Photo-Libba Cotten & Mississipi John Hurt together

Subject: RE: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: khandu
Date: 31 May 03 - 08:02 PM

karen...I think you made a mistake. Jonh died in November of 1966! But I would surely love to hear of his visits to your home.

khandu

Subject: RE: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: karen k
Date: 30 May 03 - 11:56 PM

Wow, Jerry, I was there and remember that. What a special night! Libba Cotten is one of my all time favorites. The Sounding Board had her in March of 1975. She graciously let me tape her that night. She and her companion stayed at my house that night. It certainly is one I'll never forget. I was also at Newport in 1964, my very first festival at age 18, and saw and heard Libba and Mississippi John play both individually and together. I was in heaven. John Hurt would stay at my house for a weekend twice in 1966 and 1967 while playing at a coffeehouse which I helped to run at the time. I surely do miss those years. I treasure the memories.

Subject: RE: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 30 May 03 - 11:05 PM

Thanks for posting this... a lovely story about Libba. Many years ago, she did a concert at the Picking Parlor, in New Haven, Connecticut. She was on stage, telling how much she always wanted a banjo. She told about always trying to play her brother's banjo, and she'd keep tuning the strings up until they'd break. She knew she was going to catch Hell from her brother when he found out she'd been messing with his banjo again, so she'd just hide it back under his bed. And catch Hell every time when he came home and found another broken string. She'd never owned a banjo in her life. up until that night. But the owner of the Picking Parlor walked over to a banjo that was hanging on the wall, for sale, took it down, came up on stage and gave it to Libba. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. You've never seen anyone so happy!

Jerry

Subject: RE: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: outfidel
Date: 30 May 03 - 10:54 PM

As far as I know, the only song that Libba & MJH both recorded was Spanish Fandango (or Spanish Flang Dang). But they must have known dozens of the same songs.

Yeah, I would LOVE to have heard their picking together!

Subject: RE: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: khandu
Date: 30 May 03 - 10:45 PM

Wouldn't you love to hear the fine pickin' they did together!

Dang, I am glad you found this pic!

k

Subject: RE: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: outfidel
Date: 30 May 03 - 10:41 PM

Good question. I thought it was a cig, but I guess it could be either.

Interestingly, just a couple of months ago I e-mailed Dick Waterman (MJH's tour manager) and asked him if Libba & MJH ever played together. Dick said that the two of them played at a number of festivals and workshops, but he could not remember a time when they played or performed together. He said that Libba, in particular, was very shy and didn't socialize much with other musicians.

Subject: RE: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: khandu
Date: 30 May 03 - 10:32 PM

Thanks a bunch, outfidel!! I, too, wonder what song it is. Is that a smoke in John's mouth or a harmonica?

k

Subject: Picture of Libba Cotten and MJH together
From: outfidel
Date: 30 May 03 - 10:13 PM

In case you hadn't seen it, check out this great picture of Libba Cotten and Mississippi John Hurt.

Dig the expressions on their faces! Man, I'd love to know what song they're playing.