| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Series 8: Sound
recordings
(continued) |
|
Subseries 1: Artists,
bands, and interviews
(continued) |
|
Junior Wells, Eddie
Burns, Hudson Showers, undated
(continued) |
|
Rack number: RXK 1300 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel :
analog ; 7 in. |
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR296 |
Mr. and Mrs. Whipple
- audition, undated
|
|
Rack number: RXH 4182 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(00:19:40) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, mono ; 7 in. |
|
Archivist's note: Unidentified duo (woman and man, one playing an
out-of-tune guitar) perform several songs. Side 2 has not yet been
digitized.
Vendor's digitization note: The program is distorted at times. |
|
Side 1
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
An unidentified gospel song sung by a duet of a
male and female singer. Lyrics: "He forgives, and
forgives...his motto was to forgive one another,
Jesus forgives and forgives" |
| 00:00:58 |
The above song breaks off. |
| 00:01:23 |
An unidentified gospel song. Lyrics: "Remember
the words, Jesus died for you and me upon the cross
in Calvary, sinners won't you listen to what I have
to say, Jesus is coming" |
| 00:04:20 |
An unidentified gospel song. Lyrics: "I call Lord
My Savior, I know he will hear my prayer, I tell him
of my trouble, Lord help me not to complain" |
| 00:05:35 |
The above song breaks off and starts over again.
|
| 00:08:33 |
An unidentified gospel song. Lyrics: "I was
walking alone down the valley, and I heard a sweet
voice, says sinners come home...Lord is my shepherd
that I shall not want" |
| 00:10:46 |
An unidentified gospel song. Lyrics: "While I was
praying somebody touches me, it must have been the
hands of the Lord, glory glory, somebody touches
me" |
| 00:12:50 |
The interviewers suggests the musicians sing "He
Got The Whole World in His Hands." The female singer
sings the fragment of the song. |
| 00:16:38 |
An unidentified gospel song. Lyrics: "My Savior
has done for me, I was lost, he reached down his
hands for me" |
| 00:19:40 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR627 |
Bukka White blues
dubs / Charlie Patton blues dubs, undated
|
|
Rack number: RXK 1301 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel :
analog ; 7 in. |
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR340 |
King Super 20 Saxophone Showcase, May 28,
1961
|
|
Rack number: RXH 4225 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(00:10:14) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track, mono ; 4 1/2
in. |
|
Archivist's note: Produced by D. Wooley; the commercial recording was
released by the H.N. White Co. on May 28, 1961.
Vendor's digitization note: The program is distorted at times. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
Announcement Dick Wooley about the King Super 20
saxophone |
| 00:00:31 |
"All the King's Blues" |
| 00:03:41 |
"Gone with the Wind" |
| 00:05:40 |
"Speak Low" |
| 00:08:08 |
"Class Break at Cool School" |
| 00:10:14 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR189 |
Robert Wilkins
interview, January
30, 1965
|
|
Rack number: RXH 4072 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(acetate, 00:59:36) : analog, 3 3/4 ips, full track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
Pete Welding (PW) and Robert Wilkins (RW) are
discussing the differences between blues and sacred
songs and how RW believes you can only sing one
genre or the other at a time. |
| 00:00:41 |
PW and RW say blues songs are the songs of the
body and sacred songs are the songs of the soul. RW
states, "The body is the temple... only one spirit
can dwell in that body at a time." |
| 00:01:10 |
RW explains blues songs are evil songs and of the
devil because they often deal with songs of
mistreatment between a man and woman. |
| 00:01:47 |
PW asks, "What do you feel makes a blues, a
blues? How is it different from other songs?" RW
responds by saying blues is an inward feeling that
has occurred to you and causes you to become sorry
or grievous. It results in a blues singer singing
about the feeling and others can relate to the same
feeling. |
| 00:03:32 |
RW explains the only way to get relief from the
spiritual soul is to praise the Lord |
| 00:05:00 |
PW reiterates that by singing the blues you can
only relieve yourself from bodily and emotional
troubles |
| 00:05:33 |
PW ask RW if he thinks about the other people
involved when he creates his rhymes and PW wants to
know RW's process of writing blues songs. RW
mentions his song "The Auction Day Blues." |
| 00:07:22 |
PW ask RW where he was born, what year, how he
got interested in playing and singing and was any
one in his family musical. RW answers by saying he
was born in Hernando, Mississippi in 1896 and none
of his family members were musical except his
grandfather on his mother's side who played the
fiddle. |
| 00:07:57 |
RW explains the different types of songs the
teenagers used to play on his porch and in the
community when he was around 7 years old. He says
they used to play blues, ragtime and hillbilly songs
on the guitar. RW mentions the teenagers would play
"The St. Louis Buck" and would buck dance (referring
to tap dancing) while performing the songs. |
| 00:10:27 |
RW explains he received his first guitar from his
mom when he was fifteen years old and no one taught
him how to tune or play his guitar. He began to
learn "Alabama Blues," "The Buck Time Blues," and
other blues songs were mentioned. |
| 00:12:53 |
PW asks RW if there were any musicians in the
area that people used to say were great blues men
when he was young. RW mentions Aaron [Tiller?].
