Topic: Little Hat Jones Story Parts 1 - 3

[Bunker Hill]

As discussed elsewhere - from Blues & Rhythm 135, Xmas 1998 p. 4-8 less illustrations)

LONG GONE AND GOT AWAY LUCKY
By Robert Tilling

The singer and guitar player Little Hat Jones made recordings during 1929 and 1930 with Texas Alexander and on his own. There has been virtually nothing known about his life and times but here Robert Tilling sheds some light on this mysterious figure after unearthing some valuable material.

My first real interest in Little Hat Jones started during the late 1960s when I heard the bluesman Roy Book Binder performing perhaps Jones' most well known song, 'Bye Bye Baby Blues' (which was recorded by Book Binder during 1971, 'Travellin' Man', Adelphi Records 1972). This song also appeared in the excellent guitar tutor book, 'Six Early Blues Guitarists' (Oak Publications 1972) by Woody Mann. Both Book Binder and Mann are great admirers of Jones' music, but each thought, back in 1971, that he had passed away, as at that time very little was known about the life and times of this enigmatic, Texas based, acoustic blues guitarist and singer.

Although many books, album sleeve notes and periodicals mention Jones, there is virtually no biographical material available and many writers and researchers in recent times assumed him to be dead, at least by the late 1960s. His recording career started in San Antonio, Texas, for the Okeh Records label, during June 1929, with two solo sides and eight with vocalist Texas Alexander. Four further solo sides were recorded the following week and another four in June 1930. Much excellent research on Jones' music was undertaken by Samuel Charters and published in his fascinating book, 'The Bluesmen' (Oak Publications 1967 and Da Capo Press 1991), but here again little can be found about the man himself. A number of his songs appeared on various albums, particularly on the Yazoo Records label during the late 1960s, though little information on his life or whereabouts ever appeared. While this was very frustrating in many ways, it made Jones a more romantic and mysterious figure, even his song lyrics gave little information, apart from the fact that he was almost certainly living in the San Antonio, Texas area. In his song 'Kentucky Blues', recorded June 14th 1930, he mentions both 'San Antone', and the nearby town of Seguin, as well as mentioning 'San Antone' again in 'Cherry Street Blues', recorded on the same day. This suggests that Jones had strong associations with the San Antonio, Texas area, but these are the only snippets of information gleaned from his lyrics that give any insight into his personal life. All of this mystery has intrigued me for over twenty five years, but material recently came to light that gives just a little more insight into the life and times of 'Little Hat 'Jones.

It was through Roy Book Binder that I was given a taped interview with Jones, made in 1964 by Morris G. Craig and Thomas M. Young, as well as a contemporary newspaper photograph taken by Craig (published in 1962) and a college essay on Jones written in 1964 by Young, based on the interview with the artist. I am greatly indebted to Craig and Young for generously allowing me to quote freely from their unique and fascinating material.

It was during 1962, when Craig was working as a young reporter for the weekly Naples, Texas, newspaper 'The Monitor', that he discovered that Jones was a guitar player and singer. At this time Jones was working around the town as a labourer and handyman and would often visit Craig's employer, Mr. Lee Narramore at his office. During one of these visits Jones heard that Craig was a musician playing drums in a local band, Jones stating that when he was a young man and a musician he had made records for the Okeh Record label. When Jones was asked if he could still play, he answered: "yes, but my box don't got no strings" - so Narramore said that he would buy him strings if he would play again.

A little later Jones turned up with his guitar, slide (sadly there are no examples of his slide playing on the interview tape) and home made finger picks. In recent correspondence Craig informed me how interesting it was to watch Jones pick the strings and to 'slap' the top of the guitar to keep rhythm. When he became better acquainted with Jones, the Dixieland jazz group that Craig played with asked Jones to attend some of their parties, where he would happily perform for them. As the young musicians had very little money at that time they could not pay Jones properly, but he was happy to play and sing if they would buy his drinks, which they willingly did for the popular and engaging performer. It was soon after this meeting with Jones that Craig was to write an article (written during 1962, but sadly no longer in existence) for 'The Monitor' and it was this article that was to inspire Young to undertake his own research for his college essay, written in December 1964.

