He's one of the favorite musicians of many of us, and he was one of the most prolific of all prewar blues artists, and he is one of the great guitarists and lyricists of American music of any genre -- yet he is buried in an unmarked, untended grave. Yes I'm talking about Bo Carter, nee Armenter Chatmon. I know there are many worthy causes asking for our money, and they need it more than ever during the current dark days of U.S. politics. But if you have a few bucks to donate to help put a marker on Bo Carter's grave, or just want to learn more about the effort, check out this link: http://www.mtzionmemorialfund.org/p/the-unmarked-grave-of-bo-carter.html You also may just mail a check to The Mount Zion Memorial Fund Inc., P.O. Box 1114, Oxford, MS 38655, with a note that it is for the Bo Carter marker. Thank you! Sincerely, SC
There has been no mention that in Memphis on 21 July 1960 Paul Oliver interviewed Bo Carter at some length about himself and his family. Bo Carter played for Oliver at some length. Details as follows:
Memphis, 20 Jul 1960.
Gus Cannon (interview & music) Going round the mountain (Charming Betsy). Bo Carter (interview & music)
The "recording" is cataloged thus - item 28 of 20Megabyte MP3 audio
Paul donated everything, and I mean everything, to the University of Gloucestershire in 2007. Rumour had it that was all consigned to the bowels of the earth.
His current preoccupation is finishing his autobiography before it gets too late.
There has been no mention that in Memphis on 21 July 1960 Paul Oliver interviewed Bo Carter at some length about himself and his family. Bo Carter played for Oliver at some length. Details as follows:
Memphis, 20 Jul 1960.
Gus Cannon (interview & music) Going round the mountain (Charming Betsy). Bo Carter (interview & music)
The "recording" is cataloged thus - item 28 of 20Megabyte MP3 audio
Make of it what you will.
Session details from the Wirz site (listed July 20 not July 21)
- Little Pretty Woman - Crazy Blues - Instrumental
rec. July 20, 1960 in Memphis, TN by Paul Oliver; Armenter Chatmon, voc, g; Will Shade, hca, g; Dewey Corley, b
There has been no mention that in Memphis on 21 July 1960 Paul Oliver interviewed Bo Carter at some length about himself and his family. Bo Carter played for Oliver at some length. Details as follows:
Memphis, 20 Jul 1960.
Gus Cannon (interview & music) Going round the mountain (Charming Betsy). Bo Carter (interview & music)
The "recording" is cataloged thus - item 28 of 20Megabyte MP3 audio
Make of it what you will.
I have read about those recordings. The tapes reflect the tone of Oliver's impression of his diminished abilities. Here is a screenshot of the discussion in the RBF.
Logged
T. DeWayne Moore Executive Director, Mt. Zion Memorial Fund
Paul Oliver's collection has been transferred to Oxford Brookes University. I contacted them over a year ago about access to a Will Shade interview that should also be part of the collection, probably from the same time as the Cannon and Carter interviews. At that time they hadn't received any audio yet and thought that if they did, one would have to visit the library in person to access it. I will contact them again to see if there are any developments.
I heard back from Oxford Brookes University and they do indeed have Paul Oliver's interviews with Bo Carter, Will Shade and Gus Cannon, and they have been digitized. Unfortunately the normal way to access them is to visit the library in person, and making a copy would require permission from Paul Oliver.
I offered to organize a fundraiser if that could help make the interviews more easily accessible, but with this collection, like the Sam Charters collection at UConn, the library was given the materials but not the right to publish them.
BTW, I just noticed the personnel listing above ... Bo Carter on guitar, Will Shade on harp and Dewey Corley on bass ... that's quite a combo.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2017, 02:18:25 AM by arlotone »