Tag: blues
Dr. Harry Oster’s Folk-Lyric Records
Between 1956 and 1963, Dr. Harry Oster, professor of English at LSU Baton Rouge, roamed the back roads of Louisiana in search of traditional music. A...
Read MoreDeep Dives: Blues On Tour
Dry dusty roads, dark end streets, and rowdy juke joints are where you hear the blues. It was his love of down home blues that inspired Chris Strachwitz...
Read MoreChris Strachwitz Remembers Sonny Boy Williamson
Chris Strachwitz Remembers Sonny Boy Williamson Chris Strachwitz reminisces in the interview, which is full of anecdotal gems, about being on European tours with Sonny Boy...
Read MoreAlbert Chevalier Zydeco Roots Interview
Albert Chevalier was born March 20, 1909 in Lafayette, LA. His father played accordion often accompanied by someone beating on a piece of tin, someone scraping a broom handle on the wooden plank floor, and accompanied by fiddle and triangle.
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,...
Read MoreThe Blues Come To Texas — Paul Oliver and Mack McCormick’s Unfinished Book
The book signing party and discussion with Alan Governar, Chris Strachwitz, and Joel Selvin. Held at Down Home Music in El Cerrito, California July 16, 2019....
Read MoreJohnie Lewis Interview
“I said well Lord, if you let me live to see tomorrow I’m going to get me a guitar. That’s how I had my start. Then I went to Mrs. Patterson Pawn Shop”… “and I bought me a guitar with the name was Value. That’s the name of the guitar with pearl and ivory all around it. About a week, I was playing pretty good.”
Read MoreMercy 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.”
Read MoreBig 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.”
Read MoreHowlin’ Wolf Interview 1967
“I always make up songs about the way people live and how people act amongst themselves. Ups and downs they have. Some people have ups and downs, and what caused these things. A lot of people come out and sing but they don’t never put their sweetening into it. You’ve got to tell the peoples why you’re singing this, and what causing this, and showing them what you’re singing.”
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