Topic: YouTube.com - Interesting Country Blues related video clips

[Johnm]

Oops, I misunderstood you, John Lee.  I don't know who is with Tarheel Slim on those tracks, but oddenda might.  He recorded Tarheel Slim and knew him well.  There are a couple of pictures of him with Tarheel Slim towards the end of the video.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Here is one by one of my favorite singers, and judging by the number of views, it was put up very recently on YouTube.  It's from recordings made at a party at which Alec Seward, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, among others, were in attendance.  I saw a CD issue of it several years ago when I was in England, and I stupidly didn't buy it at that time.  I've never seen it since.  Listen to this and I think you'll hear why Sonny Terry said of Alec Seward, "Alec could sing a bitch."
All best,
Johnm

[Mr.OMuck]

Great!

[Prof Scratchy]

[Prof Scratchy]

Early Robert Lockwood and Rice Miller footage from 1942. Unfortunately the clip is silent, but you might still enjoy...?
!

[dj]

Wow.  A million thanks, Professor.  Sonny Boy was the first non-white blues artist that I became a fan of, and I still have a special spot in my heart for him.  It's so great to see those guys "come to life".  I love that last shot where Sonny Boy is backed by drums and a trumpet/cornet, the guitar looks like it's plugged into an amplifier, and the crowd is bopping.     

[bnemerov]

Great bit of film, Professor S.
Interesting to note the blackface clown with upside-down hat at the end.
Does the University of GA archive give a date?
best,
bruce

[bnemerov]

oops---says 1942, doesn't it?
Still, I think I'll check UGA...might be a Lomax connection
bn

[uncle bud]

Yeah, that's pretty great even without sound.

[jpeters609]

Apparently, there's more film yet to be seen. Over on the Blind Man's Blues Forum, it's been reported that there are two silent home movies shot on 8mm Kodachrome film stock dating to c. 1942 and 1952 from the family of Rayburn Moore, son of Max Moore, founder of Interstate Grocery and creator King Biscuit Flour. The earlier film (4 minutes long) depicts Robert Junior Lockwood and Sonny Boy Williamson performing together on the porch of a country grocery store in Arkansas, and the later film (12 minutes long) shows segments from a 1952 bus tour through Arkansas with Williamson and various King Biscuit Time band members performing. The films now belong to the University of Georgia.

[dj]

Ah, so we've got about half the first film with a few seconds of the later film edited on.  That explains some of what we're seeing.

I can't wait to see both films in their entirety.

 

[Bunker Hill]

A couple of years back colour "stills" from this footage were floating around, nice to see from whence they came.

I've been trawling the web trying to find anything half decent about SBWII on the net and only came up with these two rather ancient attempts

http://www.sonnyboy.com/

http://www.mnblues.com/review/2002/sonnyboywilliamson2-3-02-cr.html

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Here is a number from Doug Quattlebaum, from South Carolina originally, but then in Philadelphia.  He ran a Mr. Softee truck for a while.  He played everything in Vestapol and was such a strong singer.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

I'm kind of late to the game, but thank very much, Prof. Scratchy, for posting the silent film footage.  It's very exciting to see.  One thing I remarked upon while watching it was how nice all the country folk were dressed, really sharp.
All best,
Johnm

[Mr.OMuck]

The king biscuit footage is Fantastic! Anyone know its history? Thanks for posting Prof. I'm sure someone somewhere has a shoebox in an attic somewhere with footage of Blind Willie McTell...got to be!