ARHOOLIE FOUNDATION COLLECTIONS:Chris Strachwitz Collection
Blind James Campbell Interview
Born in Nashville in 1906, Blind James Campbell was a blues singer and guitarist who was blinded in a work accident. He and his Nashville street band were active from the ‘30s to the ‘60s, and they recorded and released a record on Arhoolie in 1963 (Blind James Campbell and His Nashville Street Band).
Read MoreStanley Willis Interview
Stanley Willis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 15, 1922. His mother played piano, and Stanley remembered musicians coming to the house to rehearse when he was just a small child. He recalled being passed around “like a loaf of bread” by a group of old women and placed in front of the church piano at the age of four.
Read MoreMartín Echeverría Interview – Los Hermanos Chavarría
Along with Rocha & Martinez, Martin and Alphonso Echeverría, Los Hermanos Chavarría, as their name was always spelled on the record labels, were one of the pioneer duetos to record in San Antonio and their fierce rural, defiant, and unrestrained vocal style made them remarkably popular for over a decade.
Read MoreChris Strachwitz on Fred McDowell
In 1964 Chris Strachwitz went to Como, Mississippi to record Fred McDowell for his record label Arhoolie Records. In this interview, Chris talks about his memories of going to Mississippi, meeting and recording Fred, going to a house party, the Rolling Stones, and how things were back then.
Read MoreOcta Clark Interview – Cajun
And you take Joe Falcon, was very good too. And Amédé Breaux was very good too. Amédé Breaux was good too. He was first a singer and he was good, too. A lot of people were good, but some like Aldus Roger, you going to hear him. He’s a good playing, but an old musician told me. He said, “Clark, nobody can beat you for dance.” I said, “You believe so?” He said, “Yes.”
Read MoreThe Chris Strachwitz Archive – Home Videos
We are calling these “home videos” since they were never intended to be released. As soon as small, portable video recorders were available, Chris Strachwitz carried one...
Read MoreChris Strachwitz Photos
Chris Strachwitz Photos Chris Strachwitz, founder of both Arhoolie Records and the Arhoolie Foundation, has been documenting vernacular music since the 1950’s. An avid photographer, he...
Read MoreChris Strachwitz 1960 Blues Article
In 1960 Chris Strachwitz was running a small mail order record service and newsletter called the International Blues Record Club (IBRC). In the summer of 1960...
Read MoreChris Strachwitz 1962 Article
[feather_share] International Blues Record Club Bulletin Vol. 2 No. 1 December 1962 Searching for music in 1962 with Chris Strachwitz Now, that the commercials...
Read MoreLightning Hopkins & the Zydeco Uprising
In 1962 Chris Strachwitz was writing a blues column for Jazz Report magazine. Here is part one of three articles about his travels in the south,...
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