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Sonny Boy Williamson Video footage from 1942, 1952
Hey All,
I was out in Clarksdale, Mississippi last week teaching at Jon GIndick's Harmonica Jam Camp
at Hopson's Commissary and the Shack Up Inn. One of my fellow teachers, Adam Gussow(of Satan and Adam fame), was telling me about some newly discovered video footage of Sonnyboy Williamson on King Biscuit that he had a chance to see. It turns out that Adam is
a proffessor at the University of Mississippi at Oxford, and he had attended a symposium
there last Friday. he told me that the footage is from an archive at the University of Georgia.
It is footage that was taken by the family of the owner of Interstate Grocery, the parent company of King Biscuit Flour. Unfortunately there is no audio, although the 1942 footage is in color. The 1942 footage shows Sonnyboy Williamson and Robert Junior Lockwood playing as a duet, seated on a frontporch. They are entertaining a crowd of onlookers that are gathered around. Adam said that Sonnyboy is singing and playing into the vocal microphone, but also clearly grabing the Microphone and using it cupped. This is a good visual seeing as most people think that Little Walter was the first to incorporate this technique. I know that Snooky Prior has said in interviews that he had been using an amp to play since the 40's. The 1952 footage shows Sonnyboy with the King Biscuit Band(I am assuming Peck Curtis on drums, and maybe Houston Stackhouse on guitar). Sonnyboy is standing and singing and playing, 'highly animated' is the term Adam used. I am going by my
discussion with Adam Gussow. I have not seen this footage myself, so this is a second hand account related to me by Adam Gussow.
I sure can't wait to see this footage.
HB
I was out in Clarksdale, Mississippi last week teaching at Jon GIndick's Harmonica Jam Camp
at Hopson's Commissary and the Shack Up Inn. One of my fellow teachers, Adam Gussow(of Satan and Adam fame), was telling me about some newly discovered video footage of Sonnyboy Williamson on King Biscuit that he had a chance to see. It turns out that Adam is
a proffessor at the University of Mississippi at Oxford, and he had attended a symposium
there last Friday. he told me that the footage is from an archive at the University of Georgia.
It is footage that was taken by the family of the owner of Interstate Grocery, the parent company of King Biscuit Flour. Unfortunately there is no audio, although the 1942 footage is in color. The 1942 footage shows Sonnyboy Williamson and Robert Junior Lockwood playing as a duet, seated on a frontporch. They are entertaining a crowd of onlookers that are gathered around. Adam said that Sonnyboy is singing and playing into the vocal microphone, but also clearly grabing the Microphone and using it cupped. This is a good visual seeing as most people think that Little Walter was the first to incorporate this technique. I know that Snooky Prior has said in interviews that he had been using an amp to play since the 40's. The 1952 footage shows Sonnyboy with the King Biscuit Band(I am assuming Peck Curtis on drums, and maybe Houston Stackhouse on guitar). Sonnyboy is standing and singing and playing, 'highly animated' is the term Adam used. I am going by my
discussion with Adam Gussow. I have not seen this footage myself, so this is a second hand account related to me by Adam Gussow.
I sure can't wait to see this footage.
HB
Views: 50
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brian Calway on -
I didn't have a part in anything for the movie score. my good friend Barrelhouse Chuck Goering played piano in most of it, and Rusty Zinn did a bunch of the guitar work. Kim Wilson did a majority of the harmonica work too. I don't know kim, but I have met him a few times through the years.
Rockin' Robert T. said:I Didn't think Little Walter killed anyone either- Would I know any of the players that were involved in performing or making the sound tracks for the movie?? _ Did you have a part in anything? Wouldn't surprise me a bit as much as you get around. Later brother- I wasn't ever sure about Etta and Leonord Chess but I couldn't picture it- He was a pretty solid guy family wise and pretty much strictly business and about making the dollar too.
Brian Calway said:Yes, Etta had her share of substance abuse,
but she never had an affair with Leonard Chess. Little Walter never killed anyone either.
The way I look at the movie is that the took a large amount of 'poetic license' to spice
up the story. I do like the music, and a bunch of my friends played on it.
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Permalink Reply by Rockin' Robert T. on -
Thanks for the awesome input my brother- You are truly an assett to the Blues Community and it has been a great privilage and pleasure getting to know you and jam with you through the past several years,- Your all heart and blues bro-rrt
Brian Calway said:I didn't have a part in anything for the movie score. my good friend Barrelhouse Chuck Goering played piano in most of it, and Rusty Zinn did a bunch of the guitar work. Kim Wilson did a majority of the harmonica work too. I don't know kim, but I have met him a few times through the years.
Rockin' Robert T. said:I Didn't think Little Walter killed anyone either- Would I know any of the players that were involved in performing or making the sound tracks for the movie?? _ Did you have a part in anything? Wouldn't surprise me a bit as much as you get around. Later brother- I wasn't ever sure about Etta and Leonord Chess but I couldn't picture it- He was a pretty solid guy family wise and pretty much strictly business and about making the dollar too.
Brian Calway said:Yes, Etta had her share of substance abuse,
but she never had an affair with Leonard Chess. Little Walter never killed anyone either.
The way I look at the movie is that the took a large amount of 'poetic license' to spice
up the story. I do like the music, and a bunch of my friends played on it.
-
Permalink Reply by Brian Calway on
-
Thanks Robert!
Rockin' Robert T. said:Thanks for the awesome input my brother- You are truly an assett to the Blues Community and it has been a great privilage and pleasure getting to know you and jam with you through the past several years,- Your all heart and blues bro-rrt
Brian Calway said:I didn't have a part in anything for the movie score. my good friend Barrelhouse Chuck Goering played piano in most of it, and Rusty Zinn did a bunch of the guitar work. Kim Wilson did a majority of the harmonica work too. I don't know kim, but I have met him a few times through the years.
Rockin' Robert T. said:I Didn't think Little Walter killed anyone either- Would I know any of the players that were involved in performing or making the sound tracks for the movie?? _ Did you have a part in anything? Wouldn't surprise me a bit as much as you get around. Later brother- I wasn't ever sure about Etta and Leonord Chess but I couldn't picture it- He was a pretty solid guy family wise and pretty much strictly business and about making the dollar too.
Brian Calway said:Yes, Etta had her share of substance abuse,
but she never had an affair with Leonard Chess. Little Walter never killed anyone either.
The way I look at the movie is that the took a large amount of 'poetic license' to spice
up the story. I do like the music, and a bunch of my friends played on it.
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