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Mississippi John Hurt and Tom Waits

I've noticed this before but today I was listening to Mississippi John Hurt and was once again astonished to hear how much Tom Waits (in his first recordings) borrowed from him. And Tom Waits is my favorite musician of all time (well, tied with John Coltrane) so it's not an attack on the man.

Anybody have recommendations for music in the style of MJH? Preferably something from that time period, especially his "last sessions" recording in the mid 1960s

By the way...MJH had an amazing career...falling totally off the radar around the depression and working as a sharecropper until he was rediscovered 30 years later! Check the link below for a little info on him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_John_Hurt
kublakhan
sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
Back in the late 1950's and early 1960's, when I was developing a strong interest in Delta blues and coun try blues, I bought several albums of recordings by MJS and Big Bill Broonzy. During this time period, I lived in the suburbs of Washington, DC, (Kensington, MD), and had the chance to hear MJH at a club appearance in the DC area. He had a wonderful stage presence, with a warm, very human quality -- particularly for someone who had a difficult life. He seemed somewhat nonplussed by his appeal to so many white, middle-class white people, but clearly was having a good time sharing his music.

MJH didn't make many recordings during his lifetime, but the ones he did for Vanguard and Piedmont in the early '60's are probably his best. And for those who like MJH, check out the recordings of Broonzy and Lightnin' Hopkins.
karluk8339
2 posts
 
John Lennon even mentioned Hurt as an influence in that famous 1971 interview for Rolling Stone Magazine.
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,760 posts
 
I have a soft spot for Mississippi John Hurt, too. I don't think there are many who combined the grit, sweetness and virtuosity he did. I've always loved listening to him, as well, because everything about his voice, the accent, the lilting rhythm, the words themselves, sounds exactly like my grandparents. They were white but were Mississippi sharecroppers, too.

You might listen to samples of Mance Lipscomb and see what you think. I heard him several times when I lived in Austin in the late 60's and 70's because he lived close by and came into town fairly regularly. His is the only music I can think of that has the simplicity and wry sense of humor as Hurt. He's not quite as polished but another fine example of that same style of playing and singing.
kublakhan OP
717 posts
 
I just got these links. Old footage of Mississippi John Hurt playing. Fantastic! In the first one MJH talks about how he learned how to play the guitar at age 8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr3RB9l7_I4&search=mississippi%20john%20hurt

http://tinyurl.com/rxsjc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwhN5-7pmk&search=mississippi%20john%20hurt

If you like this kind of music, you really owe it to yourself to watch. Very interesting.
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