Blind Lemmon Jefferson
He was one of the most popular.
Blind lemmon jefferson. Take this example slowly and work it up to speed to begin learning the roots of this very influential style. Blind lemon jefferson a seminal blues guitarist and songster was born on a farm in couchman near wortham freestone county texas in the mid 1890s. Blind lemon jefferson september 24 1893 at some point in mid december 1929 was a blues singer and guitarist from texas.
December 1929 was an influential blues singer and guitarist from texas. Blind lemon jefferson american country blues singer guitarist and songwriter one of the earliest folk blues singers to achieve popular success. Blind lemon jefferson né lemmon b.
Blind lemon jefferson lemon henry jefferson coutchman texas october 26 1894. Jefferson s performances were distinctive because of his high pitched voice and the originality of his guitar playing. In this example we will play an acoustic guitar utilizing finger picking in trying to mock this approach.
His finger style picking along with a raw approach to form influenced many players to follow. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s. This is a comprehensive discography of blind lemon jefferson who was an east texas born and chicago based texas blues musician.
His high voice shouting style and advanced guitar technique as well as his lyrics and themes became staples of the blues. Jefferson was notable among blues musicians of his time for recording both spiritual and secular music and he recorded both blues and ragtime songs. Dezember 19 1929 in chicago illinois buried at wortham negro cemetery later wortham black cemetery in 2007 the cemetery s name was changed to blind lemon memorial cemetery discography.
Sources differ as to the exact birthdate. Census records indicate that he was born on september 24 1893 while apparently jefferson himself wrote the date of october 26 1894 on his world war i draft registration. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s and has been called the father of the texas blues.
Blind lemon jefferson is considered to be the grandfather of the texas blues style. One of the most recorded of the early country blues artists in the 1920s blind lemon jefferson was a jukebox hero in his day and while his surviving 78s are often scratchy sounding due to repeated plays his obvious talent and flare still shine through. Black snake moan blind lemon jefferson paramount records black snake moan is one of jeffersons biggest songs the movie black snake moan is based and named.
September 1893 near big tehuacana creek between present day wortham and kirvin freestone county texas d. His musical style was individualistic and jefferson s singing and self read more.