Category: Blues
Sinners -Pick Poor Robin Clean: A Song, A Story, and a Mystery of Meaning
How a 1927 blues recording first made by Luke Jordan found new life in a modern vampire film—and unlocked a century-old mystery of music, identity, and meaning.
Bukka White: A Life in the Blues
Bukka White: A Life in the Blues Booker T. Washington Bukka White’s life story is as riveting as the music he created, anarrative filled with hardship, resilience, and an unyielding devotion to the Delta blues. Bornon November 12, 1906, in north-eastern Mississippi, Bukka’s journey through the world ofmusic captures the essence of the early blues, … Continue reading “Bukka White: A Life in the Blues”
Arthur Blind Blake – King of Ragtime Guitar
Blind Blake, often hailed as the “King of Ragtime Guitar,” remains one of the most significant yet enigmatic figures of early American blues and ragtime music. His innovative guitar techniques, dazzling fingerpicking, and ability to blend humour with poignant storytelling set him apart as a true pioneer. While much about his life remains shrouded in … Continue reading “Arthur Blind Blake – King of Ragtime Guitar”
Rights & Rhythms: Music History Through a Legal Lens
The Complex Legal Legacy of Ray Charles and his Songs On this day 11th September In 1952, Ray Charles recorded his first session for Atlantic Records in New York City. He performed songs such as “The Sun’s Gonna Shine Again,” “The Midnight Hour,” “Roll with My Baby,” and “Jumpin’ In The Morning . In 1954 he … Continue reading “Rights & Rhythms: Music History Through a Legal Lens”
It’s A Family Affair -Henry Spaulding
In January 2022 we got a message on our Facebook inbox , it read “ I have a question on the blues singer and guitarist Henry Spaulding who recorded “Cairo Blues” back in the 20’s. He is my husband’s great grandfather. Do you happen to have an article and a picture of him by any chance?”
Early Christmas Blues and Jazz Songs. 12 Good Reasons to Discover them
If you thought that “Fairytale of New York” is the epitome of an alternative Christmas song, you need to think again! From dead drunk to death row, the earliest Christmas Blues Music blew the lid off the traditional music syrup can. The lyrics were edgy and the performers were pros. Even if “White Christmas” is more your thing, you can still learn to love these gritty festive gems.
21 Current Blues Musicians to Know in 2021
At Document Records, our main focus is compiling and sharing historic recordings of traditional American music. These were the works of innovators, artists who helped music to grow and change into what would become the blues (and jazz, and gospel, and country). However, traditional American music didn’t begin or end with the artists represented by … Continue reading “21 Current Blues Musicians to Know in 2021”
Nobody Sings The Blues Like Blind Willie McTell
Seen the arrow on the doorstepSaying, “This land is condemnedAll the way from New OrleansTo Jerusalem.”I traveled through East TexasWhere many martyrs fellAnd I know no one can sing the bluesLike Blind Willie McTell.Bob Dylan, “Blind Willie McTell” Semi-mythical in his own time, a shadowy legend to the blues revivalists, and known mainly to blues … Continue reading “Nobody Sings The Blues Like Blind Willie McTell”
Ramona Baker Reviews ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
Even with all the negative comments from serious historians, the most striking element of the film was the attention to detail with the costumes. Any costume historian could tell you that such bright and gaudy colors were appropriately exhibited in the film, and the hairstyles all seemed to match. To clothing historians and collectors it … Continue reading “Ramona Baker Reviews ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’”
Skip, Duck, and the Grammy Awards: The Rise of the Bentonia Blues
Bentonia, Mississippi is a small town of just over 400 residents, about the same number it had in 1931. That year, the town’s most famous son went north to record for the Paramount Record Company. The railroad Nehemiah “Skip” James left on still runs through Bentonia, but the station is long gone. Still, not far … Continue reading “Skip, Duck, and the Grammy Awards: The Rise of the Bentonia Blues”
Ball And Chain Blues: 10 Prison Songs From The Document Catalogue
by D’Arcy Rix-Hayes The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, with one in every 15 people in the country expected to go behind bars. According to Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow “more African American adults are under correctional control today…than were enslaved in 1850.” In many ways, slavery was … Continue reading “Ball And Chain Blues: 10 Prison Songs From The Document Catalogue”
Everybody Loves Them Dead Presidents
From the Mississippi Delta to the streets of Chicago; from Mamie Smith at the Howard Theatre to Kingfish at Red’s, the blues has always been a fundamentally American genre of music. Although it sounds silly to say so, no other country could have given us “61 Highway Blues” or “Sweet Home Chicago”. In honor of … Continue reading “Everybody Loves Them Dead Presidents”
Perry (Mule) Bradford Escorts African American Singers Through The Closed Doors Of The 1920s Recording Industry.
