Topic: Blues Biographies In Progress?

[Bunker Hill]

Blues biographies in progress but yet to be published. Anybody add to this?

Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) ? William Donoghue 1998
Robert Lockwood - William Donoghue 1999
Big Bill Broonzy ? Robert Riesman 2000
Lonnie Johnson ? Dean Alger 2004
Mississippi John Hurt ? Phil Ratcliffe 2005
Son House ? Dan Beaumont 2006
Lightnin? Hopkins - Tim O?Brien 2006

BBB was to have been published by Routledge but they pulled out at due to change of publishing policy and is being resubmitted to new publisher. The LJ I know has stalled due to other commitments. The LH seems to be based upon an MA thesis and that's about all I can discover. I?ve got 500 sheets of SBW manuscript sitting on a shelf which was sent to me a decade ago to comment upon. This I duly did and that was the last I heard. Don?t know if the Lockwood even got as far as a draft. The SH is really the only one which might come to fruition before too long.

It's all rather depressing really, unless Delta Dan can bring us some cheery publication news concerning his MJH!

[edited to alter "5000" sheets to 500 in response to a pm which asked "do you really mean five THOUSAND"] 

[Chris A]

On the other hand, think of all the substandard biographies that have been published. The bad news you bring up could?in some cases?conceivably be a blessing.

[Bunker Hill]

The Blind Lemon Jefferson (I asked/posted about that one awhile ago)

Now how could I forget that? Perhaps because Paul Swinton has been working on it for the better part of several decades I'd mentally written it off! 

[Bunker Hill]

On the other hand, think of all the substandard biographies that have been published. The bad news you bring up could?in some cases?conceivably be a blessing.

Hee, hee. I know that Dean Alger has consulted you vis a vis Lonnie J so that's a plus point for that one.

[doctorpep]

I really should write a letter to Mr. Guralnick about the whereabouts of Johnny Shines' autobiography. If I get a response, I'll let you guys know all about it=)

[Bunker Hill]

I really should write a letter to Mr. Guralnick about the whereabouts of Johnny Shines' autobiography. If I get a response, I'll let you guys know all about it=)

I did when you raised this in August last year and he's never even considered the proposition of writing a biography. Here's part of his response to me:

A MOST worthy project!
I would definitely get in touch with Debbie Bond (Ala. Blues Society) --
she'd be a great connection. Johnny's daughter, Caroline, is still in
Holt, I believe. And there were various local (Alabama) documentaries that
might be helpful -- maybe two (Debbie would know; she and Mike McCracken
were very good friends of John's.)
Johnny was The Greatest!
All best,
Peter

[dj]

On the other hand, think of all the substandard biographies that have been published.

The one thing that worries me is all the research that may disappear with the demise of the biographer.  I live in terror that one of these guys will die (or someone else, like Mack McCormick or Pen Bogert) and someone will come into their house, toss all those old papers, and walk out, thinking "job well done".

I know it's not a biography, but the book I'd most like to see is Bengt Olsson's on Memphis. 

[Bunker Hill]

The one thing that worries me is all the research that may disappear with the demise of the biographer.  I live in terror that one of these guys will die (or someone else, like Mack McCormick or Pen Bogert) and someone will come into their house, toss all those old papers, and walk out, thinking "job well done".
I know it's not a biography, but the book I'd most like to see is Bengt Olsson's on Memphis. 

When I asked Pen about his "Hidden History: The Story of Blues in Louisville" in 2006 he told me he was finishing one on the slave trade in Kentucky and would get back to the other after. As to Bengt, at his death his revised book on Memphis Blues was finished and with publisher's Taylor & Francis. I think it had been given a provisional ISBN! Didn't you alert us to this DJ?

[dj]

Didn't you alert us to this DJ?

Yes, I did.  But these are very bad days for the publishing industry, so I'm not holding my breath until it comes out. 

[doctorpep]

Thank you very much for the Alabama Blues Society information.

[jharris]

The SH is really the only one which might come to fruition before too long.

Yes there is now a signed contract for this one. No idea when this will be actually released although there is very interesting newly discovered details that need to be added. I'm friends with the author but won't divulge more. There are some suggestions from the publisher regarding some additional info that could be added but this shouldn't take long from what I can surmise. I will say that the draft I've read is quite good and very well written.

-Jeff H.

[Bunker Hill]

The Blind Lemon Jefferson (I asked/posted about that one awhile ago)

Now how could I forget that? Perhaps because Paul Swinton has been working on it for the better part of several decades I'd mentally written it off! 

I've only just learnt that in early December Paul suffered a minor heart attack but apparently is well on the road to recovery, and I guess BLJ will be the least of his concerns...

[jostber]

That Son House book seems to be up and coming:

http://sundayblues.org/archives/390
http://sundayblues.org/archives/158

And the event at Sunday:

http://sonhouse.sundayblues.org/pressrelease.htm

[jharris]

Dan tells me the book will be out in 2010. Dan was on my show talking about Son House and his book which you can listen to here: http://www.baddogblues.org/feeds/brb_5.31.mp3

Should be a great event on Sunday fro any of you near Rochester, NY.

-Jeff H.

That Son House book seems to be up and coming:

http://sundayblues.org/archives/390
http://sundayblues.org/archives/158

And the event at Sunday:

http://sonhouse.sundayblues.org/pressrelease.htm

[Bunker Hill]

That Son House book seems to be up and coming:

This is heartening news and with a bit of luck Bob Riesman's forthcoming biography "I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy" should be published around then. In the meantime check out a recent book Reisman has co-edited http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Folk-Images-Sixties-Music/dp/1550228730/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243887319&sr=8-3