Early Life

At the time Jones was interviewed in 1964, the farm where he was born, in Bowie County, East Texas, was abandoned but still standing. It was the farm where his grandfather (first name is not known) had settled during 1870, but Jones remembered little about his grandfather's life, although he believed he was brought to Jefferson, Texas, as a slave in 1855. The grandfather left Jefferson around 1868 and settled in Bowie County, East Texas around 1870. Although Jones remembers little of his grandfather, he did recall the stories told of his days in slavery and of the large steamboats that docked in Jefferson, Texas. There was no mention of whether his grandparents were musicians or interested in music.

Jones' father, Felix, born on the farm in 1877, was an only child and the family mostly depended on an annual hill land cotton crop for a living. Like his father, Jones was an only child and was born October 5, 1899, on the same farm as his father: "Don't have no brothers and sisters, no brothers and sisters. I was just alone." During the interview, Jones mentions that he was 'sixty five last birthday' and as I understand the tape was made not long after his October birthday, this confirms the year of birth on his funeral service sheet as 1899. Perhaps one of the most interesting facts that came from the research by Young and Craig is that Jones' first name was George and not Dennis as previously thought. In all published material his name has been given as Dennis and it appeared on his recording data for Okeh Records in 1929 and 1930.

There is little mention of Jones' parents, but it is apparent that although times as a child were hard he had many good memories. He recalls how his grandfather would take him fishing on the Sulphur River. Sadly his grandfather died when Jones was in the fourth grade at school and that was one of his most sorrowful moments, for he had lost a much loved playmate and storyteller: "I members when Grandpa would take me down to that secret fishin' hole of his on the Sulphur River ..... Iisten here, he done knowed how to catch them big uns!"

He also remembered how in his early days the family were doing quite well, they owned their own farm, had livestock and their house had six rooms. They ate well, with the meals consisting mostly of sowbelly bacon, cornbread, garden vegetables, raw cow's milk and store bought canned foods. Around the age of thirteen Jones decided that it was time to leave school and help his father full time working on the farm, but his father opposed the idea. It is likely that he made the decision not only because his father was ill, but the cotton crop had not done well, and a number of their livestock had been killed by a disease: "This sickness done took down our best milk cow, and then evens our plowin' mules come down with it. Pa got the County man over to our place, but he don't never help them poor animals none."

Young George was determined to quit school, he felt he was old enough to leave and to work full time: "Going to school, I done pretty good and got up to sixth grade and my father began to get ill, and I said, well I better stop it and go help him, you know, and so of course, he begged me to go head on. He said 'Now listen son, you missing out on a good opportunity, someday or another up the road you'll wish for this here. I got a chance to put you on through'. Pop I'm goin' to stop and help you."

It appears that Jones worked on the farm until he was about seventeen, by that age he was a good musician and felt that he could earn more money playing music than working on the farm. It is possible by that time, circa 1916, that the family farm was in better shape, and that they could work without his help: "Me and Pa, we's done got the farm back in shape, and I is done nearing seventeen, and man let's me tell you something, l is done decided right here and now that I could pick that guitar better 'n any cotton crop."

Early Musical Life - "I just picked it up myself"

Although it is not known if any of Jones' grandparents or parents played any musical instruments, it was his mother who encouraged him to take an interest in music. At the age of five he started to play the piano in the local church and then at seven he moved on to the guitar: "My Mammy knowed I stayed at the Union Hill Church picking around on that there piano. So's to keep me round the house she done gone and found some old guitar for me to pick. Piano music is mighty pretty, but I believe I'm goin' to take the guitar, and every year looks like me had this to coming up to get better and better, better and better, and got to where it is."

There is a little confusion between the tape and the essay as to when Jones really started to play an instrument. On the taped interview he says that he was seventeen when he started on the piano: "Well, about seventeen, just about seventeen." He then goes on to say when he started on the guitar: "I started on guitar, about I would say twelve years old ... just about twelve years old and I believe that just about did it."

Also during the interview Jones tells of how when he first played the guitar he would sit in a cane chair and that his feet would hardly touch the floor - which implies that perhaps he was only seven years old. "You knowed I had to be a young' un now 'cause my feet wouldn't touch the floor when I sat in Grandpa's cane bottom chair. Listen here, they just barely reached the first rung." He tells of how he would play hard, often breaking the strings and that his mother would ask a local friend to go to town, buy new strings and re- string his guitar: "I even broke the big ones. You know a fella in Naples called Shep Moore? Well, Shep Moore when he come by the house, my mother get him to put me on some more every time I break one."

