Topic: Biographical Queries

[TonyGilroy]

Thought to be (more correctly there is speculation that he might have been) Joe Evans of the Two Poor Boys - Evans & McClain.

[Stuart]

I may be wrong (it's somewhat hazy) but I believe I read somewhere way back when that Billy Bird was the "aka" of someone else. Can't remember who though.

[dj]

I may be wrong (it's somewhat hazy) but I believe I read somewhere way back when that Billy Bird was the "aka" of someone else. Can't remember who though.

Sorry to be so late on this, but you're right, Stuart.  Eagle & LeBlanc, in their entry for Joe Evans of the Two Poor Boys, have "Reported to be Billy Bird".  Unfortunately, there's no note on where that report came from.  If Bird is Evans, that would put his birth and main area of activity somewhere around Knoxville, Tennessee.

[Stuart]

Sorry to be so late on this, but you're right, Stuart.  Eagle & LeBlanc, in their entry for Joe Evans of the Two Poor Boys, have "Reported to be Billy Bird".  Unfortunately, there's no note on where that report came from.  If Bird is Evans, that would put his birth and main area of activity somewhere around Knoxville, Tennessee.

Hi dj: Thanks for the reply. IIRC, I read this back in the early 70's. It might have been included in an expansion of  the discussion about the similarities between the guitar on Mill Man (1928) and Carl Martin's Crow Jane (1935) as mentioned in the notes to "Guitar Wizards." The Yazoo LPs with the songs had been out for a couple of years by that time.

I just listened to Billy Bird's Mill Man, followed by Joe Evans and Arthur McClain's Mill Man (1931) and then Carl Martin's Crow Jane. There are definitely similarities between the two versions of Mill Man, and between the guitar accompaniment on Mill Man and that on Crow Jane. Carl Martin backing Joe Evans recording as Billy Bird on Mill Man? A strong "maybe"--but there are other possibilities given all that we don't know.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone knew the birth name of Georgia Slim, who recorded the "New Root Man Blues", recently featured in the "What is This Musician Doing?" thread?  Thanks for any information.
All best,
Johnm

[jpeters609]

According to Blues & Gospel Records: "Brownie McGhee has stated this artist's real name was George Bedford." (This is in reference to Georgia Slim. Recorded in Birmingham, Alabama, April 5-7, 1937.)

[Johnm]

Thanks for that information, Jeff.  I was going to put Georgia Slim in Weeniepedia and I don't like to do that until I have a person's real name as well as his or her performance name.  Oh, and I realized on Tarheel Slim's "Wildcat Tamer" that Slim was playing the finger-picked rhythm guitar part that folks were trying to identify, but Wild Jimmy Spruill did play the lead solo, just as you had it.  Sorry for the mix-up.
All best,
Johnm 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone had any biographical information or session information on Tommy Griffin, who recorded in the '30s, I believe.  I found some tracks by him on youtube, and they all appear to be piano/guitar duets.  I don't know even if he only sang or was one of the instrumentalists.  Any information on him would be great appreciated.  Thanks.
All best,
Johnm

[Prof Scratchy]

Hi John
Tommy Griffin was a vocalist who, according to Godrich and Dixon had two recording sessions. The first was in Memphis in early February 1930. He was accompanied by pianist Eddie Hill and recorded four sides: Mistreatment Blues/Yo Yo Mama Blues/Ball Playing Blues/Bell Tolling Blues.

Six years later he recorded 12 sides for Bluebird at the St Charles Hotel in New Orleans on Friday 16 October 1936. He was accompanied by Earnest '44' Johnson on piano and by Walter Jacobs on guitar. The titles were: I'm Gonna Try That Meat/Young Heifer Blues/Hey Hey Blues/Dying Sinner blues (parts 1 and 2)/I'm Gonna Buy Me Some/Mistreatin' Papa/Miserable Life Blues/Snske Hipping Blues/Little Tommy Blues/On my Way Blues/Dream Book Blues.

From another internet source I learned that the day before the New Orleans session, Bo Carter had brought a  bunch of associates to record for Bluebird (for which he received 5% of all fees). As well as recording himself, Bo arranged recordings for Sam and Lonnie Chatmon, Mississippi Matilda (Matilda Powell), Eugene Powell, Willie Harris and harmonica player Robert Hill.

Walter Jacobs' presence in the same studio, backing Tommy Griffin, leads one to conjecture whether there might have been a grand Mississippi Sheiks' reunion the night before! In any event, the St Charles Hotel in New Orleans on 15 and 16 October 1936 is one of the places I'll programme into my time machine when I get it.

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for the information, Prof!  The fact that it was Walter Jacobs/Vinson playing the guitar on "Dream Book Blues" goes some way towards explaining some of the expert flat-picking on several of the Mississippi Sheiks cuts.  And you're right--what a group of musicians!  It would have been fun to hear them rehearsing or just playing after hours.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone knew Washboard Walter's given name and from whence he hailed.  I've seen it stated as though a fact that he was the same person who recorded some string band sides as Walter Taylor, and that he was from Louisville.  I'd be interested to know if this is known as a fact, or was a hunch on the part of the person making the assertion.  Any information is appreciated.
All best,
Johnm

[Pan]

Hi John.

This is not much, but Dixon, Godrich & Rye have this to say on their entry for Walter Taylor:

"Washboard Walter was once thought to be a pseudonym for Walter Taylor, but a careful study of these Paramount recordings has led us to believe  that he is probably a different artist and he is therefore listed separately under Washboard Walter."

Cheers

Pan

[Johnm]

Thanks for that information, Pan.  If those authors don't feel that Washboard Walter and Walter Taylor are the same person, that makes me less inclined to accept the identification of the two as one and the same person that I've seen elsewhere.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I wondered if it was known from whence George "Bullet" Williams came.  I'd appreciate any information.
All best,
Johnm

[banjochris]

There's a little info here:
http://www.thebluestrail.com/artists/mus_gbw.htm

and a remembrance from Booker White in one of the issues of 78 Quarterly, and I don't know that I've ever seen much more than that.