Charlie Patton
Encyclopedia
Charlie Patton better known as Charley Patton, was an American
Delta blues
musician
. He is considered by many to be the "Father of the Delta Blues", and is credited with creating an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring just about every Delta blues man (Palmer, 1995). Musicologist Robert Palmer
considers him among the most important musicians that America produced in the twentieth century. Many sources, including musical releases and his gravestone, spell his name “Charley” even though the musician himself spelled his name "Charlie."
near Edwards
, lived most of his life in Sunflower County
, in the Mississippi Delta
. Most sources say he was born in 1891, but there is some debate about this, and the years 1887 and 1894 have also been suggested. In 1900, his family moved 100 miles (160.9 km) north to the legendary 10000 acres (40.5 km²) Dockery Plantation
sawmill and cotton farm near Ruleville, Mississippi
. It was here that both John Lee Hooker
and Howlin' Wolf
fell under the Patton spell. It was also here that Robert Johnson played and was given his first guitar.
At Dockery, Charlie fell under the tutelage of Henry Sloan
, who had a new, unusual style of playing music which today would be considered very early blues. Charlie followed Henry Sloan around, and, by the time he was about 19, had become an accomplished performer and songwriter in his own right, having already composed "Pony Blues," a seminal song of the era.
Robert Palmer describes Patton as a "jack-of all-trades bluesman" who played "deep blues, white hillbilly songs, nineteenth-century ballads, and other varieties of black and white country dance music with equal facility".
He was extremely popular across the Southern United States
, and—in contrast to the itinerant wandering of most blues musicians of his time—played scheduled engagements at plantations and taverns. Long before Jimi Hendrix
impressed audiences with flashy guitar playing, Patton gained notoriety for his showmanship, often playing with the guitar down on his knees, behind his head, or behind his back. Although Patton was a small man at about 5 foot 5, his gravelly voice was rumored to have been loud enough to carry 500 yards without amplification. Patton's gritty bellowing was a major influence on the singing style of his young friend Chester Burnett, who went on to gain fame in Chicago as Howlin' Wolf
.
Patton settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi
with his common-law wife and recording partner Bertha Lee in 1933. He died on the Heathman-Dedham plantation near Indianola
from heart disease
on April 28, 1934 and is buried in Holly Ridge (both towns are located in Sunflower County). A memorial headstone was erected on Patton's grave (the location of which was identified by the cemetery caretaker C. Howard who claimed to have been present at the burial) paid for by musician John Fogerty
through the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund
in July, 1990. The spelling of Patton's name was dictated by Jim O'Neal
who also composed the Patton epitaph.
Patton's race is the subject of minor debate. Though he was considered African-American, because of his light complexion there have been rumors that he was Mexican
, or possibly a full-blood Cherokee
, a theory endorsed by Howlin' Wolf
. In actuality, Patton was a mix of white, black, and Cherokee (one of his grandmothers was a full-blooded Cherokee). Patton himself sang in "Down the Dirt Road Blues" of having gone to "the Nation" and "the Territo'"—meaning the Cherokee Nation
portion of the Indian Territory
(which became part of the state of Oklahoma
in 1907), where a number of Black Indians tried unsuccessfully to claim a place on the tribal rolls and thereby obtain land.
Patton's death certificate states that he died in a house approximately twenty miles from Dockery's Plantation in Indianola, Mississippi
. Bertha Lee is not mentioned on the certificate, the only informant listed being one Willie Calvin. His death was not reported in the newspapers.
(2001) is a boxed set
collecting Patton's recorded works. It also featured recordings by many of his friends and associates. The set won three Grammy Award
s in 2003 for Best Historical Album, Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, and Best Album Notes. Another collection of Patton recordings, released under Catfish Records
is titled The Definitive Charley Patton.
