Topic: William/Bill Moore

[Bunker Hill]

Although I alluded to what follows during a debate concerning the identity of William Moore in the Lyrics forum, I feel it is more appropriate here. From Bastin, Red River Blues, Macmillan, 1986 p 300-301:

Aside from the Mississippi bluesmen, the guitarist in the Paramount catalogue perhaps most highly rated among blues collectors was Virginian William Moore. He was born on March 3, 1893, in Tappahannock, Essex County, on the middle of the three peninsulas north of the James River. Here he worked as a barber?hence his "Barbershop Rag"?and also farmed to supplement his income. Until the 1940s he spent his life in either Tappahannock or Warsaw, where he had a second barbershop. Soon after World War II he moved to Warrenton to be with his son and died there on November 22, 1951.

Moore played around Richmond County for local dances. Contemporaries recalled his ability on guitar less than his skills at playing fiddle and piano. Despite the remoteness of the region he is fully within the picking tradition of the Carolina-Georgia ragtime performers, for in "Raggin' the Blues" "a brief four-bar break uses the progression C-C7-F-A-A-6, a staple of Carolina and Georgia rags. As in "Barbershop Rag" Moore employs his unique picking trademark?the rapid succession of three ascending notes effected on different strings, by the thumb, followed by the first and second fingers." 12

Moore's reputation came from the 1928 Paramount sides made in Chicago?uniformly fine performances. Eight sides were released on four records: the first coupling, "Barbershop Rag" and "Tillie Lee," was first advertised in the Chicago Defender on May 5, 1928; the third coupling was first advertised there on July 28, 1928, but the company must have thought carefully before releasing "Old Country Rock" and "Raggin' the Blues," brilliant though they are, for they were first advertised in the Chicago Defender on June 8, 1929, some eighteen months after they had been recorded. Their release as by William Moore as opposed to the earlier three by Bill Moore gave rise to some speculation among collectors that these were different men, but sixteen lead sheets were submitted at the same time by Chicago Music to the Library of Congress's copyright office on May 31, 1928, in Moore's name. Eight of the titles correspond with the issued sides, all drawn from a matrix block covering 20309 through 20324, representing sixteen matrices. As sixteen titles were submitted together for copyright, it is almost certain that they represent the complete session(s). They offer a much greater insight into Moore's repertoire and deserve to be listed in full. All compositions are words and melody except where noted, these being the four instrumentals. The name credit was to William (Bill) Moore, except for "I Got Mine," which was credited to William Moore, and the final coupling issued, which was submitted in the names of Moore and Williams.

E 693002 Tillie Lee (Paramount 12613)
E 693003 Silas Green from New Orleans
E 693004 One Way Gal (Paramount 12648)
E 693005 How the Sun Do Shine
E 693007 Catfish Woman Blues
E 693010 Ragtime Millionaire (Paramount 12636)
E 693011 Chicken Feathers
E 693012 Rough and Ready Blues
E 693013 Midnight Blues (Paramount 12636)
E 693015 Raggin' Dem Blues [sic] (melody)  (Paramount 12761)
E 693017 Old Country Rock (melody) (Paramount 12761)
E 693018 I Got Mine
E 693019 Barbershop Rag (melody) (Paramount 12613)
E 693020 Stranger Blues
E 693022 Unfortunate Blues
E 693023 Ragtime Crazy (melody) (Paramount 12648) 13

Notes;
12 Calt, Perls, Stewart ? notes Yazoo L-1013)
13. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. John H Cowley to author Jan 21, 1979

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting this information, Bunker Hill, especially the song list.  Seeing lists of songs like this or the one you posted of Scott Dunbar's unreleased recordings always results in some complicated emotions.  You assume that all of these musicians played many songs that never were recorded--it goes with the territory.  But knowing that they did record songs, and in some instances like Scott Dunbar and Sam Collins, a great number of songs that will almost certainly never show up on CD is a lot harder to take.  Arggh!
All best,
Johnm

[GhostRider]

BH:

Sorry for my ignorance, but when you state that "sixteen lead sheets were submitted at the same time by Chicago Music to the Library of Congress's copyright office on May 31, 1928, in Moore's name", do you mean tha the words to the non-instrumental tunes in this group are somehow availible to the public (like me)? I ask because I sort of "collect" words to versions of "I Got Mine"

Thanks for your help,
Alex

[Bunker Hill]

Sorry for my ignorance, but when you state that "sixteen lead sheets were submitted at the same time by Chicago Music to the Library of Congress's copyright office on May 31, 1928, in Moore's name", do you mean tha the words to the non-instrumental tunes in this group are somehow availible to the public (like me)? I ask because I sort of "collect" words to versions of "I Got Mine"

In theory I guess the answer has to be, yes. Not having actually considered this aspect myself, I'll email John Cowley and ask him.

Speaking of I Got Mine, I guess you have those versions collected during the period 1915-18 by Newman Ivey White, Odum & Johnson and Dorothy Scarborough? If not I'd gladly scan them from their respective books, some of which, from memory, are partially quoted in Paul Oliver's examination of the song in Songsters & Saints.

[MTJ3]

Here are some links to information on and, of greater interest, photographs of William Moore, which photographs I had not seen until recently.

http://www.rroysters.com/billmoore.htm

http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/homepage_features/info_on_william_moore.htm

http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=119386

I had another link to an article that had a photo of the artist (sitting in a chair in his barbershop, if memory serves) that one of his family members supplied, but I can locate it, and I would be grateful if anyone who has that could supply it.

[Bunker Hill]

Thanks MTJ3, very useful. As I mentioned in the Lyrics Forum that John M. is is conducting, over the years Greg Kimball has been doing quite a bit of research in Virginia and environs on William Moore. Maybe somebody can entice him to Weenie so he can impart some more of his knowledge.

FWIW I too have seen that photo of him sitting in a chair but I thought I dreamt it because soon after when I searched for it I drew a blank.