Topic: Gary Davis and Skip James

[Shovel]

Were they ever around each other?  Did they ever talk about each other's playing?

It seems I've read both of them being dismissive of John Hurt's guitar work.  I've read a thing or two but don't recall seeing anything about them speaking on one another.

Purely curious.

Thanks for any insight offered.

[Annette]

From what I felt from Calt's book Skip was dismissive of any musician who wasn't Skip James!

Annette

[uncle bud]

I thought I recalled Davis being appreciative of Hurt's playing but can't remember the reference.

I don't know what Davis thought of Skip James' playing overall but in Tilling's Gary Davis book, the Rev. is quoted about Skip James:

"Wouldn't hire him for a dance."

 

[banjochris]

I seem to remember Gary Davis saying of John Hurt's playing that he was surprised people still liked that old-fashioned type of picking. From the context I don't think he meant it dismissively, just that he thought of it as simple and "country."

[Annette]

It is in the nature of some musicians to be supportive of others an others to be competitive.

I prefer RGD when he's doing gospel stuff rather than ragtime.

My mind escapes me - but i think it was Son House talking about Blind Lemon Jefferson who said "no-one was ever lucky enough to dance to his music!" - he'd obviously never heard "Hot Dogs"....

Also Charley Patton was a real clown with the guitar - playing behind his head - with his teeth etc - something that we don't really get from his recorded output!

We can never really know what sort of stuff any of these people played in an average night in a jook - Ralph Speer was selling blues records - and I understand they played what the people want to hear - how else can we explain the Mississippi Sheiks playing pseudo-klezmer?

There are so many 78's out there that have the word "Blues" tagged on the end - just so that they would sell!

This intended sensible reply seems to have turned into a rant (Morpeth Rant?) - and totally off-topic to boot!

Annette

[Shovel]

Apologies if I confused Gary's appraisal of Hurt's playing.   I had a quote I found by googling, but instead of bookmarking it, I figured I'd be able to find it again.  It's very possible, even likely judging by your responses, that he wasn't dismissive.

At any rate, I've got a lot of respect for SJ and RGD, just curious if they had any interaction.  They both seem like they took what they did VERY seriously, and were supremely confident in their abilities, and also in their opinions. (What's the best way to read more about RGD?  Any highly recommended bios?)

Annette, I agree with much of what you said.  There's so much we'll never know, and I would bet the reality would surpass or at least greatly deviate from what we could dream up. 

I think back to a story I read about Tommy Johnson flipping his fingers over his fretboard and playing the 'walking' notes with walking fingers like the old SWBYPs 'let your fingers do the walking' logo when playing the 'Whose that yonder coming down the road' line.  Never would've dreamt it.

And Patton?  Forget about it.  That guy was like Ronaldinho Gaucho with a guitar.  Pure party.  Can't imagine that guy live.

When I think of street performers playing for tips, I imagine

No worries on off-topic, I'm a tangent guy.

[banjochris]

Apologies if I confused Gary's appraisal of Hurt's playing.   I had a quote I found by googling, but instead of bookmarking it, I figured I'd be able to find it again.  It's very possible, even likely judging by your responses, that he wasn't dismissive.

At any rate, I've got a lot of respect for SJ and RGD, just curious if they had any interaction.  They both seem like they took what they did VERY seriously, and were supremely confident in their abilities, and also in their opinions. (What's the best way to read more about RGD?  Any highly recommended bios?)

No apologies necessary -- I'm just remembering one occasion I've read about. As far as a bio of Davis, I highly, highly recommend the late Robert Tilling's book "Oh, What a Beautiful City," which used to be quite difficult to get but is now available from Stefan Grossman's website.

http://www.guitarvideos.com/products/books/oh-what-a-beautiful-city

[Mr.OMuck]

Actually one time at Newport after RGD had just blown away the crowd with "I will do my last singin' in this land" Skip James was seen fuming about being upstaged and when asked what was wrong replied "I'm gonna KILL that ol' blind Muthafukah"! The person he said this too became alarmed at the ferocity of James' outburst and informed a member of the security staff who went to Rev. Davis' tent and relayed the incident. whereupon RGD produced a 44 pistol from an inside pocket and said" I got sumthin' right heah faw that squeeky voiced somufabitch, he come 'round THIS tent! Everybody hit the deck as the trigger happy but sightless musical cleric swung his firearm around in several directions at once waiting for the psychotic girly voiced James to put in his last appearance!
Someone in Rev. Davis' tent then went to head off James who when he heard of what was waiting for him was seen to gulp audibly and utter the words "Ain't no one kin take a joke no more, when's the next bus outta here?"

And that's how it Mighta happened folks....but didn't not a word of it!

[Rivers]

You have such a great imagination O'Muck, cheers!

[uncle bud]

I'll second the recommendation of the Tilling book. There is a lot of rich content in there, and it's kind of refreshing to have it in all sorts of different voices, rather than one (often monotone) blues scholar voice. Great photos as well. My only complaint is the printing of the new edition seems a little shoddy (a lot shoddy in the case of my copy).

Several stories of RGD waving a gun around as well, so O'Muck is not far off the mark...

[Mr.OMuck]

I saw him do it once actually. He showed me the Gun which he kept in the piano bench and said " This heah is faw the Hoodlums!" and began waving it around. As if in answer to my unasked question he said "I cain't see but I hears POWERFUL good!"

[Mr.OMuck]

BTW those of you buying "Oh What a Beautiful City" or those who already have it can find my testimonial in there somewhere.

[Shovel]

Hilarious.. thank you I'll look it up.

[Bunker Hill]

BTW those of you buying "Oh What a Beautiful City" or those who already have it can find my testimonial in there somewhere.

Yes and when I reviewed the first edition for Blues & Rhythm in 1999 I quoted a hilarious phrase from one Grungie O'Muck concerning the Reverend. For the new edition's publicity, Stefan Grossman has reproduced a paragraph from the review, which includes that particular O'Muck citation. What goes around, comes around.

[Bunker Hill]

Yes and when I reviewed the first edition for Blues & Rhythm in 1999 I quoted a hilarious phrase from one Grungie O'Muck concerning the Reverend. For the new edition's publicity, Stefan Grossman has reproduced a paragraph from the review, which includes that particular O'Muck citation. What goes around, comes around.

Located the review in the February 2006 topic Academic Writing On The Blues!!!!