|
| 00:14:45 |
PW ask "What kind of occasions would you play
music for?" RW responds with picnics and Saturday
night fish fries at people's houses. |
| 00:15:40 |
RW discusses his father, step-father and
mother |
| 00:16:47 |
PW ask RW if he played the same style of music
for Black and White audience members. RW mentions
the "Rain Dance" and describes how often he played
and how much money he made. |
| 00:20:03 |
RW discusses how he knew he had a gift of playing
music |
| 00:22:17 |
RW tells PW the guest musicians he remembered
coming to play at Fall each year such as Jim Jackson
and Elijah [Averret or Avern?] who would dance, do
black face and crack jokes. |
| 00:25:25 |
RW says he moved to Memphis on January 1, 1915
when he was almost 19 years old because his mother
was tired of farming. During that time, he was not
playing at events. |
| 00:28:47 |
RW discusses how he began to play music again
after Rev. Macintosh asked him. During this time, he
recorded "Jail House" and "I Do." |
| 00:32:10 |
PW asks RW how he came to perform music two years
later with people like Sonny Boy and Spoon. |
| 00:35:32 |
RW discusses the album he made in 1935 and why he
is called Tim. RW later mentions that the 1935 album
was the last album he made until recent. |
| 00:39:18 |
PW asks RW why he quit music in 1936, why RW
decided to stop playing blues music and begin
playing religious music, and his experiences
practicing medicine and church work. |
| 00:44:55 |
PW asks RW if he has written any religious music.
RW responds saying he has written religious music
and how 2/3 of music in the blues form comes from
religious music. |
| 00:48:07 |
PW asks RW who were some of the big blues
musicians working when RW was still in Memphis. RW
says Jim Jackson and Frank Stokes were big names
playing normally at houses and for parties. |
| 00:51:15 |
PW and RW discuss how blues songs are considered
sin songs. |
| 00:56:05 |
RW explains the way he plays guitar is not
different when comparing blues and religious
songs. |
| 00:58:19 |
PW asks RW what he does as a musician now. RW
says he plays at different churches. |
| 00:59:29 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR032 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #1, circa
June 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3171 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:47:20) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
Archivist's note: The tape box indicates this is Thomas A. Dorsey
interview #3, but it is the interview with Big Joe Williams #1.
SR032 and SR036 include the same recording. It is unclear which is
original and which is the duplicate. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
Pete Welding (PW) asks Poor Joe Williams [a.k.a.
