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“If you want to learn how to make songs yourself, you take your guitar and you go to where the road crosses that way, where a crossroads is. Get there, be sure to get there just a little ‘fore 12 that night so you know you’ll be there. You have your guitar and be playing a piece there by yourself…A big black man will walk up there and take your guitar and he’ll tune it. And then he’ll play a piece and hand it back to you. That’s the way I learned to play anything I want.” - Tommy Johnson
Tommy Johnson “Cool Drink Of Water Blues” (3:37)
“Papa Charlie” McCoy - accompanying guitar
(Recorded February 3, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee)
“Cool Drink of Water Blues” is a masterpiece of 1920’s Delta blues, showcasing Tommy Johnson’s eerie falsetto and masterfully manipulated vocal dynamics that established him as the premier Delta blues vocalist of his day. His effortless guitar playing, rhythmic and solid, was secondary to his exceptional singing.
Charles “Papa Charlie” McCoy (one of the major blues accompanists of his time) is backing Tommy Johnson on guitar. This was both Tommy Johnson’s and “Papa Charlie” McCoy’s first recorded song, recorded February 3, 1928 at Memphis Auditorium, in Memphis, Tennessee in an all-star session that saw “Papa Charlie” McCoy backing Tommy Johnson, Ishmon Bracey and Rosie Mae Moore over a two-day period.
“Cool Drink of Water Blues” was famously covered by Howlin’ Wolf as “I Asked For Water (She Brought Me Gasoline)” in 1956 and brilliantly by The Gun Club as “Cool Drink of Water” on their 1981 debut album “Fire of Love”
Ishmon Bracey “Saturday Blues” (3:34)
“Papa Charlie” McCoy - accompanying guitar
(Recorded February 4, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee)
Ishmon Bracey “Leavin’ Town Blues (unissued)” (3:32)
“Papa Charlie” McCoy - mandolin
(Recorded August 31, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee)
Tarter & Gay “Brownie Blues” (3:00)
Stephen Tarter - guitar and vocal
Harry Gay - guitar
(Recorded November 2, 1928 in Bristol, Tennessee)
Carl Martin “Badly Mistreated Man” (3:09)
(Recorded January 8, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois)
William (Bill) Moore “Ragtime Millionaire” (3:08)
(Recorded circa January 1928 in Chicago, Illinois)
William “Bill” Moore “Barbershop Rag” (2:56)
unknown male speaking, possibly Jimmy Bertrand or Mayo Williams
(Recorded circa January 1928 in Chicago, Illinois)
William “Bill” Moore “Raggin’ The Blues” (2:58)
unknown male speaking, possibly Jimmy Bertrand or Mayo Williams
(Recorded circa January 1928 in Chicago, Illinois)
