...traditional musicians, too, often try to "get it down just like" an admired player picks a particular tune. This is not slavish imitation for its own sake but rather a passionate desire to get at the very sinews of the style, based on the realization that the impact of traditional music depends on detail and an evocative context... - Art Rosenbaum, Old-Time Mountain Banjo
I'm thinking of country blues artists who were the right age, had the chops and had the repertoire to record in the 1920s and 30s -- but due to luck or circumstance, didn't get the chance until later in life.
Just thinking of players I discovered in the course of finding tunes for the Miller's Breakdown thread who were older people when they were recorded in the '60s or '70s and who had not recorded as young musicians: * Mott Willis * Eddie Bowles * Myrt Holmes (Babe Stovall's brother) All best, Johnm
I also want to add Hacksaw Harney to this list, but checking Stefan Wirz's discography website, it looks like he played backup on 8 sides in 1927 as part of a duet named "Pet and Can." That is, Pet and Can played backup together to whoever it was whose name the song was recorded under.
But no recordings as a solo artist until much much later.
« Last Edit: July 25, 2017, 07:10:42 PM by lindy »
I also want to add Hacksaw Harney to this list, but checking Stefan Wirz's discography website, it looks like he played backup on 8 sides in 1927 as part of a duet named "Pet and Can." That is, Pet and Can played backup together to whoever it was whose name the song was recorded under.
Pearl Dickson - "Little Rock Blues" and "Twelve Pound Daddy" -- a great record, and the Walter Rhodes "Crowing Rooster" and "Leaving Home Blues," not so great, plus 2 unissued sides by each.