Big Joe Williams] (JW) where and when he was born
and about his family. JW replies at length. He was
born in Crofton, Mississippi on October 16, 1898 (or
so). His father was a sharecropper. |
| 00:04:03 |
JW says built his first guitar when he was 5 or 6
years old. He explains how he tuned it and made
music. |
| 00:07:15 |
JW talks about the songs he was playing on his
first home made guitar. He talks about where he
heard these songs. He talks about picnics and
parties. |
| 00:11:00 |
JW says that his nickname was "Poor Joe" A girl
friend gave him this name. |
| 00:11:58 |
PW and JW go back to discuss playing music in his
childhood days. He first played on the bottom of a
water bucket. |
| 00:13:45 |
Joe talks about other people in his family who
made music. |
| 00:17:08 |
Joe talks about the racial mix of his
grandparents. They were part American
Indian. |
| 00:17:40 |
Joe talks about making a cigar box guitar.
|
| 00:20:00 |
PW asks if other people were playing bottleneck
or slide guitar. JW responds that some people used a
knife instead of a bottleneck. |
| 00:20:52 |
PW asks if there were any really good musicians
down around where he lived. JW responds. |
| 00:22:47 |
PW and JW talk about JW's first real guitar. It
was a 12 string he got when he was 15 or 16 years
old. |
| 00:23:50 |
PW asks if any of Joe's brothers or sisters were
musicians. JW answers that, then talks about his
mother and his father. |
| 00:25:40 |
PW and JW talk about JW "roaming around" the
country. They discuss the music he played (on the
street) to earn money. |
| 00:27:04 |
PW asks JW where he learned his songs and also
about the songs JW wrote. |
| 00:30:55 |
JW talks about returning home after a period of
"tough luck." |
| 00:31:44 |
JW talks about the first record he made, about
1921. He talks about other recordings. |
| 00:36:38 |
JW talks about how he earned his living in the
1920s. He talks at length about picnics, dances,
women and whiskey. |
| 00:42:01 |
JW talks about the tunes he played in those days.
He talks about getting payed for playing. |
| 00:43:49 |
PW asks JW if he ran into any trouble with the
law. JW responds. |
| 00:44:40 |
JW talks about the kinds of places he played and
some of the people he played with. |
| 00:47:20 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR036 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #1, circa
June 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3175 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:47:20) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
Archivist's note: SR032 and SR036 include the same content. It is
unclear which is original and which is the duplicate. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
Pete Welding (PW) asks Poor Joe Williams [a.k.a.
Big Joe Williams] (JW) where and when he was born
and about his family. JW replies at length. He was
born in Crofton, Mississippi on October 16, 1898 (or
so). His father was a share cropper. |
| 00:04:03 |
JW says built his first guitar when he was 5 or 6
years old. He explains how he tuned it and made
music. |
| 00:07:15 |
JW talks about the songs he was playing on his
first home made guitar. He talks about where he
heard these songs. He talks about picnics and
parties. |
| 00:11:00 |
JW says that his nickname was "Poor Joe" A girl
friend gave him this name. |
| 00:11:58 |
PW and JW go back to discuss playing music in his
childhood days. He first played on the bottom of a
water bucket. |
| 00:13:45 |
Joe talks about other people in his family who
made music. |
| 00:17:08 |
Joe talks about the racial mix of his
grandparents. They were part American
Indian. |
| 00:17:40 |
Joe talks about making a cigar box guitar.
|
| 00:20:00 |
PW asks if other people were playing bottleneck
or slide guitar. JW responds that some people used a
knife instead of a bottleneck. |
| 00:20:52 |
PW asks if there were any really good musicians
down around where he lived. JW responds. |
| 00:22:47 |
PW and JW talk about JW's first real guitar. It
was a 12 string he got when he was 15 or 16 years
old. |
| 00:23:50 |
PW asks if any of Joe's brothers or sisters were
musicians. JW answers that, then talks about his
mother and his father. |
| 00:25:40 |
PW and JW talk about JW "roaming around" the
country. They discuss the music he played (on the
street) to earn money. |
| 00:27:04 |
PW asks JW where he learned his songs and also
about the songs JW wrote. |
| 00:30:55 |
JW talks about returning home after a period of
"tough luck." |
| 00:31:44 |
JW talks about the first record he made, about
1921. He talks about other recordings. |
| 00:36:38 |
JW talks about how he earned his living in the
1920s. He talks at length about picnics, dances,
women and whiskey. |
| 00:42:01 |
JW talks about the tunes he played in those days.
