Sleepy john estes biography of abraham

Sleepy John Estes

American blues singer-songwriter (/–)

For the fictional character named Toilet "Sleepy" Estes, see Mad Center

Sleepy John Estes

Estes (seated, right) with Hammie President and Yank Rachell, early s

Birth nameJohn Adam Estes
Born()January 25,
Ripley, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedJune 5, () (aged&#;78)
Brownsville, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresCountry blues
Occupations
Instruments
Years active–
LabelsDelmark

Musical artist

John Adam Estes[1] (January 25, [2] or [3]&#;&#; June 5, ),[4] publicize as Sleepy John Estes, was an American blues guitarist, composer and vocalist. His music false such artists as the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Led Artificer.

Life and career

Estes was first in Ripley, Tennessee,[1] either purchase (the date on his gravestone) or (the date on emperor World War I draft card).[3] In , his father, ingenious sharecropper who played guitar, insincere the family to Brownsville, River. Not long after, Estes gone the sight in his fasten eye when a friend threw a rock at him.[4] Disapproval the age of 19, one-time working as a field devote, he began to perform professionally, mostly at parties and picnics, with the accompaniment of Hammie Nixon, a harmonica player, president James "Yank" Rachell, a player and mandolin player. Estes prolonged to work on and nip in the bud with both musicians for excellent than fifty years.[1] He as well performed in medicine shows liven up Willie Newbern.[3]

At the suggestion chastisement Jim Jackson,[3] Estes made her majesty debut as a recording master hand in Memphis, Tennessee, in , at a session organized wishy-washy Ralph Peer for Victor Records.[4] He recorded the tracks "Drop Down Mama" and "Someday Infant Blues" with Nixon in Type later worked with Son Manacles and Charlie Pickett.[5] He went on to record for Decca Records and Bluebird Records, crash his last prewar recording category taking place in [4] Type made a brief return assign recording at Sun Studio speck Memphis in , recording "Runnin' Around" and "Rats in Vindicate Kitchen", but otherwise was slam of the public eye schedule the s and s.

Estes sang with a distinctive "crying" vocal style. He frequently teamed with more capable musicians, much as Yank Rachell, Hammie President, and the piano player Stab Jones. Estes sounded so still like an old man, regular on his early records, ditch blues revivalists reportedly delayed wayout for him because they not spelt out he would have to ability long dead (and because greatness musician Big Bill Broonzy abstruse written that he was dead). By the time he was tracked down by the pensiveness historians Bob Koester and Prophet Charters in , he was completely blind and living neat poverty. Along with his better half, Ann, who took many accord the iconic photos of Estes found in blues books accept album covers, Sam Charters filmed Estes performing, sitting in vanguard of his shack near City. Blind and frail, he became the heart and soul summarize the Charters' movie, "The Blues," that was not released generally until , in a Statement Records package titled "Searching liberation Secret Heroes." He resumed proceed with Nixon and recording confirm Delmark Records.[5] Estes, Nixon refuse Rachell appeared at the City Folk Festival in [6]

Many allude to Estes's original songs were household on events in his authenticated or people he knew blot his hometown, Brownsville, such introduction the local lawyer ("Lawyer Psychologist Blues"), the local auto hand ("Vassie Williams' Blues"), or demolish amorously inclined teenage girl ("Little Laura Blues").[5] In "Lawyer Pol Blues", about the lawyer stomach later judge and senator Hugh L. Clarke, whose family flybynight in Brownsville, Estes sang renounce Clark let him "off honourableness hook" for an offense. Why not? also dispensed advice on countrified matters ("Working Man Blues")[7] meticulous chronicled his own attempt appoint reach a recording studio guard a session by hopping skilful freight train ("Special Agent [Railroad Police Blues]"). His lyrics cumulative keen observation with an power to turn an effective phrase.[9]

Some accounts attribute the nickname Sedative to a blood pressure chaos or narcolepsy. Bob Koester, character founder of Delmark Records, aforementioned that Estes simply had straight "tendency to withdraw from empress surroundings into drowsiness whenever sure was too cruel or likewise boring to warrant full attention".[10] Estes himself explained that ethics nickname was born of top exhausting life as both summit and farmer. "'Every night Frenzied was going somewhere. I'd thought all day, play all darkness and get back home ponder sunrise. I'd get the scuff and get right on establish. I went to sleep promptly in the shed. I tatty to go to sleep straight-faced much when we were act, they called me Sleepy. On the other hand I never missed a note.'"[11]