It is obvious from the recording made in 1929 that Jones is using a number of fingers to pick the strings and even as a young boy he used a number of fingers to strum and pick: "I started out to playing a whole lot of fingers. I used to look at them you know and scratch up the box, and run down there and everything. I learned picking this way. I use these three here. Sometimes I get in the spirit and play with all of them, put all of them to work .... I use three fingers and one thumb, you know, all of um' accept the little one."

At the time when Craig first met Jones he had not played his twelve year old guitar for some while and had no picks which he liked to wear on his thumb and all but the little finger, commenting that he must get some new picks: "Got to get me some shoe horns and make me some new picks." After a number of photographs had been taken of Jones he proudly commented: "When folks see them pictures, they gonna know that was Little Hat, because of the way he picks with all his fingers."

1915-1929 "Everybody know Little Hat, white and coloured"

There are virtually no references on any available material of exactly what happened to Jones during these years, but it is likely that he worked at various manual jobs while also playing music. By his own words, by the age of seventeen he was a good player and able to earn some money from music. It was during this period he picked up the nickname 'Little Hat', and by the time of his first recording session he was already called this and actually recorded under that name. He gained the nickname while working on a construction job in Garland, Texas. He was always known on the construction site, and in particular by the foreman, under this name, and even on his pay checks they wrote 'Little Hat Jones'! He wore a hat from the very first day on his new job, but the hat was old and worn out, as Jones himself said: "... about half of it, about cut off' - so it was actually the parts missing that made it a little hat!, and anyone looking for Jones and asking for 'George Jones', no one knew who they meant!

During the latter half of the 1920s Texas had a strong blues scene, well documented, with one of the greatest of all players, Blind Lemon Jefferson, perhaps being the most central and commercially successful figure. This outstanding itinerant singer and guitar player travelled throughout the state, and often played in Dallas and the surrounding area. It is very likely that Jones saw him perform, and surely must have heard Jefferson's many recordings, although he does not mention him on the tape. The recordings by Jones show some influence from Jefferson's guitar playing, particularly in the strong use of the bass notes. There are also influences from Lonnie Johnson, another outstanding musician who often visited Dallas and recorded with Texas Alexander, with whom Jones himself was later to record.

It appears unlikely that Jones lived outside of Texas during this period, but probably worked on the land and in manual work, much as he did in later life. Whatever happened to Jones during this period may remain a mystery, but what was certain is that by the time he reached the Okeh Records recording studio in 1929, he was a strong singer and a guitar player with a distinctive style of his own.

[Bunker Hill]

First Recordings - June 1929

For his recording debut on Saturday, June 15th, 1929, Jones was to accompany, on guitar, the already well established vocalist, Texas Alexander, who recorded eight titles. It is probable that Alexander had invited Jones to join him for the session as Jones said that he met Alexander at a party organised by Okeh Records, and that Alexander liked his playing. As Young points out in his essay, Jones' memory was a little vague at times, but he mentioned that he did not know what had happened to Alexander: "I isn't heard from the old boy in a long time. I ain't sure where he is, still dead or alive."

I feel sure that Alexander must have known Jones before both the party and recording session, choosing Jones for his obvious guitar skills. Alexander knew a good player when he heard one, as he had already recorded with Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang, perhaps two of the very best guitar players in the history of the blues. For their first and only recording session, Alexander and Jones created a somewhat unique and powerful unit on their eight collaborations:

402639-B Double Crossing Blues (OK 8745) 402640-A Ninety-Eight Degree Blues
OK 8705)
402641-A Someday, Baby, Your Troubles Is Gonna Be Like Mine (OK 8771)
402642-A Water Bound Blues (OK 8785) 402643-B Awful Moaning Blues - Part I
(OK 8731)
402644-B Awful Moaning Blues - Part 2(OK 8731)
402645-B Gold Tooth Blues (OK 8705)
402646-B Johnny Behrens Blues (OK 8745)

For a man who was in the studio for the first time, Jones's guitar playing is assured and powerful on the very first title, 'Double Crossing Blues', but he does at times sound perhaps just a little nervous. The guitar introduction starts off at a frantic rate, but soon slows down for Alexander's vocals. On the sleeve notes for 'Texas Alexander Vol. 2' (Matchbox LP/MSE 214), Paul Oliver suggests that Alexander is irritated by Jones?s frantic, somewhat erratic timing and shouts out "Damn it, damn it." On closer listening however I am convinced he shouts "Jam it, jam it," which implies that he is in fact happy with the guitar accompaniment and encourages Jones to perform a dazzling guitar break.

