I do not own the copyrights to these recordings. This video is for historical and educational purposes.
After making their last recordings for Victor in 1930, and before their recordings for OKeh in 1934, members of the Memphis Jug Band recorded as the Picaninny Jug Band in 1932. On this Varsity issue they were billed as the Dallas Jug Band, having absolutely nothing to do with Dallas, Texas.
Members and instrumentation are interchangable on both recordings, so certain members may be playing different instruments between both songs. The session information here is vague at best.
Will Shade:Harmonica
Jab Jones:Jug
Charlie Burse:Vocals & Guitar
Vol Stevens:Vocals & Mandolin
Otto Gilmore:Percussion
Unknown:Female Backing Vocals
Recorded in Richmond, IN. Wednesday, August 3, 1932
Originally issued on the 1932 single (Champion 16615) (78 RPM)
These recordings taken from the single (Varsity 6025) (78 RPM)
@sedaray Yeah, I visited the Gennett plant in the 60s (it's been torn down since) and saw the whole setup. It may have been pretty basic but there is no question that an extraordinary group of country, jazz, and blues musicians recorded there. I always wonder why Richmond, Indiana doesn't try to let everyone know what wonders went on in that town in the 20s to 40s before Mercury bought it.
CroatAndNettles 7 months ago
These were cut pseudonymously in 1932 at the Richmond, Indiana studios of Gennett Records (pron. "Jeanette") for its subsidiary label Champion. They were a sideline of the Starr Piano Company and were a pretty cheap operation (the studio was in the factory right next to the company's railroad siding so recording had to stop if a locomotive went in there to drop off or pick up freight cars), so the sound is somewhat thin, but WHAT A GROOVE AND FEEL!!! Plenty of irresistible percussion . . .
sedaray 1 year ago