“She was 5 feet tall. She was less than 100 lbs “soaking wet”. She spent her childhood in Oregon and Idaho yet was proud of her family’s Southern roots. She could hunt and fish and, if you deserved it, she could punch your lights out! She was Lee Morse, one of the most popular female recording artists during the Jazz Age 20’s and 30’s. And, she is worth remembering.” ~Ian House
Jimmie Rogers (1897-1933) is considered the Father of Country Music for his long-lasting music influences, worked the railroad until he contracted tuberculosis in 1925. While fighting off the disease and unable to perform physical labor, he returned to his original love, writing and performing, until he succumbed at the age of 35.
Sadly, there was a vaccine to combat TB as early as 1921, but according to Wiki it wasn’t widely available in the U.S. or Europe until after WWII. Rogers also sang about his affliction in “TB Blues.”
Here’s Jimmie Rogers in the Columbia Pictures short “The Singing Brakeman” from 1930.
That’s it for this edition of The Saturday Matinee. Have a great weekend, folks.
Edwin Starr lip-synched the classic song “War” in 1969. Good God, y’all. Originally recorded by The Temptations, their version was squelched and re-recorded with Starr on vocals. It made No.1 on the charts in 1970, and was one of 161 songs on the Clear Channel no-play list after September 11, 2001 according to Wiki.
Nobody wants war except our enemies, and to ignore their stated intents and stated goals is fatal. Seems to me that if they want to kill all of us, all Jews, all of Western Civilization, we’re going to have a very long fight.
Valerie June plays “organic moonshine roots music.” More popular in Europe than the U.S., her recording of “Workin’ Woman Blues” was produced and engineered in Budapest. [via]
“Rake My Back” by The Forbidden Pigs (live at the Zoo Bar, Lincoln Nebraska 2001). The missus and I saw them in L.A. about 10 years prior by accident. We went to see The Paladins, and Jimmy & The Mustangs were there, too. The Paladins were great, The Mustangs were loud, but The F Pigs blew everyone away. Best stunt was when the drummer got up on his stool, took a flip over his kit, landed on his feet and beat the strings of Bacon’s bass. Pure awesome.
Have a great Labor Day weekend, folks. We’re not going anywhere soon.
Karen Marie‘s take on Little Willie John‘s “Fever” (done in 12 styles with Postmodern Jukebox). It kept my attention, even though the video erroneously credits Peggy Lee for the song. LWJ recorded it in 1956; two years later Peggy Lee covered it.
Here’s the great Buddy Guy and his take on the song. And with that we’re out. Have a great weekend, folks. See you soon.
All three take me back to the Land of the Onions and the Eels and the days of my youth. Great modern retro rock for this edition of The Saturday Matinee. Have a great weekend, folks, and we’ll see y’all back here tomorrow.
Johnny Winter, legendary guitarist and one of the most recognizable icons of Texas blues and rock passed away at the age of 70 earlier this week after a long career.
In a documentary released this year entitled “Johnny Winter Down and Dirty,” he laughed, “Made my first record when I was 15, started playing clubs when I was 15. Started drinking and smoking when I was 15. Sex when I was 15. Fifteen was a big year for me.”
According to Wiki, at age 10 he and his 8 year old brother Edgar played on local TV in his hometown of Beaumont Texas. Johnny Winter performed for an astounding 60 years, and he died while on still on tour.
RIP, Johnny. You made our roadtrips a hellalotta fun.
Turn up the sound and be amused – two Mormon missionaries sharked a streetball game. Here’s an exerpt from the Utoobage description:
“My cousin Cole, a missionary in Dallas Texas, has been dying to play some street ball and got the chance. After playing it cool asking to play because they are “Just some white boys”, they were allowed to play and tried to make it look like they weren’t that good. That is until they started to play.
[…]
“He actually was on a State Champ basketball team where he can dunk a regulation size hoop. He has over a 40″ Vert. but doing this in his dress shoes is even better.”
RamCam is self explanatory.
Kim Wilson is the best original blues harmonica jammer since James Cotton, IMO. Yeah, Magic Dick was awesome, but KW wins it in my book.
Bunkessa showed up without warning a while ago, and suggested Hurray For The Riff Raff for a wrap. 27:30 is pure retro awesome.
Have a great weekend, folks, and be back here tomorrow for more fun.
Great performance by The Band, 1969. So let’s go retro to a great bluesey holler.
Janis Joplin did what other blues singers couldn’t do – get attention in the U.S in 1967. So what about 1965?
Barry McGuire gravelled his way through P.F. Sloan‘s “Eve of Destruction” without knowing what he was singing about almost 5o years ago. Turns out he may have been right for the wrong reasons, but it’s still a classic song.
If you agree with the Barry McGuire of 1965, believe that things are falling apart in 2014 and have the right to vote, please use your vote wisely… and whenever in doubt, abstain or vote NO.
Have a great weekend, folks. See you back here tomorrow for the cool stuff.