Search - Sam Chatmon :: Sam Chatmon 1970-1974

Essential country blues by a great survivor

JEAN-MARIE JUIF | BESANCON France | 06/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here is Sam Chatmon (or Chatman),member of one of the most prestigious family of blues musicians,recorded live in his mid-seventies. Sam was born in Bolton,Mississippi,maybe January 10,1899,although he seems to have been two or three years older.His elder brother, Armenter Chatmon,would be known under the name of Bo Carter (1893-1964) ,and was one of the giants of the country blues. His half brother, Charley Patton (1887 or 1891-1934) was simply named "the founder of the Delta blues".Sam also claimed he was the uncle of Peter Chatman,best known as Memphis Slim (1915-1988),but there is no proof of this.
As a child,he used to play guitar with Lizzie Douglas,who will become the great Memphis Minnie (1897-1973).In the twenties,he toured with Texas Alexander (1900?-1954),BLind Lemon Jefferson (1897?-1929) and Lonnie Johnson (1889-1970),then with the Mississippi Sheiks,which included Bo Carter and Walter Vincson (aka Walter Vincent,1901-1975).Then he was rediscovered in 1965,living in Hollandale,as a blues addict was looking for Bo Carter;the guy found Bo Carter's widow,who told him about Sam.
This CD contains material recorded between 1970 and 1974,and show Sam playing and singing great.This man had one of the best right hand's thumb in the world.He plays magnificent picking,and you can find influences of Tommy Johnson,Bo Carter,Memphis Minnie and even Bukka White ("shake 'em on down").Sam salutes Bo in "go back old devil" and "I got the whiskey"(recorded by Bo under the title "let's get drunk again").Each tune in this CD is a little gem,the kind of treasures Mississippi John Hurt,Larry Johnson or Brownie McGhee used to offer us.I've been looking for a record by Sam for a long time;I never could find his Blue Goose LP.This CD is essential for every country blues addict,seventy-six minutes of marvelous music.Sam Chatmon died February 2,1983."

The last country blues album by the last country bluesman

Randy Hofbauer | Deerfield, Illinois United States | 10/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sam Chatmon was never put in the limelight with the Mississippi Sheiks. In fact, there are plenty who do not even consider him a member of the famed group. This CD puts him in the light he deserved. Donning a nice Gibson L series guitar and a nice Santa-Clausish style beard, Sam Chatmon busts forth every single track on this recording with all of the pep this aging bluesman could offer. He hits upon every single style popular back in his day, including traditional country blues songs, more folkish type songs, a bluegrassy type band on the last two tracks, Mississippi John Hurt style fingerpicking on "The Chatmon Family Rag", and even a nice bluesy Tribute to the master, W.C. Handy with the St. Louis Blues. He also pays tribute to his brother Bo Carter (Armenter Chatmon) in several of his songs, including "Old Devil" and "Let's Get Drunk Again" (Cleverly titled "I Got The Whiskey"). He also tributes Bukka White (Shake 'Em On Down) and Jimmy Rogers (That's Alright), and even his old group, the Sheiks (Sitting On Top Of The World). Sam belts out his blues licks, snapping strings left and right, and having just a good old time talking between the verses when he's not singing. If you never got to hear Sam at his finest, and always felt he was never put forth enough (Walter Vincson was good, but played way too much), this CD is for you. Even if you loved Sam's recording with the Sheiks, it still is for you. And last, if you've never heard country blues and want to listen to an originator, yet modern recordings, PICK THIS ONE UP. Don't let the import sign fool you, these are fine quality and the cream of the crop. Thanks for giving one more go before you left us, Sam. We all miss you."