On a number of record sleeve notes and publications there are mentions of the fact that Jones, on many of his own recordings, as well as those with Alexander, often starts off the numbers with a fast guitar introduction, then slows down for the vocals. Some writers suggest that this is some kind of fault or weakness, but I do not agree, I feel that although this is a slightly unusual way to introduce a song, I believe Jones intended U that way and it was a personal and distinctive part of his approach.

The guitar accompaniment to 'Ninety - Eight Degree Blues' is almost identical to that on 'Double Crossing Blues' and on 'Water Bound Blues' he slows the tempo down at the start just a little. 'Ninety Eight Degree Blues' is an unusual title, in that it does not appear in the lyrics, and it would seem clear that it referred to temperature, however, as San Antonio lies on longitude 98 degrees 50' west, it has been suggested that Alexander may have been made aware of this somehow, i.e. in a 'bad weather report'. The guitar on 'Awful Moaning Blues - Part 1' is more controlled, creating one of the more interesting titles from this session, while the guitar introduction to 'Johnny Behrens Blues' (based upon a blues by Johnny Behren, or Behrens, a local San Antonio singer) has an interesting melody, used on no other of his recordings, bringing this exciting session to a close on a high note.

As these eight titles with Alexander were recorded first, on June 15th, it is likely that Okeh were impressed by Jones and asked him to record solo on the same day. He was to record just the two titles:

402647-A New Two Sixteen Blues (OK 8712)
402648-A Two String Blues (OK 8712)

In both of these recordings the guitar introduction starts off at a fast pace then slows down as he starts the vocals. The singing is passionate and controlled, with just a hint of nervousness, giving a little extra tension and dynamism to these titles and adding to their enjoyment. The guitar work is quite remarkable and the right hand is particularly fluid, rather than picking solo strings, which was more typical of musicians such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, he also uses full strums spanning all of the strings. At times it is as though he is using Flamenco guitar style devices, very rare in blues guitar playing of this period. It is likely that he saw Spanish guitar styles coming out of Mexico, where he visited later in his career, if not actually at that time. This rather unique and very personalised guitar style was to dominate his recording sessions, both with Texas Alexander and his own, during 1929 and 1930. It was a style that was to make him unique, not only among his contemporary Texas musicians, but also in later years. A week later, on Friday, June 21st, he was back in the studio to record four more solo titles, suggesting Okeh were happy with his first session:

402698-A Rolled From Side To Side Blues (OK 8794)
402699-A Hurry Blues (OK 8735)
402700-A Little Hat Blues (OK 8794)
402701-B Corpus Blues (OK 8735)

During the lyrics of 'Rolled From Side To Side Blues' he sings "When you catch me sleepin', baby don't you think I'm drunk", a similar phrase to that used by Blind Arthur Blake in his 1926 recording of 'Early Morning Blues', but the majority of Jones' words are very much his own and he rarely quoted from other recorded lyrics. This recording also features beautiful finger picking techniques, somewhat reminiscent of John Hurt and Frank Stokes. On 'Hurry Blues' the words "hurry blues" do not appear anywhere in the lyrics and it is thought that the correct title may be 'Worried Blues', as these words do appear in the song, one of the strongest from this session. It has a constant pace throughout, without the usual fast opening, and as Paul Oliver suggests: "...he kept the notes pouring forth with their wave like surge of sound behind his high, sad voice." (Notes to LP 'The Story of the Blues: Volume Two', CBS 66232).

