Topic: Ike Zimmerman

[jpeters609]

John,
The article does not mention other bluesmen in connection to Ike Zimmerman. His daughter recalls him as one heckuva guitar player, with "electric fingers," but we have to allow for some filial exaggeration! Ike did have a paying job working on the highway, and this allowed him to own a Gibson guitar (as his daughter recollects). As for his guitar playing, this is as much detail as the article provides (presumably this info came from the daughter):

"The style of Ike Zimmerman's playing varied, and he alternated between fingerpicking and slide guitar, his slide being homemade out of a bone. He was also a skilled harp player. Ike was not only a masterful musician but also a true showman in the tradition of Charley Patton. His daughter recalls: 'He could play guitar behind his head! I saw him! Sure I did! Daddy did all of that.'"

I wish there were more. He never did record, and lived (in California) until 1967. By that time, he'd gone over to the Church. But as a younger man, his daughter remembered him playing nothing but blues. No pop music or anything else.


-Jeff

[Johnm]

Thanks very much for that additional information, Jeff.  In such an instance, any information at all is particularly welcome.
All best,
Johnm

[mr mando]

Anyone noticed the german inscription on the tombstone in the picture above the line "Ike Learned atop the Stones"
I wonder how many of those you'll find at the Beauregard Cemetery??

[Parlor Picker]

From that we could deduce that Beauregard had an immigrant German/Austrian/Swiss population or that the photo wasn't even taken there, but comes from somewhere else in N. America such as Philadelphia (Amish territory) or even from one of the mother countries in Europe.

When you're not busy playing that mandolin, Poldi, you can walk around the cemeteries of downtown Innsbruck and try to locate that particular stone...  

[dj]

The Census Records Of Robert Johnson

I love old census records, whether of my hometown (home hamlet, really), or of old musicians.  It's interesting to have some proof of where any of the prewar singers was living, who he or she was living with, what age was given and how that age varied over the years, etc.  I look forward to the article.  Thanks for alerting us to it.

Just a hint for Weenies living in the US: if you're interested, you may well have access to online census records (currently through 1930) through your local library.    

[Bunker Hill]

I've had my attention drawn to this:

http://www.tdblues.com/?p=1527

[Mr.OMuck]

someone has just GOT to connect the dots back to Germany and another branch of the Zimmerman family!

[Johnm]

Hi all,
So was he Ike Zinnerman or Ike Zimmerman?
All best,
Johnm

[Slack]

It looks like Zimmerman.  I'll change the topic headings.

[Stumblin]

Amazing. Awesome. Cool 
Is there more to come?
Home cassette recordings? Grainy b/w cine footage?
You've got to speculate to accumulate.
Apparently 

[Blues Vintage]

Amazing indeed,     it's Ike Zinermon according to the new booklet in the Centennial Collection

[jostber]

Another link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alabamahistory/message/3821

[wreid75]

"What we're tired of is all the media hype about Crossroads, Clapton and suchlike crap."

His soul was not sold or taken by legba but was shrunk.  After being shrunk it was divided into many equal sized pieces and Gargamel and his cat azrael chased them around to put into a pot for dinner and potions.

[JohnLeePimp]

...this is the other photo of Ike

[wreid75]

"when we should be learning more about the lives of "Funny Papa" Smith and Jim Thompkins"

and getting under the skin of people without a sense of humor...................................priceless