He talks about getting payed for playing. |
| 00:43:49 |
PW asks JW if he ran into any trouble with the
law. JW responds. |
| 00:44:40 |
JW talks about the kinds of places he played and
some of the people he played with. |
| 00:47:20 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR037 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #2, circa
June 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3176 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:44:25) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
JW talks about the mules owned by his
grandfather. One of the mules was named Joe. He
talks about the other mules He also talks about
Christmas and drinking whiskey. |
| 00:03:25 |
JW talks about his great-grandmother, Mae (?).
She told him about praying during slave times. She
came from Africa when she was about 16. |
| 00:05:23 |
JW talks about both of his great-grandmothers on
his father's side. One was named Roxie. |
| 00:06:07 |
PW asks if JW's father was a musician. JW
answers. PW asks where JW first heard the blues. JW
responds |
| 00:07:26 |
PW asks if JW got to hear phonograph records when
he was a kid. JW responds. |
| 00:08:54 |
PW asks JW if he ever played in a whore house. JW
says "Sure, indeed," then talks at length about the
experience. |
| 00:16:10 |
PW asks how many records JW made in 1927 when he
was recording for Vocalion Records. JW responds and
talks about recording in Atlanta, Georgia. JW
explains how he prepared for a recording session. He
talks at length about a musicians club. |
| 00:24:26 |
JW says he would go and play "where ever the
money wuz (sic)." He talks at length about Blind
Lemon Jefferson. He mentions the song "Mean Snake
Blues" and Victoria Spivey who recorded it in about
1921. (Note: It was actually recorded in 1926.) He
talks about Lonnie Johnson. |
| 00:27:55 |
PW asks about Piano Willie. JW responds. He
mentions a Blind Willie. More talk about Blind Lemon
- the way he tuned his guitar and his finder picking
style. |
| 00:29:30 |
PW asks about Jack White. JW responds. More talk
about Blind Lemon, including how and where he
died. |
| 00:33:15 |
They talk about JW's records, songs and labels.
He recorded under several different names. |
| 00:37:55 |
PW asks "who else did you record for in the late
20s and early 30s." JW replies. |
| 00:39:23 |
PW asks when JW came across Mayo Williams. JW
answers. |
| 00:41:25 |
PW asks when JW stopped recording for Bluebird.
JW responds and says he moved to Columbia records.
He also recorded for Trumpet records. |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR038 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #3, June
7, 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3177 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:47:51) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
JW talks about the first things he remembers from
when he was a little kid. |
| 00:02:02 |
JW sings a religious song He learned from his
grandmother. He talks about the song. He also talks
about his grandfather being a sharecropper and how
sharecropping worked. |
| 00:05:50 |
JW talks about the sharecropping system. He also
talks about the rental farming system. |
| 00:08:55 |
JW talks about when he was a little kid, running
away from his grandfather's place. |
| 00:10:30 |
JW talks about his mother and his father. JW and
PW talk about teen years then and now, and community
standards. |
| 00:15:52 |
JW talks about his parents growing up together.
He talks about his step-father. He sings a song
called "Mean step-Father." |
| 00:20:10 |
PW asks about John Williams, JW's father. JW
talks about his parents, grandparents and
step-father. His mother and father were not
married. |
| 00:23:08 |
JW talks about staying with his aunts, uncles,
and cousins when he was growing up. He says his full
name is Joe Lee Williams. |
| 00:25:34 |
JW talks about going to school (or not). HE talks
about running away from home. |
| 00:27:45 |
JW talks about playing a bucket. He talks about
his grandfather's whipping belt. |
| 00:31:00 |
JW sings a hymn "As Long As I Can Feel the
Spirit." He learned this from his grandmother. He
talks about his grandmother and grandfather. |
| 00:32:36 |
JW talks about his suit and outfit. HE talks
about his grandfather's mare. He talks about a
family (Gilmore) he lived with until he was about 21
years old. |
| 00:35:10 |
JW talks about a saw mill in Macon Mississippi
where he worked. |
| 00:39:58 |
JW talks about how much money the saw mill
workers were paid. He talks about living in saw mill
camps. |
| 00:42:23 |
JW talks about music and musicians in the saw
mill camps. |
| 00:44:45 |
PW asks, "How old do you think the blues are?" PW
answers. |
| 00:47:51 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR039 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #4, June
7, 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3178 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:47:46) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
JW talks about catching fish, cooking them and
making corn bread. |
| 00:02:11 |
JW talks about fish fries. |
| 00:06:02 |
PW asks about the kind of music played at a fish
fry. JW replies. |
| 00:07:13 |
(Note: The recording picks up at this point from
SR038 ). JW talks
about lumber camps. |
| 00:07:38 |
PW asks about medicine shows. JW replies. The
shows came to towns, not lumber camps. JW talks
about the kinds of acts/performances in the shows.
