259:, such as "Little Green Slippers" and "Insane Crazy Blues", were more musically complex and jazz-oriented; songs led by Charlie Pierce sounded like Appalachian fiddle tunes, backed by impressive jug playing and shouted challenges from his bandmates. Will Shade continued playing straightforward country blues songs for the rest of his life, but he also introduced some jazz elements, as in his 1962 field recording of "Jump and Jive", which incorporates lyrics from
406:
and Beale for informal recording sessions featuring former musical rivals (including his former romantic rival Furry Lewis), playing together in different combinations. Shade continued using the name
Memphis Jug Band, even for recordings consisting only of him and one or two other members. His wife, Jennie Mae Clayton, who sang on some of the earliest Memphis Jug Band recordings, also sang on some of these field recordings.
449:
The
Memphis Jug Band played a crucial role in shaping the jug band format, which later evolved into the blues ensembles that form the foundation of contemporary popular music. Like many acoustic blues musicians from their time, their influence was somewhat overshadowed by the rise of electric blues
405:
During the folk revival of the 1950s, Shade made several field recordings. His ongoing activity as a performer and his accessible location in
Memphis made him a popular starting point for scholars looking for other musicians in the area. Shade would often gather musicians at his apartment at Fourth
194:
The group recorded under several names for various record labels: the
Picaninny Jug Band, the Memphis Sanctified Singers, the Carolina Peanut Boys, the Dallas Jug Band, the Memphis Sheiks, and the Jolly Jug Band. Other releases were credited to individual members of the band —
254:
The band initially played mostly country blues, but its repertoire expanded as new members contributed their own styles. Songs led by
Charlie "Bozo" Nickerson, such as "Everybody's Talking About Sadie Green" and "Cave Man Blues", were boisterous and funny; songs led by
82:(also known as Son Brimmer or Sun Brimmer). The personnel of the band varied from day to day, with Shade booking gigs and arranging recording sessions. The band was as a training ground for musicians who would go on to make careers of their own.
450:
in the 1950s. Today, modern jug bands continue to perform numerous songs originally popularized by the
Memphis Jug Band. However, only those covered by rock groups in the 1960s remain widely recognizable to broader audiences.
453:
The
Memphis Jug Band was awarded a Brass Note on the Beale Street "Walk of Fame" in 2009. It was among the first group of inductees into the Jug Band Hall of Fame, an informal website run by jug band musicians, in 2010.
381:
invited Cannon, then 79 years old, to record a full-length album the following year. Will Shade, the leader of the
Memphis Jug Band, backed Cannon on jug, and former member Milton Roby played washboard.
274:, and that the jug and kazoo represented the voices of animals or ancestral spirits. However, many of the Memphis Jug Band's influences are more readily apparent in popular musical styles of their time.
239:
as a prominent lead instrument, similar in sound to a trumpet in a jazz band. Another variation from the
Louisville sound was a focus on country blues songs, like those favored by
174:
recordings, either uncredited or as part of the
Memphis Sanctified Singers. The large membership pool gave the Memphis Jug Band the flexibility to play a mixture of
63:. They played slow blues, pop songs, humorous songs and upbeat dance numbers with jazz and string band flavors. The band made the first commercial recordings in
328:
in November 1934. By that time, their style of music was no longer in demand by record companies, as commercial styles were moving toward a more urban sound.
243:
and other Memphis-area solo artists. (The Memphis Jug Band recorded Jackson's hit song "Kansas City Blues" twice and performed it on the television program,
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320:. The Victor recordings were made in Memphis and Atlanta, Georgia, between 1927 and 1930; the Champion-Gennett recordings were made in
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The remarkable sound of the Memphis Jug Band was partly due to its unusual instruments. The first recorded jug bands, based in
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in local parks and markets. They were popular with white and black audiences, playing at country clubs and parties at the
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noted that the "raspy, buzzing sound" of some of the jug band instruments was close to the musical aesthetic of
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52:
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219:, "Poor Jab" Jones, and Will Shade—but were performed with accompaniment by other members of the band.
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musicians in the Memphis area grouped around the singer, songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player
308:
Between 1927 and 1934, the Memphis Jug Band made more than eighty commercial recordings, first for
232:
60:
247:, in 1958.) This is the basic jug band sound that was adopted by other Memphis-area groups, like
1120:
858:
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251:'s Jug Stompers, Jed Davenport's Beale Street Jug Band and Jack Kelly's South Memphis Jug Band.
