Had all that cork on our face... made us look even blacker... shit, painted our mouths white... made 'em look big... I had to have a shot of liquor before the show. If I didn't it seemed like I couldn't be funny in front of all them people. When I had one it seemed like them people was one and I would throw up the banjo in the air and really put on a show. - Gus Cannon, on performing with Dr. Stokey's Medicine Show in Clarksdale, Mississippi
hello friend, maybe this is a silly question, & i don't believe i've come across it on here - but forgive me if i overlooked it - is it Charlie, or Charley Patton? sometimes it's spelled one way, sometimes another. does anyone really know, or know why the inconsistency? i know it really doesn't matter in the long run, but its always puzzled me. & i figured this would be the best place to ask. thanks guys, chris
Although if you look at his tombstone, it's spelled "Charley." Of course he didn't have much to say about what they put there, so I guess that doesn't settle anything either.
After further checking, my earlier post is correct, but the statement that CP spelt his name with an I-E came from Son House, who was notoriously 'approximate' in his recollections! But it's the most we've got to go on..
B&GR spells it Charley, other authorities, including Wardlow & Calt in their bio, presumably accepting Son's spelling, spell it 'Charlie'. Personally I think you can assume both are correct, the masked marvel has two first names.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2008, 08:38:37 PM by Rivers »
From the scant paper trail of Patton's life, his several marriage certificates variously give his name as "Charles", "Chas", and "Charlie". His death certificate has it as "Charley Patton (Charlie Patton)", with "Charley" being written in in the hand of the person who filled out the bulk of the certificate and "Charlie" written in the hand of the registrar.
Facsimilies of all the certificates are reprinted in the Revenant Patton box set.