JW started travelling with medicine shows when he
was 9 years old. |
| 00:10:20 |
PW asks how medicine shows were put together and
how did they travel. JW replies. |
| 00:12:52 |
JW talks about his performing - dancing while
playing the guitar. |
| 00:14:11 |
JW talks a jug band he played with and recording
with them. |
| 00:15:40 |
JW talks about a "bad man" called King of the M
and O Bottom, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Note: JW
said this person's name is something like "Toxie
Cane") |
| 00:20:33 |
JW talks about a week long picnic and hay ride in
the wood in the late 1920s. He talks about the band
that played. |
| 00:23:56 |
PW asks when the "J.C. Collins thing (?)" was
recorded. PW replies that it was 1927. JW then
discusses this in some detail. |
| 00:25:37 |
JW talks about his time playing and travelling
with minstrel shows. He talks about how he was paid.
|
| 00:29:00 |
JW talks about some of the musicians who were
part of the shows. |
| 00:32:54 |
PW asks how JW got to make his first record. JW
replies. |
| 00:37:38 |
JW talks about King Solomon Hill. It was both a
place in Alabama and a record label. JW talks about
Bullet Williams and several other musicians. |
| 00:39:26 |
JW talks, at length, about a harp player called
George "Brother" Williams. |
| 00:43:25 |
PW asks JW about when he was starting out as a
musician, how did he know where to go to play music.
JW replies. |
| 00:45:31 |
PW asks JW when he knew he had a gift for music.
JW answers and talks about some of the earliest
songs he heard. |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR040 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #5, June
7, 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3179 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:48:00) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
JW tells a story about looking for treasure in
1943 or so. |
| 00:02:52 |
JW tells another story about hunting for treasure
with a money needle made of baling wire. He also
talks about money diggers. |
| 00:08:45 |
PW asks about ghosts. JW tells a story about a
picnic and a ghost. |
| 00:10:05 |
JW talks about a sharp shooter named Kenny
Wagner. |
| 00:16:10 |
JW talks about Joe DeMoorehead (?), Kid
Washington (?), and someone called Blue
Steel. |
| 00:22:08 |
JW talks about Kid Washington being a gambler. He
talks about what Blue Steel is doing now. |
| 00:26:16 |
PW asks JW who were some of the other guys from
about that time? JW talks about people called Good
Buddy, Corn Bread, Joe DeMoorehead, Zoo Lawrence
(?), and others. |
| 00:29:04 |
JW talks about living in St. Louis. He talks
about stealing turkeys. |
| 00:32:20 |
JW talks about playing a dance in the
country. |
| 00:33:06 |
JW talks about the man named Corn Bread. His real
name was Kid Douglas. He also talks about Red
Lawrence. |
| 00:35:45 |
JW talks about Blue Steel and shooting a Sheriff.
