Mississippi Fred McDowell

Fred McDowell (January 12, 1904 - July 3, 1972), known by his stage name; Mississippi Fred McDowell, was a blues singer and guitar player in the North Mississippi style. McDowell was born in Rossville, Tennessee, near Memphis. His parents, who were farmers, died when McDowell was a youth. He started playing guitar at the age of 14 and played at dances around Rossville. Wanting a change from plowing fields, he moved to Memphis in 1926 where he worked in a number of jobs and played music for tips. He settled in Como, Mississippi, about 40 miles south of Memphis, in 1940 or 1941, and worked steadily as a farmer, continuing to perform music at dances and picnics. Initially he played slide guitar using a pocket knife and then a slide made from a beef rib bone, later switching to a glass slide for its clearer sound. The 1950s brought a rising interest in blues music and folk music in the United States and McDowell was brought to wider public attention, beginning when he was discovered and recorded in 1959 by Alan Lomax and Shirley Collins. McDowell's records were popular, and he performed often at festivals and clubs. He continued to perform in the North Mississippi blues style much as he had for decades, sometimes using on electric guitar. While he famously declared "I do not play no rock and roll," McDowell associated with many younger rock musicians: He coached Bonnie Raitt on slide guitar technique. He was reportedly flattered by The Rolling Stones' rather straightforward, authentic version of his "You Gotta Move" on their 1971 Sticky Fingers album. McDowell's 1969 album 'I Do Not Play No Rock 'N' Roll' was his first featuring electric guitar. The two songs in this video - Baby Please Don't Go and 61 Highway - are from this remarkable 1969 recording.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mississippi
• Fred
• McDowell
• Baby
• Please
• Don't
• Go
• 61
• Highway
• Delta
• Blues

[robinseedah]

Laudy Laudy, I remember Fred getting off the bus in Missouri and walking 5 blocks to the gig with his acoustic and a leather suitcase. He opened up with the regular, "I don't play no rock and roll" . Riveted the young college kids with the "straight n' natchrel blues". Between selections he said repeatedly." Honor your Father and your Mother, chillin'."

The next year he passed. Honored am I-- for witnessing this icon of Americana.

[beckabarecka]

I can't get a good visual of the carved bone he used on his finger......

[rzuchinski]

What an awsome video Pagabmaestro

I really dig Fred

[panchohill]

Yeah Mississippi Fred didn't play no rock&roll but he surely did "ROCK"