Little Hat Jones
Encyclopedia
George "Little Hat" Jones (October 5, 1899 – March 7, 1981) was an American
blues
musician
.
, Texas
, was a street busker in the 1920s in San Antonio
, and he recorded
one 78rpm
for Okeh Records
on June 15, 1929. That same day, he played guitar
on nine tracks by Alger "Texas" Alexander in the Okeh studio
. On June 21, Okeh had Jones record four additional song
s, and on June 14, 1930, Jones recorded six more. These three sessions represent the entirety of Jones's recorded output: ten songs of his own and nine with Texas Alexander. Jones never recorded another song, and died at the age of 81 in 1981, in Naples, Texas
.
Jones's style is marked by his tendency to start off songs quickly and then slow down once he began to sing. Once a forgotten obscurity, Jones became better known later in the 20th century as historians began to explore the Okeh Records catalog, and his posthumous fame was boosted by the appearance of his song "Bye Bye Baby Blues" in the movie
, Ghost World
, in 2001.
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....
.
Biography
Jones, born in Bowie CountyBowie County, Texas
Bowie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Texarkana, Texas - Texarkana, Arkansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 89,306. Its legal county seat is Boston, though its courthouse is located in New Boston...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, was a street busker in the 1920s in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, and he 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...
one 78rpm
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...
for Okeh Records
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
on June 15, 1929. That same day, he played 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...
on nine tracks by Alger "Texas" Alexander in the Okeh studio
Recording studio
A 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...
. On June 21, Okeh had Jones record four additional song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s, and on June 14, 1930, Jones recorded six more. These three sessions represent the entirety of Jones's recorded output: ten songs of his own and nine with Texas Alexander. Jones never recorded another song, and died at the age of 81 in 1981, in Naples, Texas
Naples, Texas
Naples is a city in Morris County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Naples is located at ....
.
Jones's style is marked by his tendency to start off songs quickly and then slow down once he began to sing. Once a forgotten obscurity, Jones became better known later in the 20th century as historians began to explore the Okeh Records catalog, and his posthumous fame was boosted by the appearance of his song "Bye Bye Baby Blues" in the movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Ghost World
Ghost World (film)
Ghost World is a 2001 comedy-drama film directed by Terry Zwigoff, based on the comic book of the same name and screenplay by Daniel Clowes...
, in 2001.