He mentions Sleepy John Estes. |
| 00:37:38 |
JW talks about his friend Blow Mouth, who could
imitate any musical instrument with his mouth.
|
| 00:38:50 |
PW asks JW when he met Memphis Minnie. JW
responds. |
| 00:39:50 |
PW asks about Lead Belly. JW replies and also
talks about playing with the Reverend Gary
Davis. |
| 00:43:04 |
PW asks about Mama Law. JW replies. He also talks
about Horsehead Lulu and Stavin Chain. |
| 00:48:00 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR041 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #6, June
11, 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3180 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:48:20) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, full track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
PW asks JW to talk more about the man called Blue
Steel and his powers. JW tells the story of Blue
Steel selling his soul to the devil. |
| 00:03:15 |
PW asks JW what Blue Steel looked like, what kind
of guy he was. JW answers. |
| 00:04:20 |
They talk about the lodestone |
| 00:05:16 |
More talk about the things Blue Steel
did. |
| 00:06:20 |
PW asks about Mama Law. JW says she was a conjure
woman, a hoo-doo. He also talks about a lucky root,
a John McConker (?) root. |
| 00:09:41 |
PW asks about a mojo hand. JW responds. He also
talks about lucky numbers. |
| 00:13:15 |
PW asks JW if he was ever much of a gambler. JW
responds. He talks about a card game called Georgia
Skin. |
| 00:16:37 |
JW talks about betting on cards. |
| 00:17:20 |
JW says he basically earned his living from
music, but he also had other jobs. He talks about
quitting jobs after he became proficient at them.
|
| 00:21:22 |
JW talks about working in a grit mill, a mill
that grinds corn. The miller would take a toll of
corn for his fee. JW worked on mud slides driving
teams of oxen. |
| 00:24:35 |
PW asks where Mama Law got her special powers. JW
says that she got her power from the devil, like a
witch. |
| 00:29:28 |
JW met a witch named Mama Mary. He tells about
his time with her. She knows all about his family.
He goes home with her and has a number of mystical
experiences, including ones with a pet snake, a pet
alligator, and a pet black cat. |
| 00:35:25 |
PW asks from where Mama Mary got her money. JW
answers. He saw exciting things and cures. |
| 00:36:48 |
JW talks about Mother Williams, a woman preacher.
She was JW's wife, and was a healer. JW sings a bit
of "When I did the best I can, I want my
crown." |
| 00:43:16 |
PW asks where JW met Mother Williams. JW says he
met her in the 1920s in Missouri. She travelled all
over the world. He says they married around 1959. JW
talks about his children. |
| 00:46:50 |
PW asks about the first woman JW loved. He
answers that her name was Malvina. |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR042 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #7, June
11, 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3181 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:47:00) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, full track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
JW talks about playing with two women: Malvina
and Shilk (?), and his cousin, Thomas Styme (?), he
played the "bazooka horn," the jazz horn. Malvina
was a cook for white people. She and JW fell in love
and traveled together. |
| 00:06:50 |
Malvina could sing the blues. JW sings "I'm gonna
get up in the mornin', walking down the lonesome
line." He talks about Malvina and how he left
her. |
| 00:11:02 |
PW asks what kind of a woman was Malvina. JW says
Malvina was a mean woman. He says she killed a man.
JW talks about their relationship. |
| 00:15:00 |
JW tells the story about he and Malvina at a
dance. Another woman, named Amanda (Mandy), is
involved. He was cut taking away a knife. |
| 00:21:12 |
JW talks about his first wife, Ella Mae. They met
in about 1921 and stayed together for about a year.
He left her and went back on the road. |
| 00:25:43 |
JW says he was making a living playing music and
working. He borrowed $500 to buy furniture. To pay
it back, he took a job but plowed only when he felt
like it. This did not repay the loan. He took
another job and finally did repay the loan. |
| 00:28:35 |
PW asks about a record, "Stack of Dollars," the
JW recorded in 1935. JW says he first recorded it in
the 1920s. They discuss this. |
| 00:29:32 |
PW and JW discuss JW's early recordings. PW
consults a (unidentified) book. They talk about the
songs and who performed them. |
| 00:34:00 |
They discuss recording sessions for Blue Bird
Records in 1933 and 1935. They discuss the
performers on these and other recording sessions.
