Sam Chatmon Interview

[glencoe6305]

Did he have any Kids ? if so, are any living ?

[TheDaniels1]

Sam Chatmon was my Uncle. He was married to my Aunt Palzetta. She was my Dad's sister. She was his first wife.

[vizztone]

This is great. I saw Alan Lomax speak at a festival around 1990, and he was pretty much explaining why white men couldn't sing the blues. Afterwards I gave him a copy of Paul Rishell's first CD, which my company had just released, and told him I thought he'd be pleasantly surprised. He accepted it graciously, and said "Thank you, I'll listen with great skepticism!"

[TheDeblulu]

@vizztone Did you ever get feedback from him, Rosie? (I'm assuming this was posted by Rosie...)

[BradVic]

The interviewer is the important blues and folk musicologist Alan Lomax who helped rediscover many of the forgotten music legends of the past. Lou Curtiss from San Diego produced the SDSU Folk Festival where I first saw and met Sam Chatmon in the late 70s. Lou had a record store I believe, and was a folk music radio personality for awhile if I'm not mistaken. He and his wife were instrumental in keeping folk music alive in SD for years but this is Lomax.

[srvledoux9]

where did you get this video is it part of a documentary?

[MrDersuUzala]

Does anyone know if the presenter's name is Lou Curtiss?

[Sheindie]

Sam's dad was a black man while his mom was white - but in those days if you had even 1/4 black blood, you were considered black - he's the 1/2 brother of Charlie Patton - same dad, different mothers.

[MrSuperknoet]

1 person sucks

[fivethumbsfrank]

love in vain influence for sure.

[Brbwithmark]

Wonderful!

[MeMpHiSsLiM20]

The Chatmon name has changed so much cause the military spelled it wrong sam is my first cousin his daddy is my great great grandfather

[StarlingSounds]

Music is all in the family. Sam Chatmon is my Great Uncle. He was really cool to hang around in Hollandale Ms. the few times I did. Cool interview.

[cannoneer1977]

@StarlingSounds what kind of guitar did he play?

[StarlingSounds]

@cannoneer1977 Not sure which one he played but if it was the same as his brother Larry,My grandfather, It might have been a Lotus Guitar.

[239lildon]

@StarlingSounds how that your great uncle and that my great uncle

[StarlingSounds]

@239lildon Well I guess that makes us Cousins. Nice to meet you. Sam Chatmon and my Grandfather, Larry "Poochie" Chatmon were brothers.

[KoxxMobilhome]

@StarlingSounds Wish I had a uncle like him.

[juicystunts]

i want more on this man anything available?

[busessuck1]

Was he really charlie patton's brother

[glencoe6305]

Wish I could've met this man. So much History. Helluva picker,too.I'm gonna contact Country Singer-Marty Stuart, who is from Miss., to see about inducted him into "my Mississippi" road trail.

[luvthatzeppelin]

I LOVE this guy's music.

I'm from Mississippi. I'm white but I travel to the Delta monthly and I LOVE The Delta Blues.

I appreciate you putting this up for all to see!

[michaellahonta]

Okay, I used to own the album "I have to paint my face". It was recorded in Berkeley, CA in 1963. Sounds just like this man, but the thing is, his name was listed as Sam Chatman, with an A, not Chatmon with an O. There seems to be some confusion here. Can someone clear it up? Yes, I am a stupid for letting that album go.

[tenorlord]

@michaellahonta Same fellow. For some reason, it was being spelled Chatman for a couple of years, here on the west coast. I guess Sam didn't think it was important enough to straighten them out on it, until later. Sam Chatmon: younger brother of "Bo Carter". Bo changed his name to Carter because he thought it sounded "whiter".

[buffalobilly]

wonderful video

[lordkoos]

The Lomax part is filmed later.

[DavidBlues]

I'm glad we got his story before he died.

[CavenEdwards]

Man I just love this old, rural, southern performers and songs. Sam Chatmon is really special. I wish I could find more of his stuff. Just love him love him love him.

[kidsareoverrated]

whats this from? is this the 'american patchwork' series?

[basssalad]

Dennis Hopper fathered a child at age 67, and Tony Randall fathered a child in his 70's. It is quite possible that Sam's father was in the Civil War, especially since boys age 10-12 served as spies and soldiers.  But I also wouldn't be surprised if an old Southern fellow would tell tall tales.

[bleuskais]

hes got some black in him

[watchulla]

@bleuskais He has lived the black experience so is a black man.

