A sad day for music - Henry Townsend passed away, according to this post on the I.G.S. forum. You can also read the story in the St. Louis Dispatch.
Ya gotta appreciate the old ones while they’re still here… rest easy, Henry.
Comments?
Saw this on rec.country.music.old-time late last night. Here’s a link to the story in USA Today:
Influential guitarist Etta Baker dies
The story was also reported in the News & Observer - direct links to the story don’t resolve, so if you want to read it, best bet is to visit their homepage and follow the link for “Blues legend Etta Baker passes on.”
Fw: Crossing Jordan -- Etta Baker
From: Joe Cline
Date: Sun, Sep 24 2006 10:41 pm
Groups: rec.music.folk, rec.music.country.old-time
Dear Friends,
We lost another treasure with the passing of Etta Baker at around 3:30 PM this afternoon. A truly gentle soul who loved sharing her music, her garden, and the wisdom she gained over 92+ years. Mrs. Etta's Piedmont Blues was definitely "Happy Music."
Bob Henson
I thought there was something weird about this tune. Poking around this evening, looking for interesting stuff, I came across a couple of songs by the Mississippi Blacksnakes. The singer sounds pretty much like it might be Charlie McCoy, so I was thinking that it might be a name the McCoy Brothers recorded under. Anyway, I was listening to “It’s All Over Now” and I kept getting the feeling that I’d heard the song somewhere else. Well, I hadn’t, but after a few minutes I noticed that the song shares its melody with “The World Is Going Wrong” by the Mississippi Sheiks.
Both songs have the same chord sequence:
I / / / | I / / / | I / / / | I / / / |
IV / / / | IV / / / | V / / / | V / / / |
I / / / | I / / / |
That’s right - 10 bars. Funny, but I always thought that the weird thing about “The World Is Going Wrong” was that the accompaniment never returned to the I chord before going to the V, something that “She’s Crazy About Her Lovin’” also does, but in the context of a more typical 12-bar verse. I didn’t notice that the song had a 10-bar structure until I counted it out, fully expecting it to come out as an 8-bar blues. Wrong again… but pleasantly so. All the instrumental breaks are played as 12-bar blues.
Two guitarists are playing on “It’s All Over Now,” both playing in the key of E, standard tuning. If anyone knows the personnel on this recording, I’d sure like to know who’s playing.
mississippi-blacksnakes-its-all-over-now.mp3
It’s All Over Now - Mississippi Blacksnakes
I beg you, baby, both night and day
Trying to get you, baby, to stop your lowdown ways
You think you know what’s best
I want you to suit yourself
I’m sorry to say, baby, it’s all over now
I beg you, baby, [track] you like a hound
Trying to get you, baby, stop your running around
You think you know what’s best
I want you to suit yourself
I’m sorry, baby, it’s all over now
You quit me, baby, it won’t be bad
Can’t have no more troubles than I once have had
I’ve had an awful time
I’m about to lose my mind
I’m sorry to say, baby, it’s all over now
If you go, baby, take this [ ]
You get in tough, baby, go see the Red Cross
Because if I keep this mind
I’ll never give you another dime
I’m sorry to say, baby, it’s all over now
Nashville Stonewall, by Robert Wilkins, has been ringing in my ears the last couple of weeks, so I just had to try and play it. Robert Wilkins’ music is impeccably crafted - excellent lyrics, guitar accompaniments that are tightly coupled to the vocal melody, and great rhythm. He’s also a unique and sensitive singer - if you were to come to blues with the notion that all singers have to be shouters that sound like Son House, Robert Wilkins would disabuse you of that notion, lickety-split.
I worked this tune out last week sometime. Wilkins plays it out of cross-note tuning, pitched at about E. I chose to keep it at the same pitch, although the melody sits a little low for me. I also chose to stick as close as I could to his original 1930 recording of this song (misogynistic last verse and all), just because it all hangs together so perfectly - guitar break and all. Predictably, I tend to fall down on some of the vocal phrasing. Wilkins really is a master singer, even if he’s not particularly acrobatic - nobody delivers a line quite like him…
Hmmm… I’ve almost talked myself out of posting this… to hell with it!
Here are the words to Robert Wilkins’ original recording. The words I sing may be different, for all the usual reasons.
Nashville Stonewall - Robert Wilkins
I stayed in jail, it was for thirty long days
I stayed in jail, it was for thirty long days
And that woman said she loved me, I could not see her face
I looked out the window, saw the long chain man
I looked out the window, saw the long chain man
Oh, he’s coming to call us boys name by name
He’s going to take me from here to Nashville, Tennessee
He’s going to take me from here to Nashville, Tennessee
He’s going to take me right back, boys, where I used to be
I got a letter from home, reckon how it read
I got a letter from home, reckon how it read
It read “Son, come home to your mama, she’s sick and nearly dead.”
I set down and cried, and I screamed and squalled
I set down and cried, and I screamed and squalled
Said, “How can I come home, mama, I’m behind these walls.”
Every morning about four, boys might be half past
Every morning about four, boys might be half past
You ought to see me down the foundry, trying to do my task
Oh, the judge he sentenced me, boys, from five to ten
’cause the judge he sentenced me, boys, from five to ten
I get out, I’m going to kill that woman, I’ll be right back again
We had a pretty busy summer at done gone: a trip to Utah & Arizona, a family reunion, music festivals, fiddle contests… there are never quite as many pictures as I would like, but I included a handful below that should give you some indication of what we did & where we’ve been.
This past weekend, we went out to Lake Genero, and while the weather did indeed pose some considerable difficulties, the people and music were great, as usual. The wind did take down a couple of campsites and kept a few people away, at least until Sunday. All in all, we had a great time playing with our friends from Pennsylvania (Carl, Marge, Tony, Jan, Barb, Tom, Walt), New York (Pat, Mike, Susan, Marty), transplanted New Yorkers (Jacques) and Massachusetts (Liz, Phil!!!! Drop me a line!!!, Zac, Mike), and Maine (Steve). I’m sure I’ve inadvertently forgotten somebody… anyway, the sunshine late Sunday was a welcome sight, as was the beautiful weather on Monday.
Enjoy the pics!
