The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #46310   Message #2545335
Posted By: GUEST,R. Harwood
21-Jan-09 - 02:57 PM
Thread Name: Origin: Saint James Infirmary Blues
Subject: RE: History of Saint James Infirmary Blues?
Nope, neither my first nor my last visit to Mudcat. You're right about the book being self-published, although it has nothing to do with profit. More to do with the difficulty of finding a publisher interested in such a specific topic. My wife, Pam, designed the cover and the interior.

I work in health care, play guitar, have not published on music in the past. This is a thoroughly researched book - I completed that research over a period of about five years. Lots of new information here, new biographical material, as well as bits and pieces of related info - such as, who really wrote "Dyin' Crapshooter's Blues," why did Irving Mills use the Primrose pseudonym, how did the link to "The Unfortunate Rake" gain credence, why did Armstrong record the song in '28, and who was Carl Moore (attributed with the song's composition on Fess Williams 1927 recording)?

Aside from the website and the blog, there's a 5-part interview at Rob Walker's SJI site: http://nonotes.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/qa-series-5-"i-went-down-to-st-james-infirmary"-by-robert-w-harwood/

Thanks for your interest!

RWH