[Gullahboy]

I saw this interview about 20 years ago and I looked for every since thanks yo9u tube .....What Mr Chatmon lays down one will never recieve at Julliard....... Priceless

[Hornilope]

what movie is this from?

[RJiminez51]

i like his rendition of taylor swift songs

[kimmdenson09]

Thanks for posting he grew up in my home town and seems like everyones forgotten about him and the sheiks,and also charlie patton.

[GeneralX0]

even with a man as old as chatmon is, isn't it basically impossible for his father to have been in the civil war? Grandfather maybe...

[listenifyable]

well, it's likely that his father was still just a boy when he was forced to fight in the war. If he was old enough to hold a rifle, he was fightin! Especially being black.

[listenifyable]

At the time of his death on February 2, 1983 at the age of 84, Sam Chatmon was one of the last living original Mississippi Delta blues pioneers. The son of an ex-slave, Henderson Chatmon (who lived until the ripe old age of 105)

[nl25c]

thats for the info

[rupertacdc]

@listenifyable that is incredible, as I had heard of henderson chatmon previously due to speculationn that he was the father of charley patton. So he was the father of two grat bluesmen.. what are the chances?

[htacone]

well he was born in 1897 so his dad say was 30ish and the civil war was from 1861-65 so thats bang on timeline wise for his pappy to be scrappin it out at gettisburg...

[fonsy85]

@htacone well only if he went to war at the age of 1 or 2 :D must have been one mean SOB...haha

cheers bruv

[lordkoos]

@GeneralX0

Not at all -- his dad could have been in the war when still in his late teens & could have fathered Sam when in his 50s.

[xlmidi]

@GeneralX0 its possible. In those days it was common for boys (especially black boys) to be forced into war as teenagers (some as young as 10). If his dad was 10 around 1861, that would have put his birthdate around 1850. Chatmon was born around 1897 which meant his father was in his late fifties at the time. Keep in mind that it was common for men back then to have lots of kids, from their teneage years up until their 50s or 60s. Considering the times, its very possible.

[subterranean47]

Lomax looks nothing like I imagined

[whitestripebuzz]

this may be the best video i have ever seen on youtube. just wonderful. i had no idea him and charlie patton were brothers.

[fuxgood]

I think Sam and Charlie were half brothers although Sam says just brother.

[1BTA]

AINT THAT STILL HIS BROTHER??..

[fuxgood]

There is a difference between a whole and a half brother and if I explained it to you you still wouldn't understand so whats the use. Go figure it out for yourself.

[pamrider]

it's a joy to see Sam, again. I met him as part of the San Diego Folk Festival--unforgettable. Children need to know.

[lobizoon1]

Mr Alan Lomax and his father made a great job recording these black musicians.

[samjessin7]

Lomax was great, but the Sheiks really did it on their own. Huge commercial output.

[1BTA]

please keep this vid up ..this gives me chills..im a youngster and me and my grandpops can and both love listening to Mr. Chatmon..thx..whats this footage from?..

[szabos1]

Haha, 'yer funny, lil' yungin.

XD

[caseyjones67]

is he black or white

[jd2946]

Sam was a black man.

[brewereric]

well that solves that issue, I had always heard bb king say sam and charlie were related but since bukka died no one could confirm it. I have heard tell that sam and charlie were part native american who were feild hands as well. would love to know more about bo carters father too. nice video....is it still in print?

[fuxgood]

Actually Sam and Charlie were 1/2 Native American. Their Mother was American Indian and their fathers were black. Am pretty sure Sam and Charlie were 1/2 brothers, same Mother but different father.

[willwkrueger]

mixed

[willwkrueger]

mixed man, duh. like most.

[jaikwillis]

@caseyjones67 if you have to ask, it don't matter

[phjost]

@caseyjones67

Does that matter?

[luvthatzeppelin]

@phjost Yes.... it matters!

[CoyoteSlim]

@caseyjones67 Both.

[thefringthing]

@caseyjones67 Does it really matter?

[whaledog]

Great video!

[feedboi]

That Sam Chatmon stuff is amazing..maybe the purest blues you can hear..its like listening in a time warp. What kind of guitar is he playing? Looks like an L-5 but not sure. Keep em coming. Trying t get that bas pattern down

[lordkoos]

@feedboi

Gibson L-4, round hole archtop, early 30s.

[jrbaylor]

this is awesome!

[LittleBrotherBlues]

thanks jd, got it :)