235:
taking the place of a tuba or trombone. The Memphis Jug Band borrowed from this model but added
240:
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98:(guitar, tenor guitar, vocals), Charlie Nickerson (vocals, piano), Charlie Pierce (fiddle),
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337:, released in 1952 (a third is on the unreleased fourth volume). Their 1928 recording of
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Twenty-eight of the group's commercial recordings from 1927 to 1934 were reissued by
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434:(from the George Mitchell collection), recorded 1962, reissued 2006, seven songs
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in 1930, one of her first recording sessions. Some members also contributed to
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in 1959. The song became one of the group's best known, especially after the
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The following are commercially available field recordings from this period:
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in 1962. Capitalizing on the success of that recording, the Memphis label
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Among the recorded members of the Memphis Jug Band at various times were
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The Memphis Jug Band played wherever they could find engagements and
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28:
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166:. The Memphis Jug Band accompanied Memphis Minnie on two sides for
68:
40:
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Two of their 1920s recordings were included on the influential
324:, in August 1932; and the final sessions for Okeh were held in
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36:
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active from the mid-1920s to the late-1950s. The band featured
583:
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416:, recorded 1957, reissued 2012, three songs and one interview
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183:
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48:
32:
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Dixon, Robert M.W.; Godrich, John; and Rye, Howard (1997).
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and was shown performing at one of Crump's parties in a
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993:
Musselwhite, Charlie (2008). Personal communication.
312:, then (as the Picaninny Jug Band) for the Champion-
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397:with a reduced and reprogrammed 23-track listing.
440:, vol. 3, recorded 1964, reissued 2004, two songs
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67:, and recorded more sides than any other prewar
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574:American Epic: The Best of the Memphis Jug Band
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428:, recorded 1960, reissued 1997, one interview
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150:(washboard, drums). Vocals were provided by
94:(harmonica, guitar, washtub bass, vocals),
697:. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell. p. 45.
523:Memphis Jug Band with Cannon's Jug Stompers
1021:Music: Books on Music and Sound Recordings
746:
358:recorded it as its first single, in 1966.
290:. The band was a favorite of former mayor
962:
801:Woman with Guitar: Memphis Minnie's Blues
541:Memphis Shakedown: More Jug Band Classics
303:
182:tunes, knock-about novelty numbers, and
1058:Olsson, Bengt (1980). Liner notes from
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1111:Musical groups from Memphis, Tennessee
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422:recorded 1959, reissued 2003, one song
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946:
797:
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695:The Blackwell Guide to Recorded Blues
114:(piano, jug, vocals), Johnny Hodges (
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630:Blues & Gospel Records 1890–1943
1054:. John Edwards Memorial Foundation.
1037:: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (
901:"Memphis Jug Band - Memphis School"
804:. New York: Da Capo Press. p.
611:. Da Capo Press. Part II, page 25.
400:
231:, were jazz-oriented groups with a
13:
968:"Consumer Guide: Re-make/Re-model"
14:
1132:
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883:. Da Capo Press. Part II, p. 19.
828:Charters, Samuel Barclay (1995).
1046:Anon. (1983). "Record Reviews".
507:The Best of the Memphis Jug Band
334:Anthology of American Folk Music
300:magazine photo feature in 1941.
987:
956:
940:
924:"Memphis Jug Band | Songs"
916:
894:
873:
861:from the original on 2021-12-12
770:The Guinness Who's Who of Blues
277:
1060:Memphis Jug Band: Double Album
851:"Will Shade and Charlie Burse"
843:
822:
711:
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146:) (drums and woodblocks), and
1:
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798:Garon, Paul and Beth (1992).
393:. It was reissued in 1991 on
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389:in 1980 on the double album
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134:(vocals, fiddle, mandolin),
7:
426:Conversation with the Blues
373:", which was a hit for the
361:The other jug band song on
10:
1137:
1106:American street performers
913:. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
911:U.S. National Park Service
693:Oliver, Paul, ed. (1989).
420:Alan Lomax Blues Songbook,
85:
879:Charters, Samuel (1991).
