Walter “Buddy Boy” Hawkins is one of those great pre-war blues artists for whom it is hard to find biographical info. What is known is that he recorded several sides for Paramount in the late 1920’s, capturing his sublime vocal and guitar style for posterity. “Snatch It Back Blues” tells of a life of train-hopping and vagabonding in the American south, and is a folk blues classic.
A peculiar detail about Chicago Blues legend Joe McCoy is that he had a lot of stage names. Best known as Kansas Joe McCoy, he also performed and recorded as Georgia Pine Boy, Hallelujah Joe, Hillbilly Plowboy and Mud Dauber, to name just a few. Joe was married for a time to blues guitar great Memphis Minnie (who’s real name was Lizzie Douglas) and they made this classic record together in 1929. This song was much later recorded by Led Zeppelin. Here’s the timeless original, hot off the 78RPM vinyl.
The “Father Of The Delta Blues,” Charley Patton lived from around 1887 to April 28, 1934. His performances and recorded works became blueprints for the greats who followed in his footsteps, from Robert Johnson to Howlin’ Wolf to well, everybody. High Water Everywhere, Parts 1 & 2, are songs penned by Mr. Patton about the Great Mississippi Flood he witnessed and survived in 1927. While the two distinct parts work as individual pieces, together they tell a complete, epic story. And he just rocks, so hard.
Will Batts’ starts his “Cadillac Baby” with the last line from Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “Booger Rooger Blues” — “Somebody learned my baby how to shift gears on a Cadillac Eight!” This classic acoustic blues was recorded during the height of American car culture, when gas was cheap and car radios were new. With gems like this, Will Batts helped lay the groundwork for the rock ‘n roll music which would pump through millions of car speakers in later decades.
You can trace much of American popular music back to the blues. This is most obviously evident in Rock n’ Roll. But in tracks like Gus Cannon’s “Madison Street Rag,” you can also hear the roots of Rap and Hip-Hop. Released on the Paramount label in 1927, Gus Cannon’s gravelly voice sounds like he’s freestlying on the street corner as a passerby looks on in amazement. The banjo pickin’ is brilliant too. Ragtime folk blues goodness with a great lyric. Enjoy!
