Country Blues > Super Electrical Recordings!

"Every Day Seem Like Murder Here--Hayes McMullan"--It's out!

(1/4) > >>

Johnm:
Hi all,
I was so excited to receive in the mail today the long-awaited recordings of Hayes McMullan, "Every Day Seem Like Murder Here", recorded by Gayle Dean Wardlow in 1967--1968.  A number of you heard a couple of tracks of these recordings three years ago at Port Townsend, when Gayle Dean presented them.  Since that time, a number of events have conspired to slow down the release, but it is finally out, put out by Light in The Attic Records and Distribution, LLC.  P.O. Box 31970, Seattle, WA 98103, USA, www.lightintheattic.net.  The recordings are available in both a CD and LP format, beautifully done, with the LP version being a double album (!), complete with a booklet with extensive biographical and musical notes, photos, and spoken words tracks where Hayes talks about Charlie Patton and other topics related to the music and how he learned it.

I won't pretend to be dispassionate about Hayes McMullan and his music.  Gayle Dean enlisted me to write the music notes for the recordings, which I was happy to do.  My only experience with Hayes' music at that point was the single track of his, "Look-A-Here Woman", which is included on the disc that accompanies Gayle Dean's book, "Chasing The Devil's Music".  I knew, solely on the basis of that track, that Hayes was a major discovery and a Mississippi bluesman that compared favorably with anybody, and I mean anybody, from any era.  Exposure to the rest of the recordings Gayle Dean made of Hayes only served to corroborate that early high opinion of his musical gifts.  Hayes had a very wide expressive range, sang and played with tremendous dynamics and was notable for the extent to which his playing in Spanish tuning was not influenced by Charlie Patton.

The program of the recording is generous, with 23 music tracks and 8 interview segments.  Hayes comes across as a very decent and thoughtful man.  I'm so happy that people will now be able to hear what he was able to express in the music he played and sang.  It's very difficult to fathom how well he could sing and play when he made these recordings, after not having picked up a guitar in 30 years!  I'm happy at the prospect of Hayes finally receiving some recognition, albeit posthumously, and also happy for Gayle Dean, whom I know at many points almost certainly assumed these recordings would never be available to the public.  Well, they are now, and if you're serious in your love for this music, you need to get these recordings--it's as simple as that. 

All best,
Johnm 

Stuart:
Nice job of promotion and salesmanship, John. Order placed. See you tomorrow night.

eric:
Some great playing and singing, like John says.   You can hear some clips on the link.

Prof Scratchy:
Excellent CD. He puts down some wonderful right hand rhythms. Great singing voice too.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

jaycee:
Ordered mine a few weeks ago just waiting for it to drop through my letterbox, strangely enough it's cost more to ship the cd to the u.k. Than what I actually paid for the cd.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page