832:. Da Capo Press. p. 125.
607:Charters, Samuel (1991).
444:
292:Edward Hull "Boss" Crump
222:
1116:Gennett Records artists
1096:Memphis blues musicians
564:Big Legal Mess Records
316:label, and finally for
43:or banjolin, backed by
414:American Skiffle Bands
16:American musical group
966:(December 24, 2002).
718:Giles Oakley (1997).
657:Giles Oakley (1997).
304:Commercial recordings
557:Tennessee Recordings
458:Selected discography
432:Tennessee Recordings
341:was included on the
339:"Stealin', Stealin'"
229:Louisville, Kentucky
162:(Shade's wife), and
1025:Library of Congress
775:Guinness Publishing
773:(Second ed.).
263:'s "Jumpin' Jive".
74:Beginning in 1926,
906:2013-01-25 at the
632:. 4th ed. p. 611.
438:Blueskvarter: 1964
266:The blues scholar
160:Jennie Mae Clayton
130:(guitar, vocals),
126:(guitar, vocals),
106:(guitar, vocals),
65:Memphis, Tennessee
973:The Village Voice
964:Christgau, Robert
830:The Country Blues
739:978-0-306-80743-5
721:The Devil's Music
676:978-0-306-80743-5
669:. p. 136/7.
661:The Devil's Music
638:978-0-19-816239-1
592:
591:
363:The Country Blues
347:The Country Blues
343:compilation album
322:Richmond, Indiana
209:Charlie Nickerson
122:(kazoo, vocals),
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1077:Memphis Jug Band
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391:Memphis Jug Band
352:Folkways Records
76:African-American
23:was an American
21:Memphis Jug Band
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1079:discography at
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1071:External links
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1048:JEMF Quarterly
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1019:Anon. (1981).
1014:
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1008:
1007:
1005:, p. 290.
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953:, p. 290.
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767:, ed. (1995).
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164:Minnie Wallace
156:Memphis Minnie
128:Memphis Minnie
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371:Walk Right In
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25:musical group
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979:December 28,
977:. Retrieved
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958:
942:
931:. Retrieved
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863:. Retrieved
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765:Colin Larkin
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548:JSP Records
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379:Stax Records
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332:
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318:OKeh Records
307:
295:
281:
278:Performances
265:
261:Cab Calloway
253:
245:Blues Street
244:
226:
193:
148:Robert Burse
140:Otto Gilmore
136:Milton Robie
100:Charlie Polk
89:
73:
57:washtub bass
20:
18:
268:Paul Oliver
241:Jim Jackson
213:Vol Stevens
205:Will Weldon
197:Hattie Hart
152:Hattie Hart
144:Otto Gilmer
132:Vol Stevens
124:Will Weldon
118:) (piano),
1090:Categories
1013:References
1003:Anon. 1981
951:Anon. 1981
947:Anon. 1983
933:2015-10-05
728:. p.
367:Gus Cannon
350:issued by
249:Gus Cannon
138:(fiddle),
92:Will Shade
80:Will Shade
1101:Jug bands
595:Footnotes
190:Band name
120:Ben Ramey
112:Jab Jones
53:washboard
29:harmonica
928:AllMusic
904:Archived
859:Archived
69:jug band
41:mandolin
1081:Discogs
865:10 June
855:YouTube
588:Lo-Max
580:Popular
488:Popular
326:Chicago
314:Gennett
176:ballads
110:(jug),
102:(jug),
86:Members
887:
836:
812:
781:
736:
701:
673:
636:
615:
514:Yazoo
474:Label
471:Genre
468:Title
445:Legacy
284:busked
272:Africa
172:gospel
45:guitar
37:fiddle
584:blues
569:2017
553:2006
537:2005
519:2005
503:2001
497:Yazoo
492:blues
479:1980
465:Year
237:kazoo
223:Sound
184:blues
180:dance
49:piano
33:kazoo
1039:link
981:2016
885:ISBN
867:2021
834:ISBN
810:ISBN
779:ISBN
734:ISBN
699:ISBN
671:ISBN
634:ISBN
613:ISBN
369:'s "
365:was
297:Life
59:and
39:and
19:The
730:129
531:JSP
233:jug
61:jug
1092::
1062:,
1052:19
1050:.
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