“Black Horse Blues” - Blind Lemon Jefferson (1926)
Blind Lemon Jefferson was the most popular male blues recording artist of the 1920’s. At a time when blues musicians were considered lucky if they were well known throughout the states in which they lived and performed, Jefferson was a celebrity on a national level.
In my opinion Blind Lemon Jefferson was one of the greatest blues musicians to have ever recorded. In fact Charlie Patton is the only blues musician that I like more than Blind Lemon Jefferson. Jefferson was unique in that his style was extremely individual and intense. Although Jefferson lived and performed in Texas, a state that had a very characteristic blues “style” in the 1920’s, none of the traits of the “Texas style” show up in his music. Rather Jefferson seemed to be the only member of a genre of blues that was of his own making.
Blind Lemon Jefferson was born in the now-defunct town of Croutchman, Texas on October 26, 1894. It is thought that he was given the nickname “Lemon” because, although he was of African-American descent, Jefferson’s skin was said to have had a “yellowish” tint to it. Though Jefferson is believed to have been born blind his lack of sight didn’t seem to affect him much. A friend of his Tom Shaw later said: “Lemon could do anything you could do”. It is said that Jefferson carried a folding cane and pistol. He could also tell the difference between currency as Shaw related: “You could hand him a dozen bills; he’d tell you just that fast, what bills, whether it’s a five or one dollar bill”.
Jefferson’s popularity was so large that he was one of the only blues musicians to become wealthy from playing the blues. Jefferson owned a car and paid for a chauffer to drive his car. It is also believed that he had a savings account in a bank which was unbelievable for a blues musician in the 1920’s. Blind Lemon Jefferson died in Chicago in late December 1929. Although it is not known for certain how he died it is believed that he froze to death while lost in a blizzard.
Musically, Jefferson was an absolutely brilliant guitarist. His guitar playing incorporated “runs” played with incredible dexterity and an unfailing sense of rhythm and movement. Jefferson’s singing style was just as irregular as his guitar playing. He possessed a huge tenor voice and his range spanned over two octaves which was very unusual for a blues singer of his time. His vocal “phrasing” which employed both semi-talking and full voiced shouting styles was quite unlike any other blues singer of the 1920’s.
Blind Lemon Jefferson was extremely influential on later musicians. His “Matchbox Blues” was covered by Carl Perkins and later by The Beatles. Jefferson’s most famous composition “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” has been covered by Bob Dylan, Mike Bloomfield, Canned Heat, and Thelonious Monster among others.
“Black Horse Blues” was recorded in Chicago, Illinois in April of 1926 for the “Paramount” label. The song’s intro is a perfect example of the nimble guitar “runs” that Jefferson frequently employed in his music.
