In 2016, we honored Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker. Both these players have contributed so much to the roots of all the popular music that has come after. The Stratoblasters were chosen to perform their songs and entertain us.
Lemon Henry "Blind Lemon" Jefferson was an American blues and gospel singer, songwriter, and musician. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s and has been called the "Father of the Texas Blues".Jefferson's performances were distinctive because of his high-pitched voice and the originality of his guitar playing.
* Read the article by the late Billy Bob Hill about the songs of Blind Lemmon Jefferson and Ledbelly. This was so much fun to read and listen to the links to the covers of their songs. Thanks so much, Billy, for an entertaining read and listen.
* Read the article in Buddy Magazine. https://buddymagazine.com/features/black-history-month/blind-lemon-jefferson-father-of-texas-blues/
Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues and electric blues sound.[1][2]In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 67 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"
Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues and electric blues sound.[1][2]In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 67 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"
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It's only fitting that we would start by going back to the roots of popular music - the blues. From out of the cotton fields of East Texas to the urbanization of Dallas's Deep Ellum, Blind Lemon Jefferson brought the blues and popularized the genre. It is likely that he moved to Deep Ellum on a permanent basis by 1917, where he met Aaron Thibeaux Walker, also known as T-Bone Walker. Jefferson taught Walker the basics of playing blues guitar in exchange for Walker's occasional services as a guide.
Jefferson's music is uninhibited and represented the classic sounds of everyday life and he did what few had ever done before him – he became a successful solo guitarist and male vocalist in the commercial recording world. Uncharacteristically, his first two recordings from this session were gospel songs ("I Want to Be Like Jesus in My Heart" and "All I Want is That Pure Religion"), released under the name Deacon L. J. Bates. A second recording session was held in March 1926. His first releases under his own name, "Booster Blues" and "Dry Southern Blues", were hits. Their popularity led to the release of the other two songs from that session, "Got the Blues" and "Long Lonesome Blues", which became a runaway success, with sales in six figures. He recorded about 100 tracks between 1926 and 1929; 43 records were issued, all but one for Paramount Records. Hear Blind Lemon sing "Back Snake Moan".
Jefferson's music is uninhibited and represented the classic sounds of everyday life and he did what few had ever done before him – he became a successful solo guitarist and male vocalist in the commercial recording world. Uncharacteristically, his first two recordings from this session were gospel songs ("I Want to Be Like Jesus in My Heart" and "All I Want is That Pure Religion"), released under the name Deacon L. J. Bates. A second recording session was held in March 1926. His first releases under his own name, "Booster Blues" and "Dry Southern Blues", were hits. Their popularity led to the release of the other two songs from that session, "Got the Blues" and "Long Lonesome Blues", which became a runaway success, with sales in six figures. He recorded about 100 tracks between 1926 and 1929; 43 records were issued, all but one for Paramount Records. Hear Blind Lemon sing "Back Snake Moan".
Walker, who was from a family of musicians, began his career as a teenager in Dallas in the early 1900s, leaving school at the age of 10, and by 15 he was a professional performer on the blues circuit. Initially, he was Jefferson's protégé and would guide him around town for his gigs. In 1929, Walker made his recording debut with Columbia Records, billed as Oak Cliff T-Bone, releasing the single "Wichita Falls Blues" backed with "Trinity River Blues". Oak Cliff is the community in which he lived at the time, and T-Bone is a corruption of his middle name.
Much of Walker's output was recorded from 1946 to 1948 for Black & White Records, including his most famous song, "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)" (1947). Other notable songs he recorded during this period were "Bobby Sox Blues" (a number 3 R&B hit in 1947) and "West Side Baby" (number 8 on the R&B singles charts in 1948). He continued to record up into the 1970's and he won a Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording in 1971 for "Good Feelin'". Walker was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Chuck Berry named Walker as his main influences. B.B. King cited hearing Walker's recording of "Stormy Monday" as his inspiration for getting an electric guitar. Walker was admired by Jimi Hendrix, who imitated Walker's trick of playing the guitar with his teeth. "Stormy Monday" was a favorite live number of the Allman Brothers Band. Hear T-Bone perform "Stormy Monday".
Much of Walker's output was recorded from 1946 to 1948 for Black & White Records, including his most famous song, "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)" (1947). Other notable songs he recorded during this period were "Bobby Sox Blues" (a number 3 R&B hit in 1947) and "West Side Baby" (number 8 on the R&B singles charts in 1948). He continued to record up into the 1970's and he won a Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording in 1971 for "Good Feelin'". Walker was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Chuck Berry named Walker as his main influences. B.B. King cited hearing Walker's recording of "Stormy Monday" as his inspiration for getting an electric guitar. Walker was admired by Jimi Hendrix, who imitated Walker's trick of playing the guitar with his teeth. "Stormy Monday" was a favorite live number of the Allman Brothers Band. Hear T-Bone perform "Stormy Monday".
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