Answer for the August blues question:
The bluesman we were looking for was/is Walter
Travis Price, also known as “Big Walter”, as is/was “Big Walter” Horton. Horton played harp where this “Big Walter” played organ and piano. Conflicting birth records show him being born August 2nd, 1915 and/or 1917. His early career was with the Northern Wonders gospel group.
He formed his own group, The Thunderbirds, to record on the TNT label in San Antonio, Tx., then he recorded with Little Richard (Penniman) on Don Robey’s Peacock label and then later with his own group on the Meryl label both in Houston. He also recorded on the Goldband label in Lake Charles, Louisiana. His own record company was Sunshine Record Company (also in Houston). Portions of a concert at which he performed were released on the Flyright label.
He passed away on March 6th, 2012.
The bluesman we were looking for was/is Walter
Travis Price, also known as “Big Walter”, as is/was “Big Walter” Horton. Horton played harp where this “Big Walter” played organ and piano. Conflicting birth records show him being born August 2nd, 1915 and/or 1917. His early career was with the Northern Wonders gospel group.
He formed his own group, The Thunderbirds, to record on the TNT label in San Antonio, Tx., then he recorded with Little Richard (Penniman) on Don Robey’s Peacock label and then later with his own group on the Meryl label both in Houston. He also recorded on the Goldband label in Lake Charles, Louisiana. His own record company was Sunshine Record Company (also in Houston). Portions of a concert at which he performed were released on the Flyright label.
He passed away on March 6th, 2012.
Some September births
- September 2, 1911 - Floyd “Dipper Boy” Council (The Floyd part of Pink Floyd)
- September 15, 1911 Silas Hogan·
- September 28, 1935 - KoKo Taylor (born as Cora Walton)
This month’s Blues question:
This bluesman started out at about 15 years of age as a singing beggar at farm parties, on the streets, and at neighborhood picnics. He hoboed/performed mostly
in the southeastern states as far north as Virginia before heading to Chicago. I could only determine that he recorded on two labels: Paramount, both in Chicago and Richmond, Indiana, and on the OKeh label in Atlanta, Georgia. He is credited with writing at least 46 original songs, many made famous by other artists. Any idea who this man is?
This bluesman started out at about 15 years of age as a singing beggar at farm parties, on the streets, and at neighborhood picnics. He hoboed/performed mostly
in the southeastern states as far north as Virginia before heading to Chicago. I could only determine that he recorded on two labels: Paramount, both in Chicago and Richmond, Indiana, and on the OKeh label in Atlanta, Georgia. He is credited with writing at least 46 original songs, many made famous by other artists. Any idea who this man is?
September Blues Trivia:
Anyone over 18 has seen the movie or seen or heard of Gone With the Wind. The woman that played the character of the “maid” was Hattie McDaniel. What you probably aren’t familiar with is the fact, although not trivial, is that she appeared in at least 75 films and stage shows, not including radio and music dates. She was a gifted person, singing, acting, or, as a musician, playing drums. If you’ve seen the movie you wouldn’t realize that she could belt out the blues with the best. Considering all that, the trivia part is that she won the Academy Award for her work in Gone With the Wind, as Best Supporting Actress, the first awarded to an African-American, in 1939. Another bit of trivia is that in 1916
she won the White Women’s Christian Temperance Association’s Dramatic Art Medal in Wichita, Kansas.
Anyone over 18 has seen the movie or seen or heard of Gone With the Wind. The woman that played the character of the “maid” was Hattie McDaniel. What you probably aren’t familiar with is the fact, although not trivial, is that she appeared in at least 75 films and stage shows, not including radio and music dates. She was a gifted person, singing, acting, or, as a musician, playing drums. If you’ve seen the movie you wouldn’t realize that she could belt out the blues with the best. Considering all that, the trivia part is that she won the Academy Award for her work in Gone With the Wind, as Best Supporting Actress, the first awarded to an African-American, in 1939. Another bit of trivia is that in 1916
she won the White Women’s Christian Temperance Association’s Dramatic Art Medal in Wichita, Kansas.
September Blues passings
- September 1, 2005 – R. L. Burnside
- September 16, 1946 – Mamie Smith (She recorded the first African-American vocal blues record: Crazy Blues, OKeh# 4169 on August 10th, 1920)
- September 26, 1937 – Bessie Smith, no relation to Carrie, Clara, Mamie or Trixie.
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