Will Shade Better Leave That Stuff Alone

I do not own the copyright to this recording. This video is for historical and educational purposes

Composed by Will Shade

Will Shade was one of the greatest, if not the greatest prewar blues musician from Memphis, TN. Born in the Memphis area on February 5, 1898, he learned how to play guitar from a street musician by the name of Tee Wee Blackman before World War I. Shade got his first taste of the blues in 1925 by listening to recordings by the Dixieland Jug Blowers, a group from Louisville, Kentucky. Shade soon formed The Memphis Jug Band with Blackman on guitar, Lionhouse on jug, Ben Ramey as a singer, and Shade playing guitar, harmonica and washtub bass. Shade led The MJB for forty years, and many musicians passed through the group. They made their recording debut in 1927, and recorded 100 sides as a band, 60 recordings for Victor Records alone. Will Shade didn't make a lot of solo recordings under his own name, but this number is one of them. He made two recordings with the Picaninny Jug Band and also recorded as a duet with Charlie Burse. Will Shade made his final recordings in 1963 when he backed his old friend Gus Cannon on an album for Stax Records ("Walk Right In"). He died from pneumonia at the age of 68 at John Gaston Hospital on September 18, 1966 and was buried in an unmarked grave at Shelby County Cemetary in Memphis. In 2008 a group of musicians at the Old Town School of Folk Music based in Chicago, IL. held a fundraiser and purchased a headstone for his grave. The same group sponsored him having him a "brass note" placed on the Beale Street Walk of Fame in Memphis on August 1, 2009.

Will Shade:Vocals & Guitar

Jab Jones:Piano

Recorded in Memphis, TN. Monday, September 24, 1928

Originally issued on Victor 21725 (78 RPM)

This recording taken from the 1993 CD "Memphis Masters 1927-1934"

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Will
• Shade
• Jab
• Jones
• Memphis
• Jug
• Band
• Prewar
• Blues
• Guitar

[coyotesahowling]

Now I know the meaning of "Canned Heat". TX awesome stuff and great history.

[randomandrare]

@coyotesahowling Thank you for your comment and for viewing!

[MarcBrewer]

If a woman says she don't drink corn liquor, don't think she's nice and sweet

If she don't drink that old corn liquor, bet your bottom dollar she drinks that old canned heat.

[gitfiddlejim]

More great stuff Random, hope you dont mind me sayin that the first picture is Frank Stokes, another top Memphis rounder.