Boogie Bill Webb
| Boogie Bill Webb | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 24, 1924 Jackson, Mississippi, United States |
| Died |
August 22, 1990 (aged 66) New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | Louisiana blues, R&B, country blues, electric blues[1] |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1947–1990 |
| Labels | Imperial, Flying Fish |
Boogie Bill Webb (March 24, 1924 – August 22, 1990)[2] was an American Louisiana blues and R&B guitarist, singer and songwriter. Webb's own style of music combined Mississippi country blues with New Orleans R&B.[1] His best known recordings were "Bad Dog" and "Drinkin' and Stinkin'".[2] Despite a lengthy, albeit stuttering, career, Webb nevertheless only released one album.[1]
Biography
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Webb's first guitar at the age of eight was stringed with screen wire and made from a cigar box.[1] His greatest influence was Tommy Johnson.[3] With a real guitar obtained whist a teenager, in 1947 Webb won a talent show, and subsequently briefly appeared in the musical film, The Jackson Jive, before settling in New Orleans in 1952.[1]
Webb obtained a recording contract with Imperial Records, after his friendship with Fats Domino led to his introduction to Dave Bartholomew.[3] In 1953 Webb released his debut single, "Bad Dog," a non commercial slice of country boogie-woogie. Frustrated by lack of recognition, Webb relocated to Chicago, where he worked in various factories.[1] In Chicago, Webb met and sat in with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, and Chuck Berry.[4]
Webb returned to New Orleans in 1959 to work as a stevedore, performing music infrequently. However, in 1968 he recorded several songs for the folklorist David Evans, which eventually appeared on the Arhoolie Records album Roosevelt Holts and His Friends.[3] The 1972 compilation album, The Legacy of Tommy Johnson contained five tracks performed by Webb.[5]
A combination of the exposure at home and in Europe led to visits to Webb from blues fans, and invitations to tour. In 1982 Webb appeared at the Dutch Utrecht Festival.[1] Finally in 1989, with financial assistance from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, Webb released Drinkin' and Stinkin'.[1] His experience of encountering three drunken women, who had been out drinking for three days without bathing, inspired the lyrics for the title track of the album.[6]
Boogie Bill Webb died in New Orleans in August 1990, at the age of 66.[2]
Discography
Albums
- Drinkin' and Stinkin' (1989) - Flying Fish Records[7]
Compilation albums
- Rural Blues Volume 2 - Saturday Night Function (1968) Imperial Records
- Rural Blues Volume 3 - Down Home Stomp (1968) Imperial Records
- The Blues of Snooks Eaglin & Boogie Bill Webb (2004)
- The Blues of Robert Lockwood Jr. & Boogie Bill Webb (2004) - Storyville Records
Filmography
Films
- The Jackson Jive (1947)
DVDs
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Ankeny, Jason. "Boogie Bill Webb". Allmusic. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Thedeadrockstarsclub.com (1990) - accessed May 2010
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Big Road Blues". Sundayblues.org. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
- ↑ Evans, David (2002). Big Road Blues: Tradition and creativity in the folk blues (1st ed.). Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 117. ISBN 0-520-03484-8.
- ↑ Wirz.de/music - accessed May 2010
- ↑ Evans, David (2002). Big Road Blues: Tradition and creativity in the folk blues (1st ed.). Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 132. ISBN 0-520-03484-8.
- ↑ "Allmusic ((( Bill "Boogie Bill" Webb > Discography > Main Albums )))".
- ↑ "Allmusic ((( Bill "Boogie Bill" Webb > Discography > DVDs & Videos )))".
- ↑ Lovefilm.com - accessed May 2010
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