NYC 1935: Leadbelly, Negro Minstrel & Sweet Swamp Singer To Perform Between Homicides

[JohnBckWLD]

MMSIMS: Mundane Musical Stuff I Must Share

I like the blues and I really dont grasp the whole ‘Leadbelly worship’ phenomenon. But that being said, I was surprised to read this article today. I can’t believe headlines like this were read by people like my maternal grandparents.

The NYC Press, ca 1935:

@The Herald Tribune

LOMAX ARRIVES WITH LEAD BELLY, NEGRO MINSTREL, SWEET SINGER OF THE SWAMPLANDS HERE TO DO A FEW TUNES BETWEEN HOMICIDES.

@Time Magazine

“Murderous Minstrel.”

There are a few quoted lines in the article I bet modern day hip-hoppers or rock stars wouldn’t mind being credited to them:

“A walking, singing, fighting album…(a) voice (that) causes brown-skinned women to swoon and produces a violently inverse effect upon their husbands and lovers…‘a natural’ who had no idea of money, law or ethics and was possessed of virtually no self-restraint.”