Charley Patton's song "Pony Blues
" (1929) was included by the National Recording Preservation Board
in the Library of Congress
' National Recording Registry in 2006. The board selects songs in an annual basis that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
placed its first historic marker on Charlie Patton's grave in Holly Ridge, Mississippi
in recognition of his legendary status as a bluesman and his importance in the development of the blues in Mississippi. It placed another historic marker at the site where the Peavine Railroad intersects with Highway 446 in Boyle, Mississippi
, designating it as a second site related to Patton on the Mississippi Blues Trail
. The marker commemorates the original lyrics of Patton's
"Peavine Blues" which describes the railway branch of Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad
which ran south from Dockery Plantation
to Boyle. The marker emphasizes that a common theme of blues
songs was riding on the railroad which was seen as a metaphor
for travel and escape.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Delta blues
Delta blues
The Delta blues is one of the earliest styles of blues music. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, a region of the United States that stretches from Memphis, Tennessee in the north to Vicksburg, Mississippi in the south, Helena, Arkansas in the west to the Yazoo River on the east. The...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He is considered by many to be the "Father of the Delta Blues", and is credited with creating an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring just about every Delta blues man (Palmer, 1995). Musicologist Robert Palmer
Robert Palmer (author/producer)
Robert Franklin Palmer Jr. was a 20th century American writer, musicologist, clarinetist, saxophonist, and blues producer...
considers him among the most important musicians that America produced in the twentieth century. Many sources, including musical releases and his gravestone, spell his name “Charley” even though the musician himself spelled his name "Charlie."
Biography
Charlie Patton was one of the first mainstream stars of the Delta blues genre. Patton, who was born in Hinds County, MississippiHinds County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000, there were 250,800 people, 91,030 households, and 62,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 100,287 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile...
near Edwards
Edwards, Mississippi
Edwards is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,347 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, lived most of his life in Sunflower County
Sunflower County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,369 people, 9,637 households, and 7,314 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 10,338 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
, in the Mississippi Delta
Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. The region has been called "The Most Southern Place on Earth" because of its unique racial, cultural, and economic history...
. Most sources say he was born in 1891, but there is some debate about this, and the years 1887 and 1894 have also been suggested. In 1900, his family moved 100 miles (160.9 km) north to the legendary 10000 acres (40.5 km²) Dockery Plantation
Dockery Plantation
Dockery Plantation was a cotton plantation and sawmill on the Sunflower River between Ruleville and Cleveland, Mississippi. It is widely regarded as the place where Delta blues music was born. Blues musicians residents at Dockery included Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson and Howlin' Wolf...
sawmill and cotton farm near Ruleville, Mississippi
Ruleville, Mississippi
Ruleville is a small city in the fertile Mississippi Delta region in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,234 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ruleville is located at ....
. It was here that both John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
and Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
fell under the Patton spell. It was also here that Robert Johnson played and was given his first guitar.
At Dockery, Charlie fell under the tutelage of Henry Sloan
Henry Sloan
Henry Sloan was an African American musician, one of the earliest figures in the history of Delta Blues. Very little is known for certain about his life, other than he tutored Charlie Patton in the ways of the blues. There have been suggestions that he moved to Chicago shortly after World War I...
, who had a new, unusual style of playing music which today would be considered very early blues. Charlie followed Henry Sloan around, and, by the time he was about 19, had become an accomplished performer and songwriter in his own right, having already composed "Pony Blues," a seminal song of the era.
Robert Palmer describes Patton as a "jack-of all-trades bluesman" who played "deep blues, white hillbilly songs, nineteenth-century ballads, and other varieties of black and white country dance music with equal facility".
He was extremely popular across the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, and—in contrast to the itinerant wandering of most blues musicians of his time—played scheduled engagements at plantations and taverns. Long before Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
impressed audiences with flashy guitar playing, Patton gained notoriety for his showmanship, often playing with the guitar down on his knees, behind his head, or behind his back. Although Patton was a small man at about 5 foot 5, his gravelly voice was rumored to have been loud enough to carry 500 yards without amplification. Patton's gritty bellowing was a major influence on the singing style of his young friend Chester Burnett, who went on to gain fame in Chicago as Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
.
Patton settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi
Holly Ridge, Mississippi
Holly Ridge is an unincorporated community in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. It is located in the Mississippi Delta, approximately five miles west of Indianola.-Blues history:...
with his common-law wife and recording partner Bertha Lee in 1933. He died on the Heathman-Dedham plantation near Indianola
Indianola, Mississippi
Indianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
from heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
on April 28, 1934 and is buried in Holly Ridge (both towns are located in Sunflower County). A memorial headstone was erected on Patton's grave (the location of which was identified by the cemetery caretaker C. Howard who claimed to have been present at the burial) paid for by musician John Fogerty
John Fogerty
John Cameron Fogerty is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and as a #1 solo recording artist. Fogerty has a rare distinction of being named on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest...
through the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund
Mt. Zion Memorial Fund
The Mt. Zion Memorial Fund is a Mississippi non-profit corporation formed in 1989 and named after the 101 year old Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Morgan City, Mississippi...
in July, 1990. The spelling of Patton's name was dictated by Jim O'Neal
Jim O'Neal
Jim O'Neal is an American blues expert, writer, record producer and record company executive. He co-founded America's first blues magazine, Living Blues, in Chicago in 1970. Since that time the magazine has set standards for blues history, culture, and journalism worldwide...
who also composed the Patton epitaph.
