Curley Weaver
Encyclopedia
Curley James Weaver was an American
blues
musician
, also known as Slim Gordon.
, Georgia
, United States
, and raised on a farm near Porterdale
. His mother, Savannah "Dip" Shepard Weaver, was a well-respected pianist
and guitarist
, who taught Curley together with her friend's sons, "Barbecue Bob" Hicks
and Charlie Hicks
. The three formed a group with harmonica
player Eddie Mapp
, and played in the local area.
, working as a laborer and playing on the streets and at various social events. In 1928, he first recorded
with Columbia Records
, later releasing records
on several different record label
s. Although he recorded on his own during the 1920s and 1930s, first in the style taught by his mother and later with the spreading Piedmont
style, he was best known for duets
with Blind Willie McTell
- with whom he worked until the 1950s - as well as Barbecue Bob
, Fred McMullen, and harmonica and guitar
player Buddy Moss
. He was also a member of the recording groups The Georgia Browns (Weaver, Moss, McMullen) and The Georgia Cotton Pickers (Bob, Weaver, Moss), examples of the sort of bands that played house parties in those days.
he recorded in New York
and Atlanta
both solo
, and with McTell. His final recordings
were in 1949. Weaver lost his sight
in the 1950s after working on the railroad, and died of uremia
in Almon, Georgia, in 1962, at the age of 56.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
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....
, also known as Slim Gordon.
Early years
He was born in CovingtonCovington, Georgia
Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,118. The city is the county seat of Newton County...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and raised on a farm near Porterdale
Porterdale, Georgia
Porterdale is a town in Newton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,281 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Porterdale is located at ....
. His mother, Savannah "Dip" Shepard Weaver, was a well-respected pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, who taught Curley together with her friend's sons, "Barbecue Bob" Hicks
Barbecue Bob
Robert Hicks, better known as Barbecue Bob was an early American Piedmont blues musician. His nickname came from the fact that he was a cook in a barbecue restaurant. One of the two extant photographs of Bob show him playing his guitar while wearing a full length white apron and cook's hat.-Early...
and Charlie Hicks
Charley Lincoln
Charley Lincoln , was an early American country blues musician. He often recorded with his brother Robert Hicks ....
. The three formed a group with harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player Eddie Mapp
Eddie Mapp
Eddie Mapp was an American country blues harmonicist. He is best known for his accompaniment on record of both Barbecue Bob and Curley Weaver.-Biography:...
, and played in the local area.
Early career
In 1925 Weaver moved to AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, working as a laborer and playing on the streets and at various social events. In 1928, he first recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, later releasing records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
on several different record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s. Although he recorded on his own during the 1920s and 1930s, first in the style taught by his mother and later with the spreading Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
style, he was best known for duets
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with Blind Willie McTell
Blind Willie McTell
Blind Willie McTell , was an influential Piedmont and ragtime blues singer and guitarist. He played with a fluid, syncopated fingerstyle guitar technique, common among many exponents of Piedmont blues, although, unlike his contemporaries, he used exclusively a twelve-string guitar...
- with whom he worked until the 1950s - as well as Barbecue Bob
Barbecue Bob
Robert Hicks, better known as Barbecue Bob was an early American Piedmont blues musician. His nickname came from the fact that he was a cook in a barbecue restaurant. One of the two extant photographs of Bob show him playing his guitar while wearing a full length white apron and cook's hat.-Early...
, Fred McMullen, and harmonica and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
player Buddy Moss
Buddy Moss
Eugene "Buddy" Moss was, in the estimation of many blues scholars, one of two the most influential East Coast blues guitarists to record in the period between Blind Blake's final sessions in 1932 and Blind Boy Fuller's debut in 1935...
. He was also a member of the recording groups The Georgia Browns (Weaver, Moss, McMullen) and The Georgia Cotton Pickers (Bob, Weaver, Moss), examples of the sort of bands that played house parties in those days.
Later years
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he recorded in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
both solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
, and with McTell. His final recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
were in 1949. Weaver lost his sight
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
in the 1950s after working on the railroad, and died of uremia
Uremia
Uremia or uraemia is a term used to loosely describe the illness accompanying kidney failure , in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ....
in Almon, Georgia, in 1962, at the age of 56.
Children
His daughter Cora Mae Bryant (born May 1, 1926) continued in her father's tradition as a blues musician until her own death in late 2008.External links
- Biography
- [ Curley Weaver biography] at Allmusic 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...