Texas Alexander Frost Texas Tornado Blues 1934

Alger "Texas" Alexander was born in Jewett, Texas, north of Houston in 1900. He performed at picnics and parties while in his 20s, occasionally working with Blind Lemon Jefferson, also from east Texas. He made some good blues records with Lonnie Johnson, Eddie Lang, Clarence Williams, and King Oliver while still in his 20s. He stopped recording in 1929 and then made quite a few records in 1934, then stopped again until 1947. Texas most often performed with his cousin Lightnin Hopkins and in the late 30s with Howlin' Wolf.In 1939, Texas murdered his wife and spent 1940 to 1945 in the Paris, Texas prison. After he was released, he recorded on the Aladdin label with cousin Lightnin'. Texas died in Houston in 1954.
This music was composed by Texas to commorate the Frost, Texas Tornado which killed 60 people and levelled the little farming community on the afternoon of May 6, 1930. Others were sucked up into the cloud and never found. A mass funeral was held on the porch of the only house left standing in the town. Many caskets were simultaneously lowered as Rock of Ages could be heard from a lone trumpeter. Most in attendance at the funeral were themselves battered and injured.
Texas Alexander is accompanied by the Mississippi Sheiks-Lonnie Chatmon, Sam Chatmon on guitar, and Armenter Chatmon aka Bo Carter on violin. Okeh 8890; San Antonio, Texas; April 9,1934.

Thanks to the Houston Chronicle, Dallas Times Herald, and Blooming Grove Times as well as the collection of Edward Williams for the pictures used in this video.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Texas
• Alexander
• Frost
• Tornado
• Blues
• 1930s
• Mississippi
• Sheiks
• 78s
• 78RPM

[deewilki]

if it was recorded in 1934 then its 1934 thats like suggesting you have super powers that know he sat and wrote it in 1930 many people make tunes retrospectivly about deeply hurting things as to do it instantly may inflict to much pain the tornado hit in May 6, 1930 leaving 41 dead alas a fine tune it is

[preservationhall01]

@deewilki We do know from biographical researchers trying to understand and interpret the hardscrabble and many times severely depressed lives of Texas Alexander and his cousin Lightnin Hopkins that this song was performed as early as the fall of 1930.I certainly wasn't there but do put a lot of faith in the accuracy of the biographers. If the biographers are wrong, the song nevertheless, gives some insight into the sad life of Alger. Thanx for your comment and hope you enjoyed the vid.

[h8jf1]

In the video, it says that the tornado hit in 1930. It would seem more plausible that this was written then and not 4 years later and yes, it is all about the music, but accuracy is okay too!! Great post, thanks, he is way too forgotten and underrated.

[preservationhall01]

@h8jf1 The song was definitely written in 1930-he just didn't record it until the 1934 San Antonio sessions. He actually didn't record anything between 1930 and 1934

[lskorecki]

i'm real sorry ... IT'S GREAT MUSIC, YOU EVEN MANAGED TO GET GREAT IMAGES ... BUT IT's not 1934 ... i'ts four years before ... when texas alexander recorded these fabulous violin blues with the mississippi sheiks ... great job anyway ...

[preservationhall01]

I agree FTTB could have been cut at a 6-9-30 SA TX session with Texas and the Chatmon boys. Problem-the OKEH discography internet site was researched by Brian Rust. Matrix 8890 for the disc didn't make sense. Rust later changed the recording date to 4-34 on his Redhotjazz site. I used the '34 date because it seemed to be a date revised for accuracy, who knows?-we'll probably never know for sure. Its all about the music anyway. Thanks for your comment.

[deewilki]

@preservationhall01 i get what your saying but you can not put relitivness into the argument, many tunes were wrote before the got recorded , infact most tunes id say were well established tunes before the got recorded. the shieks for instance were playing throughout the 20s but didnt record untill the 30s, in those days popularity was figured out by touring with the tunes and playing them to see if they were liked . take the marx bros they toured for years with each film score on stage

[deewilki]

@lskorecki wrong

[deewilki]

On April 9th 1934 Texas Alexander was backed by the Mississippi Sheiks on eight numbers. The lineup featured Bo on violin, Sam Chatman and Walter Vinson on guitars. Lonnie seems to be absent from this session. Highlights include “Seen Better Days”, “Texas Troublesome Blues”, “Last Stage Blues” and “Frost Texas Tornado Blues”, a topical blues dealing with a tornado which destroyed the tiny town of Frost, Texas on May 6, 1930 leaving 41 dead.

[deewilki]

ahhh texas alexander back by the mississippi shieks

[mugwamp4]

the shot at 1.34 wtf!!!thats scary.

[mugwamp4]

the shot at 1.34 wtf!!!thats scary

[melgaskate]

Fuck.!! Fucked.!!

Blues <3