“Learn that you’ll be goodndave.” Now google “eefing.”
Although Jimmy Riddle was one of the last great Eeefers, the Nashville R&B TV show “Night Train” once featured Joe Perkins‘ “Little Eeefin’ Annie.” Jimmy Riddle was the background “eeefer,” and Perkins lip synched it.
Later on, Jimmy Riddle explained it. [Related post, featuring the Hambone Boys, here.] Now, let’s clear the air a tad, with this:
Yep, that’s the great John Mayall. He kicks it at about 1:50 in. Not exactly hambone or hoodlin’ but he’s got it down. Have a great weekend, folks, see you tomorrow.
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Whoa, hold the presses. Just found this excellent clip of Captain Beefheart’s venture into R&B. Now we’re rollin’. Dim the lights, last song, slow dance, ladies’ choice.
Tacky Raccoons 
That Jimmy Riddle clip is the best thing I’ve seen in a long time. I used to watch Night Train, and I never guessed that Joe Perkins was fakin’ it. Bastard.
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Coop– I don’t recall Night Train, but I vaguely remember hearing “Little Eeephin’ Annie.” When I first saw Jimmy Riddle on HeeHaw he kinda gave me the creeps.
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Great collection. Hambone stuff is hard to find, and looks like you got to it first. The “Eeephing” was revived in the 70s and 80s by The Hambone Brothers in both Hee Haw and The Grand Ole Opry. I had the video here, by it has since been taken off YouTube due to a copyright claim. I will have to follow your advice and google me a replacement.
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strider– Check out the album cover for “Hollerin’.” It’s awesome. As I said elsewhere, it’s both the best and the worst album I ever bought.
Back to “eephin’,” here’s a link (with an obnoxious video) to an early recording, complete with the requisite handfarts:
“Here’s a field recording made in 1934 of the 13-year old Butter Boy and his version of the plantation melody “Old Aunt Dinah.” It is from the album “Deep River of Song: Black Texicans – Balladeers and Songsters of the Texas Frontier.” The song features the phenomenon of eephing, started in Tennessee at the start of the last century. Now it’s sometimes called “hillbilly beatboxing,” but it’s a sort of rhythmic wheezing, full of strange exhalations and vocal stops. Its heyday was in the 1930s, and underwent a minor revival in the ’60s with performances by Jimmie Riddle on the Hee-Haw television show.”
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Saw John Mayall about 15 years ago in a a great little joint that’s no longer there, 10 feet from the stage. He didn’t play “Thoughts About Roxanne,” but of course he played “Room To Move,” great harmonica.
Aside: He also played harp, and sang, with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee on a great tune–written by Michael Franks, of all people–called “White Boy Lost in The Blues.” I’ll see if I can find it foe you.
Aside again: What did you think of my musical choice for the Dennis Hopper obit?
It’s not the obvious one, of course.
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C Mon– I saw the Blues Breakers in the late ’70s. Awesome concert in the middle of winter, but Mayall was wearing a wife beater with cutoff shorts. Looked really out of place, and had this goofy caveman dance going on. Great show, though.
As for your tribute to Hopper, just about anything from the Easy Rider soundtrack would be entirely appropriate, and The Weight is one of my favorite Band songs.
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As promised, so delivered.
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I forgot, Mayall played the piano too.
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C Mon– Nice stuff, that.
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