4 AM - Texas Blues - Joey Long
LONG, JOEY (1932–1995). Joey Long, blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, was born Joseph Earl Longoria in Zwolle, Louisiana, on December 17, 1932, the son of Earlene Leone and Fred Longoria. His parents were of Italian-French and Mexican-French extraction. When Joey was very young the family moved to Merryville, Louisiana, and continued sharecropping during some of the bleakest years of the Great Depression. Along with his parents, six brothers, and one sister, Joey picked cotton, worked on the farm, and lived a hard rural life.Long made a living recording and performing in Houston-area clubs such as the Cedar Lounge. He built a solid reputation as a multitalented musician. His authentic, down-home, country blues sound, as well as his unique, flamboyant style, caught the attention of many young white artists who wanted to play the blues. Tary Owens, an Austin musician, folklorist, and record producer, believed that Long was the first non-black blues musician in Texas to play with bl...