Walter Rhodes (musician)

Walter Rhodes was an American blues musician, who recorded briefly in the late 1920s and was unusual in being a blues accordionist and singer from Mississippi.[1][2] It was reported that Rhodes may have been the oldest Delta musician recorded.[3] Little is known of his life outside of his recordings.

Walter Rhodes
Also known asWalter "Pat" Rhodes
BornCleveland, Mississippi, U.S.
GenresBlues
Occupation(s)
Instruments
Years active1920s
LabelsColumbia Records

Biography

Walter Rhodes was reportedly born in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States.[2] He usually played in an ensemble containing himself plus one, or two, guitarists and a fiddler.[4] On his recordings however, Rhodes was accompanied by a guitar duo.[2] He recorded four sides for Columbia in 1927, although only two of them were released. Rhodes musical instrument of choice was the button accordion. As blues historian, Bengt Olsson, stated the accordion was considered "an unusual instrument for blues playing down in Mississippi".[5]

The recording session took place on December 10, 1927 in Memphis, Tennessee. The musicians present were listed as Walter Rhodes (vocals, accordion, vocal effects); plus 'Pet' and 'Can' (Maylon and Richard "Hacksaw" Harney), (guitars, speech). The songs were "The Crowing Rooster", "Leaving Home Blues", "She's A Girl of Mine" and "Left My Baby Blues". The first two tracks were released by Columbia Records on a 10 inch shellac phonograph record, on February 4, 1928. The label billed them as Walter Rhodes with "Pet and "Can".[6] The few assessments that were made of Rhodes' accordion playing, were generally in comparison between Rhodes simplistic approach, compared to the sophistication of the accompanying guitar work.[5]

Nevertheless, Rhodes recorded 18 months before Charley Patton did, the latter often being cited as the 'Founder of the Delta Blues'.[7]

Patton recorded a song called "Banty Rooster Blues" in June 1929. Lyrically the track contained many similarities to Rhodes' "The Crowing Rooster". More than one source suggests that Patton may well have known Rhodes, as they resided in the same part of Mississippi, and Patton could have learned the song directly from Rhodes.[8]

"Rollin' and Tumblin'" (or "Roll and Tumble Blues"), as recorded by Hambone Willie Newbern in March 1929, is a track whose stylistic origins appear to derive from "The Crowing Rooster" and "Banty Rooster Blues". One historian noted that Newbern "may have taken a commonly used melody from Mississippi/West Tennessee practice".[9]

Rhodes is said to have died in his forties, after being struck by lightning.[2]

Legacy

The six disc boxed set of recordings that comprise Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton,[10] included Rhodes' "The Crowing Rooster".

Discography

Singles
Year Title (A-side / B-side) Record label
1928 "The Crowing Rooster" / "Leaving Home Blues" Columbia
(Columbia 14289-D)
1928 "She's A Girl of Mine" / "Left My Baby Blues" Columbia
unissued

[6]

Compilation albums (selected)
Year Title Record label Track(s) Reference
1994 Memphis Blues: Complete Recorded Works 1927-1938 Document "The Crowing Rooster" / "Leaving Home Blues" [11]
2001 Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton Revenant "The Crowing Rooster" [12]
2007 When the Levee Breaks: Mississippi Blues, Rare Cuts 1926-41 JSP "The Crowing Rooster" / "Leaving Home Blues" [13]

References
  1. "Walter Rhodes". Oxford Reference.
  2. "Walter Rhodes Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  3. Komara, Edward M. (June 18, 2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues. Psychology Press. p. 409. ISBN 9780415926997 – via Google Books.
  4. "Walter Rhodes Similar artists, top songs and much more - similar-artists.com". Similar-artist.info. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  5. Snyder, Jared M. (1997). "Squeezebox: The Legacy of the Afro-Mississippi Accordionists". Black Music Research Journal. Center for Black Music Research - Columbia College Chicago and University of Illinois Press. 17 (1): 37–57. doi:10.2307/779359. JSTOR 779359.
  6. "Illustrated Discography of Richard "Hacksaw" Harney". Wirz.de. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  7. Ryan, Tim A. (June 18, 2015). ""The Matter with Your Line": Gender, Sexual, and Racial Politics in Charley Patton's "Pony Blues"". The Journal of American Culture. 38 (1): 27–38. doi:10.1111/jacc.12288.
  8. Titon, Jeff Todd (February 1, 2014). Early Downhome Blues: A Musical and Cultural Analysis. UNC Press Books. p. 66. ISBN 9781469616919 – via Google Books.
  9. Komara, Edward; Lee, Peter (July 18, 2004). The Blues Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 845. ISBN 9781135958329 – via Google Books.
  10. Harrington, Richard (6 January 2002). "Charley Patton's Hollered Victory; 68 Years After His Death, the Bluesman Gets His Due With an Amazing Box Set". Washington Post  – via HighBeam (subscription required) . Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  11. "Memphis Blues: Complete Recorded Works 1927-1938 : Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  12. "Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton : Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  13. "When the Levee Breaks: Mississippi Blues, Rare Cuts 1926-41 : Various Artists". Musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
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