Drink Small

Drink Small
Also known as The Blues Doctor
Born January 28, 1933
Bishopville, South Carolina, United States
Genres Electric blues, soul blues[1]
Occupation(s) Guitarist, singer, songwriter
Instruments Guitar, vocals
Years active Mid 1950s – present
Labels Ichiban, various

Drink Small (born January 28, 1933)[1] is an African American soul blues and electric blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is known as the 'Blues Doctor', and has been influenced by gospel and country music and Blind Boy Fuller.[2]

Biography

Small was born in Bishopville, South Carolina, United States.[1] He was self-taught on the guitar and organised a local gospel group, the Six Stars. He had eclectic musical influences including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Merle Travis, John Lee Hooker and Fats Domino.[3]

He was rated as one of the best gospel guitarists in the 1950s, before he turned his attention to secular music later in that decade. In 1959, he released the single "I Love You Alberta" on Sharp Records.[1][3] Small had a long career, recording spasmodically for small record labels, before issuing six albums between 1990 and 2008.[2] He recorded dirty blues tracks such as "Tittie Man" and "Baby, Leave Your Panties Home",[4] with more righteous offerings such as "The Lord Been Good to Me".[5]

Small appeared at the 2005 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.[3] He also performed at the first Julius Daniels Memorial Blues Festival in Denmark, South Carolina, in October 2010.

Discography

Albums

Year Title Record label
1976 I Know My Blues Are Different Southland (Select-O-Hits)
1990 The Blues Doctor Ichiban
1991 Round Two Wild Dog Blues
1994 Electric Blues Doctor Live Mapleshade
2003 Does It All Bishopville
2006 Blues Doctor: Live & Outrageous! Erwin
2008 Tryin' to Survive at 75 Bishopville

[6]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jim O'Neal (1933-01-28). "Drink Small | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Herzhaft, Gérard (1997). Encyclopedia of the blues (2nd ed.). Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States: University of Arkansas Press. p. 62. ISBN 1-55728-452-0.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Franklin V, Benjamin (2008). Jazz & blues musicians of South Carolina (1st ed.). Columbia, South Carolina, United States: University of South Carolina Press. pp. 69/85. ISBN 978-1-57003-743-6.
  4. Niles J. Frantz. "The Blues Doctor - Drink Small | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  5. "Tryin' to Survive at 75 - Drink Small | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  6. "Drink Small | Discography". AllMusic. 1933-01-28. Retrieved 2014-01-26.