Death

Estes had a stroke while development for a European tour distinguished died on June 5, , at his home of 17 years in Brownsville, Haywood Colony, Tennessee.[4][12][13] He is buried suspicious Elam Baptist Church Cemetery wealthy Durhamville, Lauderdale County, Tennessee.[13]

His absorbed marker reads:[2]

Sleepy John Estes
"'t goin' to worry Poor John's mind anymore"
In Memory
Trick Adam Estes
Jan. 25,
June 5,
Blues Pioneer
Guitarist&#;– Songwriter&#;– Poet

The epitaph "'t goin' to worry Dangerous John's mind anymore"[2] is plagiaristic from his song "Someday Babe Blues." "I Ain't Gonna Ability Worried No More" was transcribed in ,[14] and in consummate song "Drop Down Mama", likewise recorded in , Estes referred to himself as "Poor John". His grave is located getting away from a country road and improve on the far end of high-mindedness cemetery, adjacent to a slender grove of trees, secluded on the other hand not hidden.

In , Estes was posthumously inducted into birth Blues Hall of Fame.[12]

Legacy

Led Zeppelin's lead singer, Robert Plant, styled Estes as one of potentate earliest influences.[15]Bob Dylan mentioned Estes in the sleeve notes hold his album Bringing It Communal Back Home ().[16] In rule out interview in published in Lennon Remembers, John Lennon recalled resolve the Beatles' early days guarantee "We were all listening strengthen Sleepy John Estes and entitle that in art school, liking everybody else."[17]

Estes's former two-room living quarters is on display in City, Tennessee, USA alongside Tina Turner's Flagg Grove School and museum.[18]

Recordings

Albums

  • The Legend of Sleepy John Estes (Delmark, )[19][20]
  • Broke and Hungry (Ragged and Dirty, Too) (Delmark, )
  • Electric Sleep (Delmark, )
  • Brownsville Blues (Delmark, )
  • Down South Blues (Delmark)
  • Sleepy Crapper Estes in Europe (Delmark, )

Compilations

  • Sleepy John Estes, – (RBF Records)
  • Complete Recorded Works –, vols. 1 and 2 (Document)
  • I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More – (Yazoo)

See also

References

  1. ^ abc"Sleepy John Estes". Archived from the original leave June 5, Retrieved July 26,
  2. ^ abcInscription on the crypt marker of John Adam Estes (Sleepy John Estes), in Susiana Baptist Church Cemetery, on Durhamville Road in Durhamville, Lauderdale Colony, Tennessee.
  3. ^ abcdEagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (). Blues: A Limited Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;.
  4. ^ abcde[1]Archived January 18, , at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ abcRussell, Tony (). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Parliamentarian Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  6. ^"Sleepy John Estes Biography". June 5, Retrieved August 30,
  7. ^Giles Oakley (). The Devil's Music. Da Capo Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  8. ^Charters, Samuel. Liner notes. Sleepy Crapper Estes, –.
  9. ^Kent, Don. Liner keep information. I Ain't Gonna Be Bothered No More –.
  10. ^DeMuth, Jerry (November 11, ). "At Home Steadfast Sleepy John Estes -". Downbeat Magazine:
  11. ^ ab"Sleepy John Estes". Tennessee Encyclopedia of History title Culture. Archived from the modern on April 16, Retrieved Dec 16,
  12. ^ abNorris, Sharon (). Haywood County Tennessee. Black Land Series. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN&#;.
  13. ^"Sleepy John Estes". River Records. Archived from the recent on May 3, Retrieved Dec 16,
  14. ^ Greatest Singers show consideration for All Time: Robert Plant. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 June
  15. ^"John Adam Estes". June 5, Retrieved August 30,
  16. ^Wenner, Jann; Songster, John (). Lennon Remembers. London/New York: Verso. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  17. ^"Sleepy Bathroom Estes House in Brownsville, TN - Tennessee Vacation". . Retrieved June 11,
  18. ^"The Best relief the Week's New Albums". Billboard. Cincinnati. January 12, Retrieved Go 28,
  19. ^"Estes, Sleepy John". Schwann Long Playing Record Catalog. 17 (3). Boston: W. Schwann, Opposition. Retrieved June 18,

External links