Patton's race is the subject of minor debate. Though he was considered African-American, because of his light complexion there have been rumors that he was Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
, or possibly a full-blood Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, a theory endorsed by Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
. In actuality, Patton was a mix of white, black, and Cherokee (one of his grandmothers was a full-blooded Cherokee). Patton himself sang in "Down the Dirt Road Blues" of having gone to "the Nation" and "the Territo'"—meaning the Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It was established in the 20th century, and includes people descended from members of the old Cherokee Nation who relocated voluntarily from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who...
portion of the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
(which became part of the state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
in 1907), where a number of Black Indians tried unsuccessfully to claim a place on the tribal rolls and thereby obtain land.
Patton's death certificate states that he died in a house approximately twenty miles from Dockery's Plantation in Indianola, Mississippi
Indianola, Mississippi
Indianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
. Bertha Lee is not mentioned on the certificate, the only informant listed being one Willie Calvin. His death was not reported in the newspapers.
Recognitions
Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley PattonScreamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton
Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton is a boxed set collecting Charley Patton's recorded works. It also features recordings by many of his friends and associates, as well as supplementary interviews and historical data...
(2001) is a boxed set
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
collecting Patton's recorded works. It also featured recordings by many of his friends and associates. The set won three Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s in 2003 for Best Historical Album, Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, and Best Album Notes. Another collection of Patton recordings, released under Catfish Records
Catfish Records
Catfish Records was a UK record label, initially devoted to reissuing blues records, mostly from the era of 78 rpm records. They concentrated on country blues and delta blues during the heyday of the late 1920s and the early 1930s, with forays into later eras up to the arrival of rhythm and blues...
is titled The Definitive Charley Patton.
Charley Patton's song "Pony Blues
Pony Blues
"Pony Blues" is a Delta blues song composed by Charley Patton. With the help of record store owner, H. C. Speir, Patton's first recording session occurred on June 14, 1929, cut six sides, included "Pony Blues" , for Paramount Records. The song later became a Delta staple and was part of every young...
" (1929) was included by the National Recording Preservation Board
National Recording Preservation Board
The United States National Recording Preservation Board selects recorded sounds for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. The National Recording Registry was initiated to maintain and preserve "sound recordings that are culturally, historically or aesthetically...
in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
' National Recording Registry in 2006. The board selects songs in an annual basis that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Patton time line
| 1891 | Patton born in Hinds County, Mississippi near Edwards or Bolton. | |||||
| 1895 | (Age 4) | The Patton family moves near Edwards Depot. | ||||
| 1900 | (Age 9) | The Patton family moves to the Dockery Plantation in Sunflower County, Mississippi, where Charlie meets his musical influence Henry Sloan. | ||||
| 1905–1907 | (Ages 14–16) | Gets guitar lessons from Earl Harris of Cleveland, and learns "You Take My Woman" and "Maggie." | ||||
| 1908 | (Age 17) | Lives with Millie Barnes, and has a baby girl named Willie Mae. | ||||
| 1910 | (Age 19) | Writes songs including "Pony Blues," "Banty Rooster Blues," "Mississippi BoWeavil," and "Down The Dirt Road." | ||||
| 1916 | (Age 25) | Offered a position in W.C. Handy's band. | ||||
| 1922 | (Age 31) | Marries Mandy France on Oss Pepper's plantation. | ||||
| 1926 | (Age 35) | Willie Brown Willie Brown (musician) Willie Brown was an American delta blues guitarist and singer.- Life and career :Born Willie Lee Brown in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Brown played with such notables as Charley Patton, and Robert Johnson. He was not known to be a self-promoting frontman, preferring to "second" other musicians... becomes his duet partner. |
||||
| 1929 | (Age 38) | Records fourteen titles for Paramount Records at Richmond, Indiana. | ||||
