Jackson at Carnegie Hall/ new Chess Vintage
Series LPs by Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter
Louisiana: Jed’s
University Inn featured on consecutive weekends: Professor Longhair, Irma
Thomas, Clifton Chenier and the Meters/ Lil Bob, Rockin’ Dopsie and Clifton
Chenier regularly playing in Lafayette/Silas Hogan and Guitar Kelley have regular
weekend gigs in Baton Rouge
Florida: Georgia
guitarist B.B. Fleming has joined Dr Cool’s New Breed Band; band to play
International Folk Festival in Miami
Philadelphia: Willie
Dixon talking of retiring from gigging to concentrate on studio work; Carey
Bell joining Eddie Taylor in a new band/ Taj Mahal at the Bijou Café for a
week/ James Cotton opening for Johnny Winter at the Spectrum/ rare appearance
by Hound Dog Taylor at Grendal’s Lair, poorly attended due to lack of
advertising
Vermont/Quebec: new
club in Burlington featured Luther Allison, Luther Johnson, Eddie Cleanhead
Vinson/ B.B King at memorial Auditorium and scheduled for Burlington Blues
Festival/New Club in Montreal, In Concert, has replaced the 40-year old Esquire
Show Bar as the local jazz and blues club; recent shows with Luther Allison,
Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon/ Café Campus featured J. B. Hutto and Jimmy Dawkins
Europe: 1939 Library
of Congress Texas field recordings to be issued by Flyright-Matchbox, Vol. 5,
called “Two White Horses Standin’ in a Line”/ Piano Blues 1927-1937 featuring
Joe Turner with Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons released on Oldie Blues in
Holland/ Dutch Blues and Boogie Organization had May concert with Sammy Price,
Willie Mabon and The Mighty Flea Conners ; possible fall festival to include
the Aces, Luther Johnson, Sammy Lawhorn, and Mojo Buford/ Sonny & Brownie
to tour/James Cotton at Montreux and Dr. Ross to tour in the fall/ Jim
Simpson’s American Blues Legends tour included Homesick James, Jimmy Lee
Robinson, Billy Boy Arnold, Little Joe Blue and Tommy Tucker
Washington D.C.:
famed Howard Theater re-opened with a two-week memorabilia exhibition including
artifacts from Leadbelly and B.B. King
San Francisco:
pianist Floyd Dixon now living and gigging in the Bay Area (also works at a liquor
store); hoping to record new material, and reports Amos Milburn has had a
stroke (living in Cleveland)/ Little Willie Littlefield and Hi-Tide Harris at
Minnie’s; for Harris’ first gig after touring with John Mayall he was joined by
local rising harmonica stars Gary Smith and Rick Estrin; Charlie Musselwhite,
Luther Tucker, Freddy Roulette, J.C. Burris played together at Minnie’s; Dave
Alexander was also present but didn’t play/ Bobo Jenkins visiting with John Lee
Hooker as part of the National Association of Independent Record Distributors
(NAIRD) Convention; the two played several gigs together; Bobo considering
moving to the Bay Area/ L. C. Robinson playing in Palo Alto/ Luther Tucker
playing with his own 10-piece big band as well as with John Lee Hooker / Z.Z.
Hill and Latimore are playing in the area from other states/regular Sunday
afternoon gigs at Minnie’s with L.C. Robinson and Schoolboy Cleve/ Bobby Bland
plays to a sell-out crowd at Richmond Auditorium/ Chris Strachwitz recording J.