|
| 00:38:05 |
PW asks JW when he came across Sonny Boy
Williamson. JW says it was about 1922. He talks
about Sonny Boy at length. He also talks about a
number of other musicians he travelled with. He
talks about a guitar contest he won. |
| 00:43:00 |
JW talks about Sonny Boy's recordings. JW says
Sonny Boy's first hits were "Sugar Mama" and "School
Girl." |
| 00:47:00 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR043 |
Big Joe Williams
interview #8, June
11, 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3182 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (00:47:10) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, full track, mono ; 7
in. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
JW talks about some of the musicians with whom he
played including Charlie Patton. He talks at length
about Patton, his early recordings and his death.
|
| 00:06:30 |
JW talks about a contest he was n with Charlie
Patton. |
| 00:07:45 |
JW talks about Brother James, James Harding. He
talks about Grant Malone, an organ player. He talks
about a car wreck in which several people were
killed, including Brother James. |
| 00:11:08 |
PW asks "What kind of guy was Charlie Patton
like?" JW responds. |
| 00:13:18 |
PW asks JW if he ever met Son House. JW says he
knew Son House well. He talks about him. |
| 00:14:52 |
JW talks at length about Robert Johnson. |
| 00:17:08 |
JW talks about Robert Johnson playing bottleneck
guitar. |
| 00:20:45 |
JW talks about Blind Willie McTell, who also
played bottleneck guitar. |
| 00:23:38 |
JW talks about Peetie Wheatstraw (William Bunch).
He played guitar and piano. He was killed in a car
wreck. |
| 00:32:20 |
JW talks about bluesmen living in St. Louis. He
talks about Walter Davis. JW and PW discuss some
other musicians including Tommy Johnson and Ishman
Bracey. |
| 00:37:25 |
PW asks about Skip James. JW responds. He also
talks about Chief, a one arm guitar player. |
| 00:39:54 |
PW asks about other good singers from down in
Mississippi. JW responds and specifically talks
about Tom turner and Blind Teddy Darby (Theodore
Roosevelt Darby). |
| 00:47:10 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR315 |
Big Joe Williams,
Jimmy Brown / Willie Lee Harris, March 12, 1964
|
|
Rack number: RXH 4201 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(00:03:22) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, mono ; 7 in. |
|
Collector's original ID number: 34.
Archivist's note: Side 2 has not yet been digitized.
Vendor's digitization note: The program is distorted at times, and
speed fluctuations from the tape. Side 1 has a sound gap (silence)
from 00:02:13-00:02:52.
Logger's note: From the tape box - Big Joe Williams, guitar; Jimmy
Brown, guitar; Willie Lee, harmonica. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
False start of songs. Blank. |
| 00:03:00 |
A short fragment of an unidentified blues song.
|
| 00:04:44 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR316 |
John Williams, May 12, 1966
|
|
Rack number: RXH 4202 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(00:32:24) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, mono ; 7 in. |
|
Collector's original ID number: 41.
Logger's note: According to the tape box, this recording seems to
have been made in Chicago. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
"Catch My Pony, Saddle My Black Mare" |
| 00:04:50 |
"Tammy Blues" |
| 00:07:26 |
"Rather Be The Devil" (rough, false
start) |
| 00:11:12 |
"Hand Me Down My Walking Cane" |
| 00:13:43 |
"Tammy Blues" |
| 00:16:15 |
"Catfish Blues" (rough) |
| 00:20:44 |
"Catfish Blues" (a little more deliberate) breaks
off. |
| 00:23:58 |
"Catfish Blues" (Strong rhythm) |
| 00:29:09 |
"Catfish Blues" (very rough) |
| 00:32:24 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR076 |
Robert Pete Williams
interview, January
30, 1965
|
|
Rack number: RXH 3215 |
|
Extent: on one side of 1 sound
tape reel (acetate; 00:35:00) : analog, 3 3/4 ips, full track, mono
; 7 in. |
|
Logger's note: Pete Welding (PW) interviews Robert Pete Williams
(RPW). Other people are present in the room. It seems that the SR
begins in the midst of an ongoing conversation. There may be a
recording that precedes this one. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
PW and RPW talk about playing blues and
