Dick Justice (singer)
Encyclopedia
Dick Justice was an American
blues
and folk
musician
, who hailed from West Virginia
, United States
.
Born Richard Justice, he recorded ten songs for Brunswick Records
in Chicago
in 1929. Unlike many contemporary white musicians, he was heavily influenced by black musicians, particularly Luke Jordan
who recorded in 1927 and 1929 for Victor Records. Justice's "Cocaine" is a verse-for-verse cover of the Jordan track of the same name recorded two years earlier. The song "Brownskin Blues" is also stylistically akin to much of Jordan's work but stands on its own as a Justice original. As Jordan hailed from around Lynchburg, Virginia
it is perhaps worth speculating that the two may have been associates. Justice is also musically related to Frank Hutchison
(with whom he played music and worked as a coal miner in Logan County, West Virginia
), Bayless Rose and The Williamson Brothers
.
His recording of the traditional ballad "Henry Lee" was the opening track of Harry Smith's
Anthology of American Folk Music
. Justice also recorded two sides ("Muskrat Rag" and "Poca River Blues") with the fiddler
Reese Jarvis.
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...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
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....
, who hailed from West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Born Richard Justice, he recorded ten songs for Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1929. Unlike many contemporary white musicians, he was heavily influenced by black musicians, particularly Luke Jordan
Luke Jordan
Luke Jordan was an American blues guitarist and vocalist of some renown in his local area of Lynchburg, Virginia....
who recorded in 1927 and 1929 for Victor Records. Justice's "Cocaine" is a verse-for-verse cover of the Jordan track of the same name recorded two years earlier. The song "Brownskin Blues" is also stylistically akin to much of Jordan's work but stands on its own as a Justice original. As Jordan hailed from around Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
it is perhaps worth speculating that the two may have been associates. Justice is also musically related to Frank Hutchison
Frank Hutchison
Frank Hutchison was an early country blues and piedmont blues musician.-Biography:...
(with whom he played music and worked as a coal miner in Logan County, West Virginia
Logan County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,710 people, 14,880 households, and 10,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile . There were 16,807 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
), Bayless Rose and The Williamson Brothers
The Williamson Brothers
Arnold and Ervin Williamson were folk musicians based in Logan County, West Virginia, USA active in the 1920s and 30s. Arnold played the fiddle while Ervin played the guitar and did vocals...
.
His recording of the traditional ballad "Henry Lee" was the opening track of Harry Smith's
Harry Everett Smith
Harry Everett Smith was an American archivist, ethnomusicologist, student of anthropology, record collector, experimental filmmaker, artist, bohemian and mystic...
Anthology of American Folk Music
Anthology of American Folk Music
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records , comprising eighty-four American folk, blues and country music recordings that were originally issued from 1927 to 1932.Experimental filmmaker and notable eccentric Harry Smith compiled the music...
. Justice also recorded two sides ("Muskrat Rag" and "Poca River Blues") with the fiddler
Fiddler
A fiddler is a person who plays a fiddle or violin.Fiddler may also refer to:*Fabrangen Fiddlers, an American musical group founded in 1971*Tupolev Tu-28 "Fiddler", a fighter aircraft*Fiddler , a DC Comics villain...
Reese Jarvis.