Subject: RE: Big Bill Broonzy
From:
Art Thieme
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 09:40 PM
Dave,
Big Bill Broonzy lived his last years in Chicago---where he was greatly admired in the 1950s emerging folk revival in that town. The writer/interviewer, Studs Terkel, was a great friend of his----as was my mentor Win Stracke. Win founded a fine institution called THE OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC in that city --- where I was born on this very date -- July 9th, 1941---sixty-one years ago. I helped manage a fine small folk music store connected to the O. T. S. O. Folk Music in the years 1965-66 and '67. On the wall of the School was Bill Broonzy's death certificate framed with a fine photo of Bill playing his guitar. The guitar hung on the wall right next to that frame. Anyone who wished to could pick on it for a while. The better pickers at the OTSOFM taught Bill's amazing style --- many of his songs---and a real appreciation for his earlier work on 78 rpm records decades earlier (known as race records) back then. BR> Bill Broonzy was a giant to us who grew up loving the blues in Chicago. He made his living those years both as an underpaid bluesman AND as a custodian in the Chicago Public Schools. This meant he did all kinds of maintenance work including mopping too damn many floors. (Listen to his song from that era called "MOPPERS BLUES") for his musically documented feelings on the subject.
Mahalia Jackson, Studs Terkel, Bill Broonzy, Win Stracke, and a few others did folk programs around town titled COME FOR TO SING Many of these same people were early Chicago television personalities on a weekly TV/program/show at the start of the 1950s called STUDS' PLACE. sTand Bill sat down in the studios of the WFMT-FM radio station in Chicago and did beautiful long interviews WITH as many songs as Mr. Broonzy could think of. Several years later (around 1965 if my memory is correct) a SEVEN LP boxed-set album of thirty-three and a third r.p.m. records, in a nice package with great notes, was issued on Verve Records. I don't know if it has been transferred to CDs or not. But it sure ought to be.
Yes, there are many folks in the U.S. that try to do Bill Broonzy's style. Mark Dvorak does a real good job---still in Chicago and at the OLD TOWN SCHOOL on North Lincoln Avenue where part of the street has been renamed STEVE GOODMAN WAY--or something like that.
Lots of history---and the old ones are still venerated and their names are still invoked whenever real artistic brilliance is given it's proper place. Some of us always have tried hard to give the carriers of the traditions the credit they truly deserve. I do hope that all the Mudcatters out there will want to search out and listen to and marvel at the recordings of people like Big Bill Broonzy. You'll all be better for it.
Not sure if what's been said here warranted my saying all of that, but it's been said----and I'm about to click it off...
Thanks for listening!!
Art Thieme
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