| 1929 | (Age 38) | In July, Paramount releases "Pony Blues," Patton's first issued recording, which sells well. | ||||
| 1929 | (Age 38) | Records again for Paramount, this time in Grafton, Wisconsin, with Henry "Son" Sims on fiddle. | ||||
| 1930 | (Age 39) | Third Paramount recording session, again in Grafton, Wisconsin, and accompanied by Son House Son House Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music... and Willie Brown on guitar, and Louise Johnson on piano. |
||||
| 1932 | (Age 41) | Final Paramount recording is released. | ||||
| 1932 | (Age 41) | Marries Bertha Lee, an overseer's daughter, in Morgan City, Mississippi Morgan City, Mississippi Morgan City is a town in Leflore County, Mississippi, northeast of Swiftown and south-southwest of Itta Bena along Mississippi Highway 7. The population was 305 at the 2000 census... . |
||||
| 1933 | (Age 42) | Almost killed when his throat is slit near Holly Ridge, Mississippi. | ||||
| 1934 | (Age 42) | Records twenty-six titles, including "Oh Death," for the American Recording Company in New York City between January 30 and February 1. | ||||
| 1934 | (Age 42) | Dies of heart failure on the Heathman-Dedham plantation in Mississippi. |
1929, Richmond
- "Pony Blues"
- "Mississippi Boweavil Blues"
- "Screamin' And Hollerin' The Blues"
- "Down The Dirt Road Blues"
- "Banty Rooster Blues"
- "Pea Vine Blues"
- "It Won't Be Long"
- "Tom Rushen Blues"
- "A Spoonful Blues"
- "Shake It And Break It (But Don't Let It Fall Mama)"
- "Prayer Of Death Part 1 & 2"
- "Lord I'm Discouraged"
- "I'm Goin' Home"
1929, Grafton
- "Going To Move To Alabama"
- "Elder Greene Blues"
- "Circle Round The Moon"
- "Devil Sent The Rain Blues"
- "Mean Black Cat Blues"
- "Frankie And Albert"
- "Some These Days I'll Be Gone"
- "Green River Blues"
- "Hammer Blues"
- "Magnolia Blues"
- "When Your Way Gets Dark"
- "Heart Like Railroad Steel"
- "Some Happy Day"
- "You're Gonna Need Somebody When You Die"
- "Jim Lee Blues Part 1"
- "Jim Lee Blues Part 2"
- "High Water Everywhere Part 1"
- "High Water Everywhere Part 2"
- "Jesus Is A Dying-Bed Maker"
- "I Shall Not Be Moved"
- "Rattlesnake Blues"
- "Running Wild Blues"
- "Joe Kirby"
- "Mean Black Moan"
- "Farrell Blues"
- "Come Back Corrina"
- "Tell Me Man Blues"
- "Be True Be True Blues"
1934, New York City
- "Jersey Bull Blues"
- "High Sheriff Blues"
- "Stone Pony Blues"
- "34 Blues"
- "Love My Stuff"
- "Revenue Man Blues"
- "Oh Death"
- "Troubled 'Bout My Mother"
- "Poor Me"
- "Hang It On The Wall"
- "Yellow Bee"
- "Mind Reader Blues"
Tributes
- Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
dedicated his song "High Water (For Charley Patton)High Water (For Charley Patton)"High Water " is a song by Bob Dylan, released on his 31st studio album "Love and Theft" in 2001. The song draws its title from the Charley Patton song "High Water Everywhere", which is one of many songs based on the 1927 Louisiana flood...
", on his 2001 album Love and Theft, to Patton. - The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn BandThe Reverend Peyton's Big Damn BandThe Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band is a three-piece American country blues band from Brown County, Indiana. They play more than 250 dates per year at venues ranging from bars to festivals. To date, they have released seven albums, the most recent is Peyton on Patton a tribute to blues pioneer...
internationally touring American country blues recording/touring artists, fronted by Kentucky ColonelKentucky colonelKentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation...
, The Reverend Peyton, produced a tribute recording to Charley Patton: "Peyton on Patton" which was released July 19, 2011. The album entered the Billboard Blues Album chart at #7. - FrenchFrench peopleThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Francis CabrelFrancis CabrelFrancis Cabrel is a well-known French singer-songwriter and guitarist. Inspired heavily by Bob Dylan, he has released a number of albums falling mostly within the realm of folk, with occasional forays into blues or country. Several of his songs, such as "L'encre de tes yeux" and "Petite Marie"...
refers to Charley Patton in the song "Cent Ans de Plus" on the 1999 album Hors-Saison. - Indie rockIndie rockIndie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band GomezGomez (band)Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport, comprising Ian Ball , Paul "Blackie" Blackburn , Tom Gray , Ben Ottewell and Olly Peacock . The band is distinguished for having three singers and four songwriters, employing traditional and electronic instruments...
recorded a song on their 2006 release How We OperateHow We OperateHow We Operate is the fifth studio album by the British rock band Gomez, which was released in May 2006. The album was produced by Gil Norton who has worked with the likes of Pixies and Foo Fighters, and was recorded at RAK Studios, London. The band have again adopted the more minimalist and...
