Blues Hero Papa Charlie Jackson

BT-627 Papa Charlie Jackson
www.kotapparel.com
Art by R. Crumb

Born in New Orleans in 1890, musician Papa Charlie Jackson was one of the first self-accompanied blues performers to record. Discovered on the streets of Chicago, he produced over seventy sides between 1924 and 1935, most of them on a guitar tuned, six-string banjo. Jackson combined sophisticated technique with a driving beat. His dance hit "Shake That Thing" was one of the most influential tunes of the era, and his  inspired approach created the hokum style, a spicy form of popular song that made repeated and continual references to sex, a tradition carried on by the likes of Georgia Tom and Tampa Red.

On Sale this week, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep on Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation. Enjoy 15% off, no coupon code required, your discount will be applied at checkout.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

Furry Lewis Blues

BT-633 Furry Lewis
Heroes of the Blues
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Walter (Furry) Lewis the country blues guitarist and song writer was born about 1900 and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where he learned guitar in the early 1900s by listening to his mentor, a middle-aged street singer, named Blind Joe. Never a full-time musician, Lewis played mainly on local streets where his most popular piece was "John Henry." From 1927 to 1928, he recorded twenty-three sides. Most notably "John Henry" and "Kassie Jones" arguably one of the great blues recordings of the '20s. Known to be one of the best blues storytellers, and an extremely nimble-fingered guitarist who both picked and used a slide, he was equally adept at blues and ragtime.

During the folk blues revival in the 1960s the personable Lewis began a second career as a concert performer. Lewis opened twice for The Rolling Stones, played on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and had a part in a Burt Reynolds Movie , W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings (1975). Furry was a charming man who was a living repository for the blues, as many of his contemporaries had passed on by the time anyone had a real interest in preserving and documenting the lives of these musicians who where among the first to record the blues.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep on Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

Blues Musician Jaybird Coleman

BT-624 Jaybird Coleman Tee
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Burl C. "Jaybird" Coleman was born in Gainseville, Alabama in 1896, the son of a sharecropper he was one of four children. As a child of twelve, he taught himself how to play harmonic, and used his new skill to entertain family and friends.
Coleman began performing the blues as an entertainer for American soldiers while serving in the Army during World War I. It was during this time that he was given the nickname "Jaybird" because of his independant nature.



After his discharge, he moved to the Birmingham, Alabama area. While he lived in Birmingham, he would perform on street corners and occasionally play with the Birmingham Jug Band. Between 1927 and 1930, he recorded eleven sides, appearing in the rather unusual role of harmonica player accompanying his own vocals. Of all recorded blues harmonica players, Coleman developed probably the richest and most varied tone. He was largely inactive after 1930, playing mostly on street corners, and died in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1950.

Enjoy 15% off both short and long sleeve 100% cotton tees this week, no coupon code required, your discount will be applied at check-out.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep on Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

Clifford Gibson (1901-1963)

BT-620 Clifford Gibson
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Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1901, Clifford "Grandpappy"Gibson was an American blues singer and guitarist who cut his musical teeth in St. Louis, Missouri. He recorded twenty-four sides for two different labels between 1929 and 1931. He is best known for the tracks, "Bad Luck Dice" and "Hard Headed Blues".

One of the first purely urban performers whose playing had no pronounced rural influences, Gibson's inventive single-string, vibrato-laden approach resembled that of the highly sophisticated jazz blues guitarist Lonnie Johnson, but placed more emphasis on improvisation. Gibson died in 1963.

This week enjoy 15% Off this "Heroes of the Blues" t-shirt design. No coupon code required, discount will be applied at checkout.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep on Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

T-shirt Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

On Sale: Memphis Minnie "Guitar Queen"

Memphis Minnie born Lizzie "Kid" Douglas in Algiers, Louisiana on June 3, 1897, was an American blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. She was the only female blues artist considered a match to male contemporaries as both a singer and an instrumentalist and was among the first to record the blues.

She recorded over 200 sides during her forty years career, almost unheard of for any woman in show business at the time and not common in any blues artist. A flamboyant character who wore bracelets made of silver dollars; and would spit tobacco wearing a chiffon ball gown, she was a very popular blues recording artist at the height of her career from the early Depression years through World War II.

One of the first generation of blues artists to take up the electric guitar she combined her Louisiana-country roots with Memphis blues to produce her own unique country-blues sound. In 1933 Minnie and Big Bill Broonzy participated in a Blues Showdown at a club in Chicago, Memphis Minnie preformed "Chauffeur Blues" and "Looking the World Over" and won the prize--a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of gin. Big Bill and Minnie became friends and later preformed together on several occasions.

Enjoy 15% off this week on this Keep On Truckin Apparel exclusive design. Available in both short and long sleeve t-shirts. No coupon code required your discount will be applied at checkout at www.kotapparel.com

Featured weekly Blues Artist: Barbecue Bob

Barbecue Bob (1901-1931)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tee Card #28

Art by R. Crumb, Text by Stephen Calt

Robert Hicks was born in 1902 at Walnut Grove, Georgia, and learned guitar from his brother, who recorded under the name Charlie Lincoln. Around 1920 Hicks moved to Atlanta; his employment at a local restaurant gave rise to his recording name, Barbecue Bob. Between 1927 and 1930, Hicks recorded fifty-five sides. His twelve-string guitar style was among the most percussive found in blues, setting him apart from some like-sounding Georgians. He died in 1931.

On sale this week, 15% discount will be applied at checkout, no coupon code required. Choose from both short and long sleeve tees in a variety of colors!

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep on Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

Featured Blues Artist this week: Rube Lacey

Rube Lacey(1901-1972)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tee Card #13

Art by R. Crumb, Text by Stephen Calt

Rubin (Rube) Lacey was born in 1901 at Pelahatchie, Mississippi, and learned guitar in his teens from an older performer, George Hendrix, Working out of the Jackson area in the Mississippi Delta, he became one of the state's most popular blues singers. His bottleneck style inspired that of the better-known performer Son house. In 1928, Lacey recorded two dance tunes for Paramount; four years later he became a minister. He died in 1972.

Enjoy 15% off both short and long sleeve Rube Lacey, Heroes of the Blues t-shirts this week! A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep on Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.