blues Archives - Page 7 of 8 - The Arhoolie Foundation

Marcellus Thomas Interview – Blues

“I recorded Marcellus Thomas during my first session with Big Joe Williams in Los Gatos, CA – and I think it may have been Marcellus who drove Big Joe and his wife and child from Oakland down to my shack in the hills of Holy City where I was living that first year as a school teacher in Los Gatos…”

John Littlejohn Interview – Blues

“So when I got 14 years old, my father won a guitar in a crap game. He asked me – He really didn’t give it to me. I’d catch him going from the house and I’d grab it, you know. The first tune I learned how to play was – I heard Lightning Hopkins playing this tune – ‘Baby, Please Don’t Go.’”

Mercy Dee Walton Interview

“The blues to me was a way of getting rid of your trouble through your music. During those times when I started playing things kinda rugged, you know what I mean. A dollar or two was a great thing back then. I just started playing the blues.”

T-Bone Walker Interview – Blues

“To be the best, I’d have to stick with my style. I can’t get away from it. That’s the reason why I don’t do rock-n-roll, which they’ve been trying to get me to do it, but I’ll get away from my style.”

Clifton Chenier Interviews

“Well, you see in 1955 I used to play nothing but rock music on accordion. Then I got so, I said “Well there’s too many rock groups.” I said, “I’m going to change this a little.” That’s why I got it down to put French in the rock music. See, how it goes.”

Eddie Shuler – Goldband Records

“Of course I had a good band, The Hackberry Ramblers were backing me up on all that stuff. You know Luderin Darbone, he’s hard to beat when it comes to playing that Cajun fiddle that he’s got. Do you know they’re going to go play at the World’s Fair this year?…”

Moses Asch – Folkways Records

Moses Asch was the founder of Asch Records, Folkways Records, and Disc Records. Listen to his 1981 interview with Arhoolie Foundation’s Chris Strachwitz.

Big Mama Thornton Photo Gallery

Big Mama Thornton Photo Gallery Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984) was a Rhythm and Blues singer, harmonica player and...

Big Mama Thornton Interview

“…I would like very much to do spirituals. Because I feel that I got the voice. I feel like I got the power. I just feel like I could just do them. You would be surprised, mostly my occupation every morning is turn on my radio and listen to spirituals. I love those spirituals. I love good singing.”

Paul Oliver Interview

In this hour long interview, British blues historian and author Paul Oliver and Chris Strachwitz discuss the Ann Arbor Blues Festival, blues, American music, culture, and much more.

Genre: blues