, entitled "Charley Patton Songs". - There is a picture of Charlie Patton in the recording studioRecording studioA recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
for The White StripesThe White StripesThe White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
' Icky ThumpIcky ThumpIcky Thump is the sixth and final studio album by US alternative rock band The White Stripes. It was released June 15, 2007 in Germany, June 18, 2007 in the rest of Europe, and June 19, 2007 in the rest of the world. It was the band's first album on Warner Bros...
album. It can be seen in the background of the short demo videoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
on their websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
. - Jule Brown recorded an updated arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
of Patton's "Green River Blues", on their 2006 release Smoke and Mirrors. - Robert CrumbRobert CrumbRobert Dennis Crumb —known as Robert Crumb and R. Crumb—is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream.Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded...
narrated Patton's life in a comic book - The 1980s NYC Punk/Blues band Hi Sheriffs of Blue (which included visual artists Mark Dagley, George CondoGeorge CondoGeorge Condo is an American contemporary visual artist.-Life and career:Condo works in the medium of painting and sculpture...
and Elliot Sharp) was named after the Patton song "High Sheriff Blues".
Historic marker
The Mississippi Blues TrailMississippi Blues Trail
The Mississippi Blues Trail, created by the Mississippi Blues Commission, is a project to place interpretive markers at the most notable historical sites related to the growth of the blues throughout the state of Mississippi. The trail extends from the border of Louisiana in southern Mississippi...
placed its first historic marker on Charlie Patton's grave in Holly Ridge, Mississippi
Holly Ridge, Mississippi
Holly Ridge is an unincorporated community in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. It is located in the Mississippi Delta, approximately five miles west of Indianola.-Blues history:...
in recognition of his legendary status as a bluesman and his importance in the development of the blues in Mississippi. It placed another historic marker at the site where the Peavine Railroad intersects with Highway 446 in Boyle, Mississippi
Boyle, Mississippi
Boyle is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 720 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Andrew Boyle, the discoverer of the area...
, designating it as a second site related to Patton on the Mississippi Blues Trail
Mississippi Blues Trail
The Mississippi Blues Trail, created by the Mississippi Blues Commission, is a project to place interpretive markers at the most notable historical sites related to the growth of the blues throughout the state of Mississippi. The trail extends from the border of Louisiana in southern Mississippi...
. The marker commemorates the original lyrics of Patton's
"Peavine Blues" which describes the railway branch of Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad
The Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad was incorporated in 1882 and was part of the Illinois Central Railroad system . Construction began in Jackson, Mississippi, and continued to Yazoo City, Mississippi. The line was later expanded through the Mississippi Delta and on to Memphis, Tennessee...
which ran south from Dockery Plantation
Dockery Plantation
Dockery Plantation was a cotton plantation and sawmill on the Sunflower River between Ruleville and Cleveland, Mississippi. It is widely regarded as the place where Delta blues music was born. Blues musicians residents at Dockery included Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson and Howlin' Wolf...
to Boyle. The marker emphasizes that a common theme of blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
songs was riding on the railroad which was seen as a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for travel and escape.
External links
- History of Charley Patton recording on Paramount Records
- Charlie Patton by R. Crumb
- [ Charley Patton Biography] (Allmusic)
- Southern Music Network -- Charlie Patton
- The bluesman -- Charlie Patton (by Cub KodaCub KodaMichael "Cub" Koda was an American rock and roll singer, guitarist, songwriter, disc jockey, music critic, and record compiler. Rolling Stone magazine felt that Koda was best known for writing the song "Smokin' in the Boys' Room", which reached #3 on the 1974 Billboard charts as performed by...
) - Charley Patton - Delta Blues
- Charley Patton Profile
- Songs by and featuring Charley Patton on The Internet Archive
- 1980 Induction into Blues Foundation Hall of Fame
- http://mtzionmemorialfund.org/site/memorials/charlie-patton/ Mount Zion Memorial Fund
- Milestone Charley Patton recordings at Three Perfect Minutes