Blind Lemon Jefferson ..Tall Cotton Production , Voice of Texas Music < Cotton Row Music & Records History of Texas Music: Vol. 1 Where shall we begin our journey through the history of Texas Music? It’s an intimidating question to say the least. But as with any long trip, we must take a first step. And since Tall Cotton has its roots in the blues, it seems that an early pioneer in our new home state is a logical choice. “Blind” Lemon Jefferson definitely fits the bill, with a story and influence that still captivate us today. Born Lemon Henry Jefferson on September 24, 1893 (or was it October 26, 1894 as he listed on his draft registration card?) “Blind” Lemon left a legacy of creativity and mystery in his short life. In the 36 years preceding his death he went from being a blind (or did he have partial sight?) son of sharecroppers near present day Wortham, TX to a life of creativity and musical innovation that brought him unmatched popularity for a male blues singer of his time. Jefferson’s rambling nature and short life span coupled with the period of time in which he lived provide us with few concrete truths about the man (as you’ve probably already noticed). But what is known about him and his influence on future artists and performers cements his designation as “Father of the Texas Blues.” The Blues hitchhiked to Texas with African American laborers in the early 1900’s, and surely Jefferson was exposed to early performers such as Henry “Ragtime Texas” Thomas and “Texas” Alexander. But not surprisingly, facts about his musical influences and education are sketchy at best. It is clear that Jefferson was playing the guitar and singing publicly by his early teen years in a variety of settings. From picnics and parties to corners outside bars and brothels, Jefferson honed his craft “sitting there and playing and singing all night.” These experiences no doubt helped form his unique, creative, all-encompassing style. Blending traditional blues, gospel, country, folk, and jazz, Jefferson’s style was not bound by musical rules, and helped lay the groundwork for the Texas Sound we all know and love. Jefferson began to take his talents as a street performer to Dallas in the early 1910’s and made a more permanent move by 1917 to the Deep Ellum section of the city. During this period Jefferson met and influenced musicians such Huddie Ledbetter, more commonly known as Lead Belly and Aaron Thibeaux “T-Bone” Walker in the city’s burgeoning blues scene. By the time the early 1920’s rolled around, “Blind” Lemon was making a living playing music, and things moved quickly for him until his death in December of 1929. “Discovered” by a talent scout in late 1925, Jefferson was brought to Chicago and began his recording career in early 1926 for Paramount Records. Jefferson’s characteristic haunting voice and improvisational guitar gained popularity immediately and he recorded over 100 tracks (almost exclusively for Paramount) over the next 4 years, including a few under the names Deacon L. J. Bates and Elder J. C. Brown. Best known for songs like “Matchbox Blues,” “Black Snake Moan,” and “See That My Grave is Kept Clean,” Jefferson toured extensively in his native Texas and across the American South. He became the first and most popular male blues singer of his time, and his recordings were also among the first to feature solo voice with blues guitar: a form that would become commonplace in subsequent years. Jefferson married in 1927 to a woman named Roberta Ransom, but not much is known for sure about his family life or personality. Conflicting stories and factoids about Jefferson abound and characterize him as everything from a gun-toting drunk to a devout man who would never play on Sunday. This ambiguity followed him all the way through his death in Chicago sometime in December of 1929. Proposed causes of death include poisoning by a jilted lover, a heart attack, a car accident, murder during a robbery, and freezing to death during a nasty storm. Regardless, “Blind” Lemon Jefferson’s body was transported back to his native Texas by his lablemate Will Enzell and laid to rest on New Years Day 1930 in Wortham Negro Cemetery. Far from being “Kept Clean,” Jefferson’s grave was unmarked for the next 37 years until a Texas Historical Marker was installed in the vicienty of his grave (not surprisingly the exact location is not known). However by the mid 1990’s Jefferson’s resting place was again in poor shape. Thankfully, through fundraising, a granite headstone was installed in 1997 and the cemetery itself was renamed “Blind Lemon Memorial Cemetery” in 2007. “Blind” Lemon Jefferson was a true innovator in Texas Music History. His music and style not only directly influenced early bluesmen like Lead Belly, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and T-Bone Walker, but continued to be a source of inspiration for generations of subsequent artists. From musical legends like Bob Dylan and B. B. King to modern acts like The White Stripes, the list of artists that have covered Jefferson’s work is as varied as the artist himself. Not surprisingly, Jefferson was inducted into inaugural class of the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980. Additionally, Jefferson’s 1927 recording of “Matchbox Blues” was named one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Without a doubt, “Blind” Lemon Jefferson deserves his place in this newsletter and in the History of Texas Music. youtu.be/VtFx-l_1SHM eepurl/_EB51
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 15:24:46 +0000
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