Filmed Blues Singers

Subject: Filmed Blues Singers
From:
Date: 07 Dec 97 - 01:07 AM

One day when TV was new and they used to fill in "holes" in the timetable with shorts, I saw a film of Leadbelly (I think singing "Pick a Bail of Cotton").

I have also read that Jimmie Rodgers made a film during the interval from whe sound technology was available to when "The Jazz Singer" was made.

Billie Holiday sings in the film "New Orleans". I saw it once, but I don't recall if she actually appears.

Some of the Blues singers that were still alive and rediscovered in the 60s (like Mississippi John Hurt) must have been filmed.

I would be interested in hearing about any other of the old timers that managed to be filmed.

Also, I would like to know if any of these have been copied to video tape, and can be bought.

Murray

Subject: RE: Filmed Blues Singers
From: Earl
Date: 08 Dec 97 - 01:00 AM

Elderly Instruments has a nice selection of vintage blues performances on video.

Subject: RE: Filmed Blues Singers
From: Gene E
Date: 08 Dec 97 - 08:38 PM

I saw a PBS history documentary of the blues about two years ago. There were numerous old film clips of the "old" artists including Leadbelly singing "Pick a Bail Of Cotton." My favotrite parts are 1960s film footage of Son House and Missippi Fred McDowell. I have yet to persue more videos but there is lots of footage out there I'm sure.

Subject: RE: Filmed Blues Singers
From:
Date: 09 Dec 97 - 04:43 AM

Thanks Earl. Elderly is a real find. I have bookmarked them and will do some intensive browsing later in the week.

Gene E: It may sound like a naive question, but what is PBS? Some of the educational stations here will provide (at a price, of course) video tapes of what they screen, provided they have the rights to copy, etc. Is PBS likely to offer the same kind of thing?

Murray

Subject: RE: Filmed Blues Singers
From: Gene E
Date: 09 Dec 97 - 09:25 PM

Murray

PBS is the Public Broadcasting System. I believe that many of the specials they air are available on video. I've never bought any but they are available, many are produced by WGBH in Boston and I believe they have a web sight.

Gene

Subject: RE: Filmed Blues Singers
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 Dec 97 - 02:35 PM

There are a number of specialty magazines on the Blues and on the guitar (e.g. Acoustic Guitar) that have ads every month for blues videos of the greats. As you might expect, a number of these copy the same clips -- I believe the Leadbelly clip is the only film there is of him. There are compilations, for example, like "Ladies Sing the Blues" that eke out the very few examples of blues singers in the movies (for example, Bessie Smith has only one 3 minute segment extant), usually dressed up as waiters, convicts, or maids. Depressing. You need to be careful that you aren't buying the same stuff over and over again. Yours, Peter

Subject: RE: Filmed Blues Singers
From: dwditty
Date: 10 Dec 97 - 09:05 PM

Check out Searching for Robert Johnson, John Hammond travels the delta and even interviews Willie Mae. Great history with some great musical moments as well.