Roots of Blues Mississippi John Hurt „Candy Man Blues

„Candy Man Blues
(J. Hurt)

Recorded: New York City, December 28,1928
Mississippi John Hurt (vcl)(g).

Born John Smith Hurt in Teoc, Carroll County, Mississippi and raised in Avalon, Mississippi, Hurt learned to play guitar at age 9. He spent much of his youth playing old time music for friends and dances, earning a living as a farm hand into the 1920s. In 1923 he partnered with the fiddle player Willie Narmour as a substitute for his regular partner Shell Smith. When Narmour got a chance to record for Okeh Records as a prize for winning first place in a 1928 fiddle contest, Narmour recommended John Hurt to Okeh Records producer Tommy Rockwell. After auditioning "Monday Morning Blues" at his home, he took part in two recording sessions, in Memphis and New York City (see Discography below). The "Mississippi" tag was added by Okeh as a sales gimmick. After the commercial failure of the resulting records, and Okeh Records going out of business during the Great Depression, Hurt returned to Avalon and obscurity, working as a sharecropper and playing local parties and dances.

In 1963, however, a folk musicologist, Tom Hoskins, inspired by the recordings, was able to locate Hurt near Avalon, Mississippi. Seeing that Hurt's guitar playing skills were still intact, Hoskins encouraged him to move to Washington, D.C., and begin performing on a wider stage. His performance at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival saw his star rise amongst the new folk revival audience. Before his death he played extensively in colleges, concert halls, coffee houses and also on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, as well as recording three further albums for Vanguard Records. The numbers his devotees particularly liked were the ragtime songs "Salty Dog" and "Candy Man", and the blues ballads "Spike Driver Blues" (a variant of "John Henry") and "Frankie".

Hurt's influence spanned several music genres including blues, country, bluegrass, folk and contemporary rock and roll. A soft-spoken man, his nature was reflected in the work, which remained a mellow mix of country, blues and old time music to the end.[7]

Hurt died in November 1966 from a heart attack in Grenada, Mississippi

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Blues
• Roots_of_Blues
• History_of_music
• Vintage_Blues

[walkingthevalley]

I just got back from visiting MJH's gravesite in what used to be Avalon, Mississippi. It was a long quest, but worth it.

[bwelc00]

I read an interview with him once and he said he "just played his guitar like he thought it should sound."

[getarslim]

One of the most syncopated players ever, right up there with Reverend Gary Davis.

[fensterchunster]

@fpbvos You are right ! I had to listen to it again. Thanks !

[fpbvos]

@fensterchunster I think it's about... You know, a guy with a nine inch big candy stick that girls can take to bed... And it don't melt away you know... Just gets better over time.

[lightfox11]

this song is obviously about an awesome lover not a dope pusher

[sylverstarify]

He inspired the country music as chuck berry did it with the rock...

[fensterchunster]

Song is about a dope pusher aka candy man..

[ukslim2000]

Absolutely inspired guitar arrangement which talented guitar players struggle with to this day. You'll need to set aside about four or five years to learn it properly ...