Topic: Somebody knows who was Bessie Smith Guitar player ???

[Oscar Wolf]

Hey folks, Somebody knows who was Bessie Smith guitar player??

I 've heard 3 songs from Bessie and i'm sure is the same guitar player, but i can't find information from him.

You can hear it on: 

Easy Come, Easy Go Blues
Frosty Morning Blues
Mean Old Bedbug Blues

I'm Tryin' to play the songs by ear and it's hard to play that kind of bass lines, i love it...

It will be great to know more about that guitar player... i was thinkin maybe Lonnie Johnson... but it sounds different to me.

Thanks!

[Pan]

The only help that I can offer is that the songs mentioned can be heard at: http://www.redhotjazz.com/bessie.html

Cheers

Pan

[uncle bud]

According to Blues and Gospel Records

1 & 2 - Harry Reser
Bedbug - Lincoln Conaway

[Oscar Wolf]

According to Blues and Gospel Records

1 & 2 - Harry Reser
Bedbug - Lincoln Conaway

What do you mean "according to Blues and Gospel Records"?

I've heard some banjo tunes from Harry Reser, but never guitar.. do you know some songs playin the guitar?

Thanks !!!

[uncle bud]

I mean that the book Blues and Gospel Records 1890-1943, 4th edition, lists Reser and Conaway as the guitarists on those songs. Whether that is the latest discographical information on these Bessie Smith recordings, I don't know. B&GR is usually taken as the primary resource for discographical information but some of it gets updated occasionally, either in other publications, errors pointed out here etc. I'm no Bessie Smith expert, nor knowledgeable about Reser or Conaway, hence "according to".

[Oscar Wolf]

I mean that the book Blues and Gospel Records 1890-1943, 4th edition, lists Reser and Conaway as the guitarists on those songs. Whether that is the latest discographical information on these Bessie Smith recordings, I don't know. B&GR is usually taken as the primary resource for discographical information but some of it gets updated occasionally, either in other publications, errors pointed out here etc. I'm no Bessie Smith expert, nor knowledgeable about Reser or Conaway, hence "according to".

Ok, thanks Uncle Bud, now i know who was playin the guitar on those songs... !!!

now i need to hear 50 or 80 times the songs to play them !  XD

[Stumblin]

That's easy.
It was Robert Johnson, there's concert footage and a promotional video and everything. 

[Oscar Wolf]

That's easy.
It was Robert Johnson, there's concert footage and a promotional video and everything. 

?HAHA, it was BB king !

[Mr.OMuck]

Harry Reser the great Banjo Virtuoso? I guess it must be. Yazoo had an album of his stuff that was loads of fun.

[uncle bud]

Harry Reser the great Banjo Virtuoso? I guess it must be. Yazoo had an album of his stuff that was loads of fun.

Fairly busy bass lines on the two tunes featuring Reser. Some quirky playing from Conaway on Bedbug - my copy sounds like it was remastered using a front-loading washing machine.

[Richard]

UB

I (and Brian Rust) agree with you , it's Harry Reser and Lincon M Conaway.

And, for your delectation bet you didn't know (neither did I) that there were Lincon M Conaways Rag Pickers with the fabled Lincon M conaway on steel guitar, Clarence Conanway on Uke (get that PP, a uke, they do exist then!) and the redoubtable Sterling Conaway on guitar. There is no answer to it is there really 

I have to correct you, it was twin-tub washing machine, they came in in aril 1921.

[Stumblin]

Are there any extant recordings of Conaway's band?
I'm a Ukulele addict, and happy that way.

[Rivers]

Blues & Gospel Records (see the weeniepedia entry) has a handy 'index to accompanists'.

Reser only gets credited for the two Bessie Smith sessions.

Lincoln M. Conaway was on a few other sessions on steel guitar and guitar. All are dated the same year, 1924, and many sessions also feature Porter Grainger and Fletcher Henderson. Note a couple of the same song titles cropping up:

Ethel Finnie; Hula Blues
Rosa Henderson; Goin Home, West Indies Blues
Dolly Perkins; My Doggone Lazy Man, 'Tain't A Doggone Thing But The Blues
Clara Smith; I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down, I Don't Love Nobody (So I Don't Have The Blues), My Doggone Lazy Man
Lena Wilson w/Lincoln M. Conaway's Rag Pickers; Hula Blues, Four-Flushin' Papa (You've Got To Play Straight With Me)

There are no sessions listed for Lincoln M. Conaway's Rag Pickers as the primary artist, so far as I can see.

[Richard]

Of course the the one we really want to hear is the '24 unissued Bessie on Banjo blues with Porter G piano, John Michell banjo and Clarence Conaway on uke 

[oddenda]

I think Conaway toured in Europe with various jazz/dance bands in the 1920s.

pbl