Topic: Rare Son House PBS Doc, 1977

[CF]

This recently surfaced on Youtube. I've read of it but have never viewed it & it's a very intimate, entertaining & candid film about the bluesman in his senior yrs. He plays a bit & sounds real good. Two parts, here's one

[StoogeKebab]

It's pretty special, it's interesting, wherever this came from appears to be the same source as mine. I also have about 15 minutes of colour film from House's last performance, but alas, it is silent and it's a little dull to watch without sound, especially knowing the sound exists somewhere (outside of the excerpts that in this black and white copy), if not with the film then on the limited edition 'Private Records' Son House album.

I phoned Ron Mix to no avail when I was in New York in 2015, last I heard, his son said that all the film was still in existence in his garage, but this would have been 2011. The man in the film at about 4:45 of Part 2, Mike Havelin, I also had contact with, but only briefly. He also believed the film to be in complete existence, making reference to a half hour edit, also believing he could get access to it.

I'm quite grateful to whoever uploaded this, I haven't seen it in ages considering the only copy I could get was on VHS for some reason.

[CF]

Paul Vernon suggested there is more of this video but that this doc is the best of it.
What is on the "Private Records" Son House album?

[Lignite]

https://www.discogs.com/Son-House-Son-House-1965-1969-Previously-Unissued-Material-Plus-Three-Bonus-Tracks/release/4210381

[CF]

Thank you, I don't have a copy (physical or digital) of that album, that's  one to look for

[StoogeKebab]

And the second volume (featuring the performance from this film)

https://www.discogs.com/Son-House-Vol-2-1964-1974/release/3561835

They're certainly selling for high prices.

[Blues Vintage]

Thank you, I don't have a copy (physical or digital) of that album, that's  one to look for

Looks like the first 5 tracks are all over YouTube, the rest of side A on Document Records. The other tracks are easy to find too maybe except for the 1969 Seattle recordings.

[StoogeKebab]

The other tracks are easy to find too maybe except for the 1969 Seattle recordings.

I present to you - The Seattle Tracks! Tracklist matches up

[Blues Vintage]

I got the Yazoo DVD where this footage is on but it has no info. But yes the tracklist matches up so it's probably from Seattle 69'.

There's another Son House album recorded in Seattle 1968 with excellent sound quality.

[eric]

JohnM, I believe, told me there was an excellent recording made in Seattle of Son in fine form playing and talking on Arcola Records.  They had a website as recently as a month or two ago, but now it doesn't exist.  Should have got it when I could.