'Tom Rushen Blues' CHARLEY PATTON (1929) Delta Blues Legend

[aaron4wilkins]

"Tom Rushing (his name was mispelled by whoever took down the title for Paramount Records) was a deputy in Bolivar County, and when some blues experts tracked him down in the 1980s he recalled Patton coming to see him after the record was released and presenting him with a copy. He considered this an honor, and described Patton as a important local figure--indeed, he compared him to the track star Jesse Owens."

by Elijah Wald

[aaron4wilkins]

Great Song! A 'cover' of Ma Rainey's 'Booze and Blues'

[515742617000027]

same melody as High Sheriff Blues

[jellyjellybobelly]

"As for the title character, Tom Rushing (his name was mispelled by whoever took down the title for Paramount Records) was a deputy in Bolivar County, and when some blues experts tracked him down in the 1980s he recalled Patton coming to see him after the record was released and presenting him with a copy. He considered this an honor, and described Patton as a important local figure--indeed, he compared him to the track star Jesse Owens. "

[jellyjellybobelly]

@kiree79- i hadn't heard that story! i'll share it with my grandfather, tom rushing's only son. @juviex, i live in france now because i work at a humanitarian organization in geneva, on the other side of the border. growing up in the mississippi delta got me interested in injustice from an early age- if you've been then you'll probably understand

[fstnfncyndn]

@jellyjellybobelly I'm taking a music history class, and there is a section (a whole page) in the textbook "American Popular Music (From Minstrelsy to MP3)", specifically about the song "Tom Rushen Blues". It speaks of your Great-Grandfather, his interview regarding Charley Patton, and and the breakdown of the song as a Country Blues song.

[NoGirlsOnly]

@fstnfncyndn Same book, read the same thing...And im takin a history of popular music as well. U dont happen to go to Penn State do you

[fstnfncyndn]

@NoGirlsOnly No I'm actually in Washington State.

[jellyjellybobelly]

this song is about my great grandfather- tom rushing. he was deputy sheriff in merigold, mississippi. he arrested charlie patton, and apparently was one of the few cops in the delta at the time who weren't horribly racist at the time. he died when i was young, but i grew up with him. he was a good man.

[boxingin]

@jellyjellybobelly What did your grandfather think of Charlie Patton?

[kiree79]

@boxingin I read that when blues scholar David Evans interviewed Tom Rushing he still remembered Charley Patton fondly because Patton brought a copy of "Tom Rushen Blues" to Rushing when the song was released by Parmount. I hope this helps!

[ryneredd11]

@jellyjellybobelly too bad his name was tom rushen...........

[busessuck1]

@ryneredd11 No it wasn't - Patton probably wasn't easy to understand even in person so they made a mistake on the track titles (like "hammer blues", in which he's talking about a hammock)

As for Tom Rushing, the researchers found the guy in the 60s and he talked about how proud he was of black people like Charlie Patton and Jesse Owens.

[Back2The50sPlease]

@jellyjellybobelly I may be wrong, but I have a feeling your full of shit. But I'm not going to let that ruin my Charley Patton experience here on YouTube!

[Juviex]

@jellyjellybobelly OO true story

[Juviex]

@jellyjellybobelly Why are you living in France? if you're American

[oker59]

@jellyjellybobelly

This youtube has become great for all these great memories being related! thanks!

[Jasonmcintyre2007]

how did he get that great chimey sound from a beat up old guitar? amazing