In both 'Little Hat Blues' and 'Corpus Blues', the guitar introduction is fast and the songs end rather abruptly, as if he were not yet used to recording studio techniques. This lack of style at the end of 'Little Hat Blues' is made up by some adventurous guitar work, particularly with the use of his right hand, where he appears to utilise all six strings alongside a steady percussive use of the bass string. An unknown woman calls out half way through 'Corpus Blues': "Oh, play that thing Little Hat, that's the talk of the town!" It is not sure if this was planned - perhaps one of his women friends had just come along to the studio with him, but it certainly encourages him to play a rather bizarre and exciting guitar break. Again Okeh Records must have been happy with Jones' music and this suggests good sales, although I have seen no sales figures. On Saturday, June 14th 1930, almost a year later, he was back in the studio to record four more titles:

404197-A Kentucky Blues (OK 8815)
404198-B Bye Bye Baby Blues (OK 8815)
404199-B Cross The Water Blues (OK 8829)
404300-A Cherry Street Blues (OK 8829)

[Bunker Hill]

This successful session finds Jones a much more confident figure, his vocals sounding positive and none of the apparent nervousness of the session a year earlier, with tight endings to each of the titles. No doubt he had learned much from his earlier recording sessions and it is likely that he had been given some advice on techniques and approach, probably from Texas Alexander as well as the studio itself. It is apparent he had gained confidence as a performer, having probably gained more work and experience once his records were released. The opening song, 'Kentucky Blues', based on a version of 'Long Gone', a 1920 song by W. C. Handy and Chris Smith, drives along at a steady tempo without any fast start and his vocals are powerful and assured. This song is a great favourite of Roy Book Binder, who recorded it in 1979 ('Goin' Back To Tampa', Flying Fish Records) and in 1994 ('Live Book...Don't Start Me Talkin", Rounder Records) and has been in his repertoire for many years, helping to spread its popularity. The second song, 'Bye Bye Baby Blues', I consider one of Jones' finest songs, with a delicate melody found nowhere else in his repertoire. The author and musician Woody Mann suggests: "It is not even a 'blues' in that sense of the word, but has strong overtones of white country music the chords are simple, and the song itself is distinguished by its beautiful simplicity' ('Six Early Guitarists'). The guitar work in 'Cross The Water Blues' is a great highlight, with three stunning breaks and the long 'hums' during the vocals are very reminiscent of those used by Texas Alexander in songs such as 'Awful Moaning Blues Part 2'. The final song of the session, and in fact his final ever studio recorded title, 'Cherry Street Blues', has an up-tempo pace and powerful vocals, ending this short session on a positive note.

It is surprising that after this last recording session Jones was not to record again. From his interview it appears he was asked back, but the facts around the invitation are a little confusing. Jones was asked where he did his recording and he mentions 'the Okeh Phonograph Corporation on 1819 Broadway Street in New York', and that the manager was T. G. Rockwell. It is possible, of course, that he did record in New York, or had intended to, but there are no records of such a session. He tells of how after a time in New York City he came home to Texas and of how the recording company wrote to him: "I had a contract for three years. After my contract was up I came home and then they put out a post for me in the 'Texarkana Gazette': 'Little Hat wanted in New York on 1819 Broadway'. During the interview Jones mentions the musicians that he heard in New York City and in particular the piano players: "New York is a mighty fine place, but I want to tell you the truth, if a fella ain't got some kind, I would say a talent or something or other, he better not stop there. He's got to have a mighty good education or some kind of talent or something because it's so big...and New York is full of musicians. Some of the best piano players I reckon there is in the world, but, of course we got some players out of New York." The mention of New York City during the interview is most confusing, but I guess that after his recordings for Okeh, Jones may have moved to New York, and he says that he stayed there until 1936, but there are certainly no records of any further visits to the recording studio.

After 1930

It seems likely that after his 1930 recording session, and a possible stay in New York City, of which the dates are uncertain, Jones  took to the road and worked full time playing music at clubs, hotels, social functions, bars and no doubt on the streets. He tells of his travels around the United States and he was asked whether it true he took a trip to Mexico with other musicians: "Yes I sure did. I forget the white fella's name, one of them was Greg Stanford." He mentions that during this time he played with T Texas Tyler and with the legendary Jimmie Rodgers: "I run across so many good players in my life and played with Mr. Jimmie Rodgers, the one that put out the yodelling..."

During the interview Jones plays a version of Rodgers' 'All Around The Water Tank', sings an untitled song in Spanish, and tells of time spent playing in New Orleans and Texas: "I went down to Houston, made five - six hundred dollars down there. Went down to Galveston, hung around there for a little while. Went down to New Orleans, made pretty good down there. That's where I made my money at. Now I made lots around in Texas here too, playing for rich white people, down here in Austin, stayed there a little while."

