Topic: George Torey

[dj]

Just thought I'd add that the Document Memphis Blues DOCD-5159 on which both George Torey cuts appear is one of the ?2.99 specials in the Document Summer Madness sale.

It should be mentioned that the ?2.99 price (about $6.00 US) is only good until This Friday, August 10th, so act fast.  I'd like to second Uncle Bud's recommendation - this is one of my favorite Document compilations.

[CBGB]

I am new to this website, and to my appreciation to early American acoustic blues, and I read a few posts about George Torrey yesterday and wanted to respond...

Nobody mentioned the Blind Willie McTell reference from "Broke Down Engine Blues" at the beginning of "Married Woman Blues"! Does anybody know who used that line first?

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Since there was already a thread devoted to George Torey, I merged the new topic with the old.
All best,
Johnm

[btasoundsradio]

I believe McTell sang it first.
George Torey KILLLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[TallahatchieTrot]

I have always been interested in Torey and always thought he was an Alabama bluesman and had a similar singing style as Tenderfoot Edwards (Thompson) who was probably an Alabama bluesman recorded by Harry Charles for QRS in 1929 and later masters sold to PM. He was based out of B"ham and later Atlanta as a scout.
    A friend of mine LD50 did some searching for us and found in one Alabama census a George Torey and it showed him born in Northwest Alabama.  His home area was very close to the main Railroad that leads into Tupelo, Mississippi and then Highway 8 goes from Tupelo to the Delta. His title of Delta Blues unissued. had to have some association  to the Delta or why would he name a song by that title. He was probhably picked up on the streets of B'ham by W. R. Calaway who ran that session in March 1937 at the Tutwiler Hotel.
His Lonesome Man Blues is a uinique playing style and I think an unrecorded Alabama syle from the 1930s.  Perls thought he was from Memphis since he played out of A major and put him on his Memphis album.. LD50 can add  what he found in the census search on Torey if he choses.   I haven't asked his permission to print exactly what and when  he found and it was in only one Alabama census. He is gone from the rest and no death certificate exists on him anywhere.  He also used the word "jinx"  in one of his songs that was a word often used by Delta men, Final thought--he's a Alabama born and raised bluesman who traveled to  Mississippi and the Delta and then in B'ham where he was found.  I always thought  him and Tenderfoot Edwards were both Bama bluesmen with unique styles of playing and the way they phrased their words.
 The Delta Blues unisssued master was searched for in the 1960s and was destroyed before then just like the unissued Patton Vocalion sides. gayle dean

[btasoundsradio]

Thanks Gayle Dean,
The thing that appeals to me about Torey I guess is his spotless virtuosity, and the tremelo in his voice. chilling and thrilling...