By Elva D. Green Perry (Mule) Bradford In 1920, Mr. Perry (Mule) Bradford, African American songwriter, minstrel, and vaudeville performer was responsible for convincing White owned Okeh Records to record the first African American female blues singer. Bradford, born in Alabama, spent years traveling the country in minstrel shows and Vaudeville where he heard many … Continue reading “Perry (Mule) Bradford Escorts African American Singers Through The Closed Doors Of The 1920s Recording Industry.”
‘You Got To Move’ A Reflection upon Rev. Gary Davis by Jonathan Oldstyle
You like the blues. That’s why you’re here, reading about Reverend Gary Davis. Maybe you like jazz as well, maybe classical music. If you want to read about someone who played jazz like Davis played the blues, you might be reading about Art Tatum. Classical, it would be Frederick Chopin. These are guys who challenged … Continue reading “‘You Got To Move’ A Reflection upon Rev. Gary Davis by Jonathan Oldstyle”
Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson (1897–1945) By Bill Berry “Probably the finest slide guitar playing you’ll ever hear” – Eric Clapton, commenting on Blind Willie Johnson’s Nobody’s Fault But Mine “The greatest example of slide guitar ever recorded” – Jack White, on Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground “I’ve tried all my life – worked … Continue reading “Blind Willie Johnson”
Musicians Who Died in 2019
Honouring Those Musicians We Lost In 2019 By Paul T Forrest A number of music artists passed away in 2019. Here, we pay tribute to some of those who were associated with the Blues. Ginger Baker 19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019 Ginger Baker rose to prominence with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce in … Continue reading “Musicians Who Died in 2019”
10 Famous Blues Musicians
(Written by Leonardo Pereira) 1. BIG BILL BROONZY (Lee Conley Bradley; 1903 – 1958) The city of Chicago is constantly associated with the blues and its electric reinvention, but one of its pioneers actually started as an acoustic country blues performer. According to some sources, William Lee Conley Broonzy was born in Arkansas in 1903. … Continue reading “10 Famous Blues Musicians”
Confessions of a Vinyl Addict – Part 4
From Hull to Nashville By Gary Atkinson Given the critical slamming I gave those first Document CDs when writing for the blues magazine, I was more than a little surprised when the reviews editor rang to say that Johnny Parth had recommended me for a job. They wanted me to write some booklet notes, … Continue reading “Confessions of a Vinyl Addict – Part 4”
Confessions of a Vinyl Addict – Part 3
England, Vienna, Scotland. By Gary Atkinson Whilst working, as an Office Junior at the City Engineers department of Hull City Council, I was approached by two close work friends. ‘Do you like Rory Gallagher?’ Dave asked. ‘No,’ I gave as a reply to a question, which, in my music-elitist view, needed no consideration. ‘Why not!?’ … Continue reading “Confessions of a Vinyl Addict – Part 3”
Confessions Of A Vinyl Addict – Part 2
By Gary Atkinson “…Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?” The first albums that I bought were cheap, ‘budget range’ ones. The Marble Arch label was owned by Pye Nixa, which had licensed material from Chess records in the early 1960s. As a schoolboy in the late 1960s, I could just about afford these, … Continue reading “Confessions Of A Vinyl Addict – Part 2”