Jones spoke at length of how he made good money from playing music and said that he could get as much as $12 for a night's work, and as much as $150 to $300 a week, which during the Depression years was very good earnings. He tells that he was not paid any royalties, but received $25 each time he made a record. He claims that most of the money was spent on easy living, wild women and that his records sold well: ".. they was selling like hot cakes. I made lots of money in my life...l bought a car one time. It looked just like an aeroplane, had a tail and everything, back there ... I made, have enough money, not even have to work. Take it easy, go easy..."

By 1937 Jones was settled in Naples, Texas, married to Janie, his second wife (formerly Janie Traylor, who was dead by the time of Jones' own passing in 1981), when the Depression and lack of money from playing music meant going back to manual work. He returned to Naples as his parents were both old and helpless. When asked about his early working life, he replied: "Well I farmed a little bit, worked in the State Department some, railroads, saw mills, big chicken ranch. From that that to janitor, working at old folks' homes."

In the Obituary on his funeral service sheet it states that he worked for many years at the Red River Army Depot in Hooks, Texas. Having in later years worked in old folks' homes and at the army base implies that Jones was a responsible man with a pleasant manner, which certainly comes across during the interview. Young also mentions in his essay that Jones was a well-liked and well-known man around town.

"I'm gonna sing this song, ain't gonna sing no more"

It is sad that Jones was not to record in a studio again after 1930, as even in 1964 his playing was strong, using all of the guitar techniques found on his recordings, and I am sure he still had a wealth of material. During the interview he plays a slow blues, but due to the recording quality the lyrics are indistinct. He states that: "There's lots of good verses in there. I couldn't think of them right then. I haven't played them for so long...and lots of that stuff I got to sit down and practice, and all that stuff will come to me, you see..." It certainly is a great pity that he was not to return to the studio, or to be rediscovered like so many of the older generation blues performers were during the 1960s, such as Son House and Mississippi John Hurt, but I cannot express my thanks enough to Morris Craig and Thomas Young for their forethought in interviewing and writing about Little Hat when they did. It is through musicians such as Roy Book Binder and Woody Mann, among others, and record companies such as Yazoo Records, that the music of Little Hat Jones has been kept so very much alive.

At the time of the interview Jones was a retired and content man, aged sixty-five. Commenting on his years after returning to Naples in 1937 he said: "I done saw milled, farmed a little, railroaded some, worked on road gangs, chicken farms, and even janitored a little the past couple of years. But I is done retired now. I is got a good front porch, a rockin' chair, and that government check comes to the door every month."

On March 7th, 1981, aged eighty-one, George 'Little Hat' Jones passed away at the Linden Municipal Hospital in Linden, Texas, having been a resident of the Grainger Nursing Home. His funeral service was held on Saturday, March 14th at the Reeder - Davis Chapel, Hughes Springs, Texas. He was buried in the Morning Star Cemetery, Naples, Texas. On the sleeve notes of the double album, 'The Story of the Blues - Volume Two', Paul Oliver comments: "Forty years after (last recording session), Little Hat Jones is just a shadowy, faintly-recalled memory, whose recordings testify to a great talent that was probably little appreciated by the passing crowds in the streets of San Antonio, when he could be heard in his prime."

Happily, now just a little more is known about this enigmatic man and hopefully even more people will search his music out and enjoy his immense gifts.

The 1964 interview tape is in the collection of the Country Music Foundation, Nashville, Tennessee. Special thanks to Byron Foulger, Roy Bookbinder, Paul Oliver, Woody Mann and Dave Moore. Label shot courtesy of Paul Swinton.

[dj]

Happily, now just a little more is known about this ... man

And now known to us Weenies.  Thanks for posting that.

[CF]

Thanks so much BH!

[Rivers]

Excellent, thank you very much for that Alan.

[Johnm]

Thanks so much for making that available for us all, Bunker Hill.
All best,
Johnm

[Bunker Hill]

Not a problem. I discovered I'd already scanned it back in July 2005, to what purpose I know not.

The system doesn't allow individual topics to exceed a certain word count hence the three parts - and that was hit-and-miss too.

[Stuart]

Thank you, Alan. Much appreciated!

[GhostRider]

Thank you, Alan. Much appreciated!

Hear, hear. Reading that just made my day! Thanks so much!

Alex

[pitoucat]

This was Little Hat, performing "New Dallas Blues" in 1964:

http://picosong.com/nAkm