C. Burris , who has played recently with Mike Bloomfield/Blues Connoisseur
label to record Little Willie Littlefield in Sacramento/ Luther Tucker hoping
to record for ABC, but ABC has dropped John Lee Hooker/ 3rd Annual
San Francisco Blues Festival planned for mid-July in Golden Gate Park/ KGO-TV
filmed K.C. Douglas to air during African-American Heritage Month
Los Angeles: Joe
Turner has suffered a stroke; replaced by Pee Crayton on double bills with
Albert King/new female singer-dancer Eunice appearing with Chuck Higgins; wowed
crowds at Cal State Rock ‘n’ Roll
revival concert/ Blues producer Jerry Hooks has recorded a song commemorating
Jackie Robinson, proceeds from sales to go to charity
Obituaries
T-Bone Walker-
1910-1975
Rubin Lacy-
1901-1975
Walter Vinson
1901-1975
James Rogers, Big
Duke’s Lounge club owner killed in gunfight
Saul Bihari,
co-founder of Modern/RPM records-age 54
Mail:
Pete Lowry (Trix Records)
re: reviews of Trix LPs by Eddie Kirkland and Robert Lockwood
Answer by Dick
Shurman
Rhythm & Blues
and Rock ‘n’ Roll Society Inc
“Long Gone” Wesley
Race re: free (no admission charge) blues gigs in Chicago
Richard Phillips,
Association of Independent Record Collectors Inc
Questions &
Answers
Answer to earlier
issue question regarding Sonny Boy Williamson unissued Trumpet sides, by Darryl
Stolper
Charles Wright
seeking information on the dates of first blues LPs directed to white audience,
and to black audiences
Peter Aschoff
seeking information regarding Blues as an Oral Tradition
Bob Dickson seeking
name of vocalist on Earl Hooker Cuca recording
Record Reviews
Johnny Young and His
Chicago Blues Band (Arhoolie)
Johnny Young &
Big Walter (Arhoolie)
Johnny Young Blues
Masters Vol. 9 (Blue Horizon)
Johnny Young, Plays
& Sings the Blues with His Gut-Bucket Mandolin Young (Blues on Blues)
Johnny Young, I
Can’t Keep My Foot from Jumping (BluesWay)
Koko Taylor,
Southside Baby (French-Black & Blue)
Koko Taylor, I Got
What It Takes (Alligator)
Eddie Lee Jones
& Family, Yonder Go that Old Black Dog (Testament)
Various Artists,
Spivey’s Blues Cavalcade (Spivey)
Henry Townsend, Henry
T-Music Man (Adelphi)
Blind Blake, Rope
Stretchin’ Blues (Biograph)
Freddie King,
Burglar (SRO)
Boisec, La Musique
Creole (Arhoolie)
Various artists, The
Blues…A Real Summit Meeting Recorded Live at Newport in New York (Buddah)
Carey Bell, Last
Night (BluesWay)
Olive Brown and Her
Blues Chasers (JTP)
Eddie Playboy Taylor
and The Blueshounds, Ready for Eddie (Dutch-Big Bear)
Junior Wells, On Tap
(Delmark)
Mississippi and
Beale Street Sheiks (Biograph)
45s
Johnnie Morisette,
Meet Me at the Funk House Parts 1 & 2 (J&J)
Johnnie Morisette, Treat
Me Right/I’m Hungry (J&J)
Tommy Youngblood,
Tremble Walk/Caress Me Now My Love (TYB)
Katie Webster, Lied.
Lied. Lied/Family Rules (Goldband)
Latimore, Keep the
Home Fires Burnin’ (Glades)
Little Beaver, Let
the Good Times Roll Everybody (Cat)
Lee Shot Williams,
We’re Gonna Make It/I Think It’s You (Outta Sight)
Robert Lowery, She
Always Treats Me Wrong/ She’s so Sweet (Blues Connoisseur)
Percy Mayfield, I
Don’t Want to be the President/Nothin’ Stays the Same Forever (Atlantic)
Kevin Calhoun &
Quens, Orange Julius Blues/ Spanish Omelette (Styletone)
Little Johnny
Taylor, I Don’t Want It All (Ronn)
Ted Taylor, I’ve Got
to Find Someone New/For All the Days in My Life (Ronn)
Artie White, She’s
the One Parts 1 & 2 (PM)
Clifton Chenier, Key
to the Highway/Someone Told Me It Was All Over (Arhoolie)
McKenley (sic)
[McKinley] Mitchell, Good Time Baby/Willie Dixon’s Chicago Blues All-Stars, All
Star Bougee (Spoonful)
Book Reviews
John Broven, Walking
to New Orleans (Blues Unlimited)
List of Adverts
Sonet Records: 12
Volume set by Sam Charters, The Legacy of the Blues, with book of the same
title-p. 2
Koko
Taylor/Alligator Records-p. 5
Living Blues
Subscriptions-p. 7
Mike Rowe’s Chicago
Breakdown (book) available through Living Blues Magazine-p. 8
Spivey Records-p.9
New England Blues
Festival-p.9
Blues Guitarists (a
book)/Guitar Player Productions-p. 15
Inner City Trade-p.
35
J &F Record
Sales-p. 36
Barrelhouse Piano
new book by Eric Kriss-p. 42
Chris Wellard
Records Ltd (England)-p. 43
Trix Records-p. 45
Jump Jackson Package
Tour-p. 48
Alec
Seward/Louisiana Red/Blue Labor Records-p. 51
Jive in the Hills
(Records-Austin)- p.52
Chicago Blues
Package: John Brim, Jimmy Reed, Eddie Taylor, Floyd Jones, p. 53
Big Star Records
(Bobo Jenkins)-p. 54
Black Beauty
Productions (45s)-p. 54
Bob Riedy/RMR
Productions-p. 56
Classified Ads-p. 58
Otis Rush signing announcement/Delmark
Records-p. 59
Number of Pages: 60
Published in
Chicago
(Contents description by Edward Meyer.)
Thanks for buying from my eBay store. Your purchases support
my blues writing and research work!
Please keep me in mind if you have blues memorabilia or
records you no longer want to keep or need to sell or donate.
-- Jim O'Neal, Co-founder, Living Blues magazine (eBay seller Stackhouse232)