Bman's Blues Report

Eddie James “Son” House (1902–1988) poured more raw emotion into the Delta blues than almost anyone else. He spent his life torn between preaching in church and playing in rowdy jukes. Living in Mississippi during the 1930s and '40s, he became a massive influence on legends like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters . While he started out playing for local crowds at weekend house parties, House hit the international stage during the 1960s blues revival . Fans loved his intense, trance-like performances, aggressive guitar style, and powerful a cappella gospel singing. He first recorded with Charley Patton in 1930, and later did legendary field recordings for the Library of Congress in 1941 and 1942. House walked away from music in 1943 and moved to Rochester, New York, where young blues fans tracked him down in 1964. This "rediscovery" launched a major comeback career, leading to his famous 1965 Columbia album, Father of Folk Blues . He retired for good in...

          UNHEARD MUSIC BY LEGENDARY “FATHER OF DELTA BLUES” SON HOUSE DISCOVERED, AWAITS MARCH 18, 2022 RELEASE ON EASY EYE SOUND   Forever on My Mind was recorded in the fall of 1964 (ahead of 1965 “rediscovery” album) and never released. Features first-time-on-record title track “Forever On My Mind,” plus never-heard recordings of “Death Letter” and “Preachin’ Blues”   NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On the evening of June 23, 1964, a red Volkswagen Beetle bearing three blues enthusiasts arrived in Rochester, N.Y. The young men were following a trail of clues in their search of a legend, and they found him sitting on the steps of an apartment building at 61 Greig Street.       “This is him,” Son House said.   Born Eddie James House, Jr. in Lyon, Mississippi in 1902, Son House at that time had not played music for more than two decades. But the re-release of his early work — commercial 78s issued...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent 2 cd release, Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1969 from Third Man Records and it's terrific! Opening with Dirty Mother For You , a classic by Roosevelt Sykes, this classic track really gets the ball rolling with his suggestive language and his classic piano style. JB Hutto and his Hawk do a terrific Too Much Alcohol with Hutto's dynamic slide work. An excellent contribution by Jimmy Dawkins, I Wonder Why shows exactly why his nickname was Fast Fingers. Luther Allison and the Blue Nebulae play a super log take on Everybody Must Suffer/Stone Crazy and really gives his guitar a workout... makes you sweat just listening to it. Excellent! Another really fat guitar laden track is Otis Rush and So Many Roads . This is an excellent closer for disc one. Disc 2 opens with Muddy Waters and Long Distance Call . Muddy's vocals are super and he has that crying slide work, backed by Paul Oscher on harp. Very nice. Charlie Musselwhite re...

All You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music is the name of a 17-part television documentary series on the history of modern pop music directed by Tony Palmer, originally broadcast worldwide between 1976 and 1980. The series covers the many different genres that have fallen under the "pop" label between the mid-19th century and 1976, including folk, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, vaudeville and music hall, musical theater, country, swing, jazz, blues, R&B, rock 'n' roll and others. This is part 4 - the blues. Memphis Slim, Lt. George W. Lee, Johnny and Verlina Woods, Roosevelt Sykes, W. C. Handy, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Blind Arvella Gray, Son House, Ray Charles, Mamie Smith, Victoria Spivey, Bessie Smith, John Hammond, George Melly, Muddy Waters, Lead Belly, John Lomax, Jimmy Dawkins, Mighty Joe Young, Billie Holiday, Barney Josephson, B.B. King, Martin Luther King, Jr. Write on our Facebook Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! - Here

The tiny Arcola Records label is known for releasing wonderful glimpses of great traditional blues and jazz artists, mostly recorded in the 1960s and 1970s. The latest offering presents a 2 CD Son House issue featuring Son's 1968 Seattle concert finding the artist in top form. Also included is an interview in which Son House describes his early life and musical influences. Interspersed with Son House's dialog are the vintage recordings of Son and the artists he speaks of in the interview, including Willie Brown, Charlie Patton, Rube Lacy and Robert Johnson. Thanks to Arcola for such a thoughtful presentation of this amazing blues artist. Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. (March 21, 1902 – October 19, 1988) was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music. House did not learn guitar until he was in his early twenties, as he had been "churchified", and was determined to become a Baptist preacher. He associated himself with Delta blues musicians Charlie Patton and Willie Brown, often acting as a sideman. In 1930, House made his first recordings for Paramount Records during a session for Charlie Patton. However, these did not sell well due to the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity. He was recorded by John and Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1941 and '42. Afterwards, he moved north to Rochester, New York, where he remained until his rediscovery in 1964, spurred by the American folk blues re...

Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. (March 21, 1902 – October 19, 1988) was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music. House did not learn guitar until he was in his early twenties, as he had been "churchified", and was determined to become a Baptist preacher. He associated himself with Delta blues musicians Charlie Patton and Willie Brown, often acting as a sideman. In 1930, House made his first recordings for Paramount Records during a session for Charlie Patton. However, these did not sell well due to the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity. He was recorded by John and Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1941 and '42. Afterwards, he moved north to Rochester, New York, where he remained until his rediscovery in 1964, spurred by the American folk blues rev...

DELTA BLU ES MUSEUM TO HOST RECEPTION FOR DICK WATERMAN, PHOTOGRAPHER Thursday, June 23, 5 - 7 pm. Free, open to the public New museum exhibit to focus on Son House, the renowned bluesman who taught Robert Johnson to play guitar On Thursday, June 23, 5 -7 pm , the Delta Blues Museum will host a reception for Dick Waterman, famed music photographer and Oxford, MS resident, to mark the opening of its newest exhibit, which features 13 portraits by Waterman of Son House, the renowned bluesman who taught Robert Johnson to play guitar. Waterman helped rediscover House in the '60s and managed his concerts during that era's blues revival. He will be present to sign books of his photographs and answer questions about his years of managing and photographing House. Music will be provided by Bill Abel. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibit is part of ongoing museum celebrat...

Nice to see old films with two of my alltime favorite players together... Buddy as a young punk. Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE Enjoy!

One of the greatest blues players and singers that ever lived!!! We are fortunate to have as many videos as we do!! Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. (March 21, 1902 (?) – October 19, 1988) was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music. House did not learn guitar until he was in his early twenties, as he had been "churchified", and was determined to become a Baptist preacher. He associated himself with Delta blues musicians Charlie Patton and Willie Brown, often acting as a sideman. In 1930, House made his first recordings for Paramount Records during a session for Charlie Patton. However, these did not sell well due to the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity. He was recorded by John and Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1941 and '42. Afterwards, he mov...

If you've been following my posts you know that Son house is one of my all time favorite blues singers. Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. (March 21, 1902 – October 19, 1988) was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music. House did not learn guitar until he was in his early twenties, as he had been "churchified", and was determined to become a Baptist preacher. He associated himself with Delta blues musicians Charlie Patton and Willie Brown, often acting as a sideman. In 1930, House made his first recordings for Paramount Records during a session for Charlie Patton. However, these did not sell well due to the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity. He was recorded by John and Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1941 and '42. Afterwards, he moved north to...

Nothing like the great Son House to close out the evening. Eddie James "Son" House (1902-1988) may have been the most powerful of the Delta Bluesmen. While not as flashy a guitarist as some of his peers such as Bukka White, or as well known proteges (Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters both were schooled by Son), Son's playing had a fierce edge to it. His voice and lyrics are powerful. Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE Enjoy

Great old footage of Mr. Son House. I just love to listen to him talk. Son House was as straightforward a blues player as there ever was. He reminds me of a friend that I had as a child. It's nice to see the juxtaposition with he and Mike Bloomfield. It's great always to see him play and of course to see the early Paul Butterfield Band playing with Bloomfield playing a tele rather than his signature Les Paul that he became famous for and Elvin Bishop with his red 345. If you don't know the Butterfield Band stuff..you owe it to yourself. If you do... make sure you check out the Bloomfield/Al Kooper set as well. There is some terrific stuff there! Enjoy Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

Another generation bringing the blues. Traditional style buy with a new twist. John Anthony "Jack" White (previously Gillis; born July 9, 1975), often credited as Jack White III,[1] is an American musician, record producer and occasional actor. He is best known as being the guitarist, pianist, and lead vocalist of The White Stripes until they disbanded in February 2011. He was ranked #17 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". White's popular and critical success with The White Stripes enabled him to collaborate as a solo artist with other renowned musicians, such as Beck, The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Alicia Keys, Bob Dylan, Electric Six and Loretta Lynn, whose 2004 album Van Lear Rose he produced and performed on. In 2005, White became a founding member of the rock band The Raconteurs. In 2009, he became a founding member and drummer of his third commercially successful group, The Dead Weather. Another look at Son House Get F...

The blues is a way of life. The blues is an outlet for emotion. The blues is experiencing someones life ... the turmoil... the strife... actual feelings. But who knows why, it makes you smile. It's happiness, it's sorrow, its a lot of things... it's the expression of emotion in one note of a song or the story that is told that just gets you. It isn't always fast, it isn't always slow it doesn't always swing. I'm just glad that it is. This is a good intro to the blues... can't think of a better place to start. Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE