The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #162928 Message #3881510
Posted By: GUEST,Hootenanny
11-Oct-17 - 09:55 AM
Thread Name: New Books: Peggy Seeger / Billy Bragg
Subject: New Books - Seeger / Bragg
Two new books recently published by Faber which are not by Steve Roud.
Peggy Seeger's autobiography: First Time Ever and Billy Bragg's Roots, Radicals and Rockers. Both of these should be of interest to many mudcatters as they recall the era of the 1950's and 60's and the growth of interest in American music brought about after the success of Lonnie Donegan's 1956 "pop" hit. I have only just started on Peggy's book and the Bragg book arrived in today's post. Skipping through Roots, Radicals etc checking the illustrations I notice a couple of errors in identity of musicians, One photograph taken at the Roundhouse in Wardour Street, London shows Rambling Jack Elliott playing alongside Cyril Smith while Big Bill Broonzy looks on. It should of course be CYRIL DAVIES who led one of the most authentic sounding British blues groups in the early 60's. Apart from Big Bill Broonzy another onlooker is Doug Dobell owner of two specialist record shops at the time and also of the 77 Record Label. Another photograph shows The Ramblers Skiffle Group which included Peggy Seeger, Alan Lomax, Shirley Collins and Ewan MacColl. The caption is incorrect in identifying the clarinettist as Sandy Brown, It is in fact BRUCE TURNER who if my memory serves me right was a member of Humphrey Lyttelton's band at the time as was the correctly named Jim Bray the bass player. The text on the same page states that Turner was the man used on the recording session referred.to. Another minor point is that Russell Quaye has lost the last letter of his name. So far I have seen only one mistake in Peggy's book but that too is a minor point regarding her husband.
My apologies to those who find this to be nitpicking but I do it only in the interest of accuracy.