spirituals. RPW talks about being a Christian. He
says the blues followed him all the time. He says he
made his first guitar out of a cigar box at age 18
or 19. Later, he bought a used guitar. |
| 00:05:55 |
PW asks when RPW first became aware that he had a
gift for music. RPW responds. |
| 00:06:41 |
PW asks what RPW thinks the blues are. RPW
answers at length. |
| 00:11:28 |
RPW says he walked away from Christ and stepped
into trouble. |
| 00:16:15 |
RPW talks about getting into trouble because he
was carrying a gun. He talks about drinking
wine. |
| 00:19:23 |
PW says that it seems that the blues strongly
pursue ROW. RPW replies. He says he feels good when
he plays the blues. He tells a story about having
the blues so bad that he could not sleep. They talk
about a song. |
| 00:24:29 |
RPW shows the 12 string guitar that he played on
a song. PW asks how he learned to play. RPW answers
at length. |
| 00:27:29 |
PW asks RPW how old he was when he made his cigar
box guitar. RPW responds. He talks about his
home. |
| 00:28:35 |
RPW talks about his parole from jail. He worked
in dairy. |
| 00:35:00 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR620 |
Robert Pete Williams
#1, undated
|
|
Rack number: RXH 5481 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel :
analog ; 7 in. |
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR610 |
Robert Pete Williams
- dub of Oster Tape #2, undated
|
|
Rack number: RXH 5471 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel :
analog ; 7 in. |
|
Collector's original ID number: 227. |
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR159 |
Sonny Boy
[Williamson] master, possibly 1965 or before
|
|
Rack number: RXH 4042 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(backcoated polyester, 00:24:19) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, half track,
stereo ; 7 in. |
|
The tape box has "S.B. master." Collector's original ID number:
137.
Archivist's note: Sonny Boy Williamson (sometimes self-styled as
Sonny Boy Williamson II; d. 1965). |
|
Logger's note: The lead singer is Sonny Boy Williamson II (Aleck
Miller) with his blues band, including Buddy Guy.
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
Instrumental music performed |
| 00:01:58 |
The lead vocalist, Sonny Boy (SB), announces the
accompanying musicians and performs his first song:
"My Name is Sonny Boy" |
| 00:04:50 |
SB and the band perform the next song, title is
unknown |
| 00:09:24 |
SB speaks to someone off stage while instrumental
music plays |
| 00:10:14 |
The next selection |
| 00:13:31 |
The next song |
| 00:18:33 |
The lead vocalist (possibly someone other than
SB) and band perform the next song |
| 00:21:24 |
SB and the band perform the last song, titled
"Fattening Frogs for Snakes" |
| 00:24:17 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR574 |
Sonny Boy
Williamson, undated
|
|
Rack number: RXH 5435 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(00:28:34) : analog ; 7 in. |
|
Dubs from commercial recordings. |
|
|
Time
|
Content
|
|
|
| Start |
"Don't Lose Your Eye" |
| 00:03:15 |
"Like Wolf" |
| 00:06:13 |
"This is My Department" |
| 00:08:58 |
"Have You Ever Been in Love" |
| 00:11:55 |
"She Got Next to Me" |
| 00:14:34 |
"Sweet Disposition" |
| 00:17:34 |
"I Over Go Wrong" |
| 00:20:21 |
"I Hold Up My hand (That Explains
Everything)" |
| 00:23:18 |
"Peach Tree" |
| 00:25:58 |
"This Old Life" |
| 00:28:34 |
End |
|
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR582 |
Sonny Boy
Williamson, #1, Side 1, undated
|
|
Rack number: RXH 5443 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(00:19:50) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, stereo ; 7 in. |
|
Vendor's digitization note: The program is distorted at times. |
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR583 |
Sonny Boy
Williamson, #2, undated
|
|
Rack number: RXH 5444 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel
(00:07:26) : analog, 7 1/2 ips, stereo ; 7 in. |
|
Vendor's digitization note: The program is distorted at times. |
|
|
|
Item-ID: AFC 2011/053: SR584 |
Sonny Boy Williamson,
Side 2 |
|
Rack number: RXH 5445 |
|
Extent: 1 sound tape reel :
analog ; 7 in. |
|
Collector's original ID number: 39. |
|
|
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