Answer to the May Blues Question: The bluesman we were looking for is/was Goree Chester Carter or Christer Carter (not sure of his exact birth name), born December 31, 1930, in Houston, Texas. He started playing blues music at the age of twelve, learned on a cousins' guitar. There were no guitarists living in his area from whom to learn, so he taught himself by listening to records, then "picking", string by string, then learning to form those notes into chords. By his early teen years he had started a band. In 1949 he had a "jump blues" band known as Goree Carter and His Hepcats, with which he signed a contract with Freedom Records, a local label, owned by Sol Kahal. That band featured him on electric guitar, two saxes, a trumpet, bass, and drums. Their recording, the first release by that label, was titled "Sweet Ole Woman Blues". Because Gorees' playing showed a strong influence by Aaron "T-Bone" Walker, he came to be called "Little T-Bone" at some of his live shows. He was sometimes also known as Rocky Thompson and/or Gory Carter. He recorded blues in the electric, jump, and Texas styles. He is best-known for the song "Rock Awhile", which he recorded in 1949, at the age of 18. That song is now recognized by many as the first Rock & Roll song, as it pre-dated "Rocket 88" by two years, and its' intro sounds a lot like the intros' on some of Chuck Berrys' recordings. To hear an example of Carters' blues style, listen to "Christmas Time", recorded in late 1948 and released in 1949. And now here's one of the problems with believing what you see/read on the internet: if you look that song up under Goree Carter, you'll find it, but also look it up under T-Bone Walker Jr., who is actually T-Bone Walkers' nephew, R.S. Rankin, you'll find that it is Goree, who was known as Little T-Bone, where-as Rankin was known as T-Bone Walker Jr. Rankins' first recordings were at a sit-in session with his uncle, the real T-Bone, for Atlantic Records in 1957. If you want to hear Jr.s' style, check out R.S. Rankin-- "Midnight Bells Are Ringing", done in 1962, on the Downey Records label. Again, never take for granted that what you read/hear on the "web" as being the "gospel truth" (or even correct). When Goree was 19, he was drafted into the Army, did his basic training, and was sent to Korea, where he was a "frontline" soldier in that conflict. When he returned to the U.S. and was discharged, his musical career began to falter. He recorded for several labels on his return, some of which were Coral, Imperial, and Modern. He wrote many songs during this period, but the labels wouldn't let him record them for the reason I stated before-- he was "too far ahead" of himself, so he stated that he "tore them up and threw them away". Before he was drafted and on his return from Korea, and then quitting the music business, he continued to work at a local business in Houston-- the Comet Rice Mill. He did sit in once in, 1970, with B.B.King. His last recordings were done in 1954. He passed away on December 29, 1990, in Houston, two days shy of his 60th. birthday.

Blues Question for June 2018: This bluesman is another "unknown", though you've probably heard him on others' recordings. He's the second cousin of one of the greats, with who he would sometimes work. He recorded on at least four different labels. Any ideas on who this bluesman is ??

Blues Song(s) and Artist(s) for June 2018: The topic of this song gets a lot of us started. The song is "Coffee Blues", and the artist is Lightnin' Hopkins. In our house (and I'm sure in others as well), nothing happens in the morning 'til I've had my coffee. Enjoy a cup, made of the "bean of life", along with a plate of the blues !! 

Blues Trivia for June 2018: While researching some Lonnie Johnson recordings for Jim Reitz of NEOBA, I ran across a name that most won't recognize-- Elmer Snowden, who did a session with Lonnie. Every blues fan is familiar with the name William Christopher "W.C" Handy, who is recognized for his impact on Memphis blues, though he was born in Alabama. Elmer was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 9,1900. Early in his musical career he played all the reed instruments, later shifted to jazz/blues banjo and/or guitar. By the time he was 22 or 23, he had started a band called the Washingtonians. The bands' personnel changed often, as players moved on to other bands or went out on their own. He eventually moved the band to New York, but couldn't get a booking, so he called a former bandmember of his who had moved to New York earlier, to get his help finding a booking. He got a booking and, at one point, had five bands playing the area, under his name, much as Handy had done. He got into several disputes with the musicians' union and decided to move on, turning the band over to the bandmember who had gotten him the booking in the first place. That man was Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. If you go back and look at Snowdens' bandmember list, you'll find that he had the "who's who" of the jump blues/jazz musicians of all time working for him. After he turned the band over to Ellington, he worked almost full-time as a session player, though still having problems with the union. He finally had enough and moved to Philadelphia and taught music. He was working as a parking lot attendant when a Philly disc jockey, Chris Albertson, ran across him. Chris got Elmer together with Lonnie Johnson for a recording session in 1960, for/on the Prestige/ Bluesville label. One song from that session, "Blues for Chris", was probably a nod to Chris for getting them together. It's an acoustic blues, featuring Lonnie and Elmer on guitars, and Wendell Marshall on stand-up bass. After that session got him some recognition, Elmers' career was, once again, on track. In 1963 he moved to California, to teach at the University of California, Berkely. He later moved back to Philadelphia, where he passed away on May 14, 1973.

