First off, we hope you and yours all had a merry and happy holiday season to usher in this new year. By the way, have any of you blues fans seen the Jack Daniel's commercial with a quick shot of Alligator Records artist Kingfish, as he is an up and comer who already has numerous awards and credits to his name ? Check him out !
Some January Blues Births:
- January 2nd.,1903-- Elizabeth North Johnson, aka Mabelle Allen /Hattie North
- January 12th.,1941-- Long John Baldr
- January; on the 30th.,1957-- Janiva Magness
Answer To The December 2023 Blues Question: The bluesman we were looking for was/ is Lewis "Rabbit" Anderson Muse, born May 11, 1908, in Rock Mount, Virginia. His father, Bro Muse and his mother, Lillie Anderson, were both musicians; his father on guitar, tenor banjo, and piano and his mother on accordion, so he was around music very early in his life. By the time he was 12, he was performing in the family band, playing one of these instruments: flute, guitar, kazoo, but mostly ukulele, which was his favorite, his parents on one of their instruments, and a cousin on washboard completed the band. They played for local picnics, parties, and fairs. He was talented enough that he also performed as a dancer, singer, and comedian, besides on instruments, with hillbilly groups, minstrel shows, and bands passing through the area. He worked outside the music field in the Rock Mount - Roanoke area through the '20's. In the '30's he worked with a band he started, and also as an individual, throughout Virginia and North Carolina, at fairs and local dances. As a single performer he played at hospitals, and radio shows. A lot of those gigs were played for free, just to make people feel better while they were recovering. He also was working as a day laborer to pay the bills. Around '40, he married Nellie and had children. Throughout his adult life he did a considerable amount of charity work, usually tying to help raise funds for one cause or another. He got that "Rabbit" nickname in his youth when he played baseball. He recorded 2 albums; one was recorded in '75, released in '76-- "Muse Blues", #STLP 1005, the other in '77-- "Sixty Minute Man", #STLP 1010, both recorded on the Outlet Records label. He said his main influences were Cab Calloway and Bessie Smith, and most of his recordings were covers of songs that those two did originally.The only song that Rabbit wrote himself is "Cincinnati Shout". All of his songs are on youtube. He passed away August 27, 1982, of myocardial infarction (heart attack), in Roanoke, Virginia.
Blues Question For January 2024: This bluesman is all but unknown, but he has a cousin who is well known. Sometimes he's straight blues, but he's also called a "blues shouter". He frequently worked with his cousin, but also with some other "unknowns". Any idea who this bluesman might be ??
Blues Song(s) And Artist(s) For January 2024: The song is "Aimlessly Driftin' ", and the artist is Chuck Berry. This is off the album titled "Bio", from 1973, Chess Records # CH50043. The artists on it are: Chuck on lead guitar and vocal, supported by some members from the Elephant's Memory Band: Adam Ippolito on keyboards, Gary VanScyoc on bass, Wayne "Tex" Gabriel on guitar, Stan Bronstein on sax, and Rick Frank on drums. It was recorded in New York City and in St. Louis, Missouri, that's the album- not just this song.
Blues Trivia For January 2024: The blues is a big thing-- it's all over the world, but it's amazing how closely some of it is connected to the overall picture, especially in the past generations. Ever heard of Mathis Matthew Jacobs ? Maybe you've heard of him under his performing name-- "Boogie Jake" ?, born in Marksville, Louisiana. At a young age he learned to play piano and guitar. His biggest influence was Otis Hicks, aka "Lightnin' Slim", who was born in St. Louis, though his draft card and prison records from the Louisiana State Penitentiary show his birthplace as being Good Pine, Louisiana. Boogie Jake recorded with James Moore, aka "Slim Harpo". Moore's birthplace was Lobdell, Louisiana. According to Cub Koda, an instrumental by Moore, titled "Moody Blues", was what the Moody Blues Band was named after, but another source said that they took their name from Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo". Hicks, who was married to Moore's sister Lovelle, often performed with Moore, as they worked gigs together. At different times all three recorded for the Excello label in Crowley, Louiaiana. The only one who Jake performed with was his own cousin, a musician named Marion "Little Walter" Jacobs, who was also born in Marksville. Just a collection of trivia bits.
Some January Blues Passings:
- January 1st.,1995-- Ted Hawkins
- January 14th.,1992-- "Left Hand Frank" Craig
- January 29th.,2004-- Soko Richardson.
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