Yank Rachell
Encyclopedia
James "Yank" Rachell was an American
country blues
musician
, dubbed an "elder statesman of the blues."
and singer Sleepy John Estes
. He grew up in Brownsville, Tennessee
, but in 1958 moved north to Indianapolis
during the American folk music revival
. He recorded for Delmark Records
and Blue Goose Records
. Though a capable guitarist and singer, he was better known as a master of the blues mandolin
; he had bought his first mandolin at age 8, with a pig his family had given him to raise. "She Caught the Katy
," which he wrote with Taj Mahal
, is considered a blues standard.
In his later years he appeared in filmmaker Terry Zwigoff
's documentary
about fellow musician Howard Armstrong, and was a featured performer with John Sebastian
and the J-Band.
By the mid 1990s, Henry Townsend
and his one-time collaborator Rachell were the only active blues artists whose performing lives stretched back to the 1920s. In later years he suffered from arthritis
which shortened his playing sessions, though he still recorded an album just before his death, Too Hot For the Devil."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country blues
Country blues
Country blues is a general term that refers to all the acoustic, mainly guitar-driven forms of the blues. It often incorporated elements of rural gospel, ragtime, hillbilly, and dixieland jazz...
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....
, dubbed an "elder statesman of the blues."
Career
Born James Rachell, his career as a performer spanned nearly seventy years, and was often teamed with the guitaristGuitarist
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...
and singer Sleepy John Estes
Sleepy John Estes
John Adam Estes , best known as Sleepy John Estes or Sleepy John, was a American blues guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, born in Ripley, Lauderdale County, Tennessee.-Career:...
. He grew up in Brownsville, Tennessee
Brownsville, Tennessee
Brownsville is a city in Haywood County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Haywood County. The city is named after Jacob Jennings Brown, an officer who served during The War of 1812.-Geography:...
, but in 1958 moved north to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
during the American folk music revival
American folk music revival
The American folk music revival was a phenomenon in the United States that began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Richard Dyer-Bennett, Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, John Jacob...
. He recorded for Delmark Records
Delmark Records
Delmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
and Blue Goose Records
Blue Goose Records
Blue Goose Records is a record label setup in the early 1970s by Nick Perls.While on Blue Goose' sister label Yazoo Records Perls compiled rare 78 rpm recordings made in the 1920s by such singers and guitarists as Charlie Patton, Blind Willie McTell, the Memphis Jug Band, Blind Blake and Blind...
. Though a capable guitarist and singer, he was better known as a master of the blues mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
; he had bought his first mandolin at age 8, with a pig his family had given him to raise. "She Caught the Katy
She Caught the Katy
"She Caught the Katy " is a blues standard written by Taj Mahal and James Rachell. The song was first recorded for Taj Mahal's 1968 album The Natch'l Blues, and is one of Mahal's most famous tunes...
," which he wrote with Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal (musician)
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...
, is considered a blues standard.
In his later years he appeared in filmmaker Terry Zwigoff
Terry Zwigoff
Terry Zwigoff is an American filmmaker whose work often deals with misfits, antiheros, and themes of alienation. His fiction films are the features Ghost World , Bad Santa , and Art School Confidential...
's documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about fellow musician Howard Armstrong, and was a featured performer with John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
and the J-Band.
By the mid 1990s, Henry Townsend
Henry Townsend (musician)
Henry 'Mule' Townsend was an American blues singer, guitarist and pianist.-Career:Townsend was born in Shelby, Mississippi and grew up in Cairo, Illinois. He left home at the age of nine because of an abusive father and hoboed his way to St. Louis, Missouri...
and his one-time collaborator Rachell were the only active blues artists whose performing lives stretched back to the 1920s. In later years he suffered from arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
which shortened his playing sessions, though he still recorded an album just before his death, Too Hot For the Devil."