First off, let us, at The Sound of Blue, offer our congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Blues Challenge hosted by the Northeast Ohio Blues Association (NEOBA, for short): in the Solo/Duo category-- Kristine Jackson, and in the Band category-- the Sam Hooper Group. Both of these acts have been at this for awhile and are deserving of their win. We wish them both well in Memphis in the January 2019 competition!

Answer to the April 2018 Blues Question: The blues singer we were looking for is/ was Mozelle Alderson, born Mozelle Fagans, on November 20, 1904, in Bedford, Ohio. Next to nothing is known of her personal life, but what is known is that after she married, she moved to Chicago. She recorded six songs for Black Patti Records (for more relative info on Black Patti records see the July 2017 Blues Blog in the Trivia section) in 1927. She recorded two songs for Brunswick Records, also in 1927 that were released in 1930. While in Chicago she also recorded for the A R C and Vocalion labels. In 1931 she recorded with Big Bill Broonzy and Georgia Tom (Dorsey) , as the Harum Scarums, on the Paramount label, at their Grafton, Wisconsin headquarters. If you want more info on Goergia Tom Dorsey, see the December 2014 Blues Question and the January 2015 Blues Trivia sections of the Blues Blog. There are other recordings featuring her, under some of her "performing" names: "Kansas City Kitty" (usually done with Georgia Tom), Hannah May, Thelma Holmes, May Belle Lee, and/or Jane Lucas. She was widowed by 1941 and went on to marry John Slocum in 1943. She passed away on February 15, 1994, in Chicago.

Blues Question for May 2018: This bluesman was a self-taught guitarist, both acoustic and electric, and drummer by the age of eighteen. He recorded his first song, which many believe is the first rock & roll song, rather than Jackie Brenston/ Ike Turners' "Rocket 88". He wrote and recorded most of his early material on a local label. Later in his career, he quit performing/ recording because he was told that he was "too far ahead of himself". Any idea who this bluesman might be ??

Blues Song(s) and Artist(s) for May 2018: The song is "I Put A Spell On You", and the artist is Angelina Jordan (I believe she's from Norway). She was 10 years old when she recorded this. The original was done by "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins, as a ballad, on the Grand Records label, in 1955. The version you're probably familiar with was done in 1956, on the OKeh label (Columbia), when Hawkins and all the band members were drunk. Some say her version is second only to Screamin' Jays', while others say his version is second to hers. Some others who have recorded it are: Nina Simone, Creedence Clearwater Revival (C C R), Manfred Mann, Jeff Beck, Bette Midler, Annie Lennox, And Samantha Fish. Oddly, after I had a rough draft of this blog and had decided to list Angelinas' version, I had a young, aspiring guitarist, Chris Marcic, who is currently studying under the tutelage of Mike Lenz, come in to look at some vinyl. The two 45's he picked out were "I Put A Spell On You", by Screamin' Jay and "Stormy Monday", by Bobby Blue Bland. When I see young people like Angelina and Chris, I'm glad to have started this store, and I see that some youngsters are actually looking into the "old Blues", and really aren't interested in the 120 decibel, 100 m.p.h., guitar-driven "stuff" of today. This is why we need to encourage, teach, guide, or help in any way we can, the coming musicians to learn about the blues.

Blues Trivia for May 2018: I’m almost sure you've heard of Sam "Lightning" Hopkins, and possibly his two brothers, John Henry and Joel "Squatty" Hopkins (the three did an album together for Arhoolie Records). Did you know that Lightninin' has recorded more albums than any other bluesman, or that he was taught by his older, distant cousin, Alger "Texas" Alexander and Blind Lemon Jefferson? If you hear a band backing him on a recording, it most likely consists of Buster Pickens on piano, Donald Cooks on bass, and Spider Kilpatrick on drums. Some trivia: if you hear some harmonica work on his recordings, those dated up to 1969, it's by his cousin, Billy Bizor (sometimes shown as Bizer or Biser), a gifted, early style (basic notes) player who deserves wider recognition. Lightnin' performed at Blossom Music Center in 1969, and lastly, he also played, though infrequently, piano and/or organ. Just so you know, we stock the c.d. of the three Hopkins brothers performing together. We also carry one under Lightnins' name, which prominently features Billy Bizor and have on order another one which also includes the only album that Bizor recorded on his own.