Harmonica player Papa George Lightfoot died on this day in 1971 in Natchez, MS at age 47. Lightfoot cut only a handful of singles in the 50s that became collector`s items to Blues aficionados in the 60s. Most people thought he was dead but producer Steve Lavere found him in Natchez, MS in 1969 and recorded the album Natchez Trace for Vault Records. Unfortunately, Papa George`s comeback was all too brief. He died of heart failure in 1971. Check out the ACE CD Goin` Back To The Natchez Trace, which is a re-issue of the Vault LP with some additional, previously unreleased sides. Papa Lightfoot, also known as Papa George Lightfoot (March 2, 1924 – November 28, 1971), born Alexander Lightfoot, was an American blues singer and harmonica player. Born in Natchez, Mississippi, Lightfoot recorded several sessions in his late twenties – for Peacock Records in 1949 (which were never issued), Sultan Records in 1950, Aladdin Records in 1952, and Imperial Records in 1954. After final singles for Savoy Records in 1955 and Excello Records in 1956, Lightfoot quit recording, still an obscure Southern blues harmonica player. As interest grew in rural Delta blues in the 1960s, Lightfoots name became more well-known, and in 1969 record producer Steve LaVere went to Lightfoots home town of Natchez, and asked him to record again. The result was the album Natchez Trace, released on Vault Records in 1969, which brought Lightfoot briefly to the forefront of the blues revival. Rural Blues Vol. 2 followed on Liberty Records later that same year. However, his comeback was cut short by his death in late 1971 of respiratory failure. The recordings were reissued in 1995 as Goin Back to the Natchez Trace, with six additional tracks and recorded monologue.[1]
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 13:19:30 +0000
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