OBIT: Governor Jimmie Davis (1899-2000)

Subject: RE: Jimmie Davis
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 May 03 - 06:44 PM

Well Jimmie certainly was the first white blues singer to break the 'color bar', by recording with slide guitarist Oscar Woods. Whether he had a but more understanding than his political co-horts, or (like Wallace) became "the best of a bad lot" for black voters, we'll probably never know.

But it reminds me of a story about when I was playing "The La Rue Exchange" in the French Quarter. Governor Edwin Edwards was running again and one of the black waiters told me "He always gets 'our' votes even though he really crooked. He makes sure we get SOME of the money"!

Rick

Subject: RE: Jimmie Davis
From: CRANKY YANKEE
Date: 07 May 03 - 11:39 PM

Hey, Catspaw, If you're insinuating that Jimmie Davis was a bigot,. you're as wrong as you could possibly be.
Here are some facts. :
He hired Black muswicians,
Having served two terms as Louisianna's Governor, then retired, when the civil rights movement got underway in the 1960's and Alabama, Missisippi and Georgia were in turmoil, He came out of retirement, BECAUSE HE KNEW BLACK PEOPLE BETTER THAN ANY OTHER LOUISIANNA POLITICIAN DID, AND, HE CONSIDERED MOST BLACK PEOPLE WERE RESPECTABLER AND WORTHY OF RESPECT, NO MORE OR NO LESS THAN RESPECTABLE WHITE PEOPLE, and with his experience and the fact that most people were willing to listen to him before taking a stand, he decided to run for Governor again and lead Louisianna through the transition with diugnity and a willingness to change. IT HAPPENED EXACTLY LIKE THAT. THERE WAS NO TURMOIL IN LOUISIANA LIKE THERE WAS IN NEIGHBORING STATES LIKE, ARKANSAS, AND MISSISSIPPI.

He served two more terms, retired from political life and went back to singing.

So there.

Jody.

Subject: RE: Jimmy Davis
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 01:28 PM

We ran a thread already..........And to bew truthful, no matter what he did musically, I feel he's now with all of his similarly robed brethren.....Lester, Bull, George, Ross.............

Spaw

Subject: Jimmy Davis
From: Fiolar
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 01:24 PM

Jimmy Davis, former governor of Louisiana and co-author of "You Are My Sunshine" has died on November 5th 2000 aged 101. M

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 09:22 AM

Here are The Guardian obituaries - one for the politics and so forth, the other for the music.

I was thinking about him only a couple of weeks ago when I went to see "Oh Brother Where Art Thou", where the climax has the heroes playing "You are my Sweetheart" and sweeping the sweaty old governor back into office. But it never occurred to me Jimmie Davis was still alive.

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 09:22 AM

Here are The Guardian obituaries - one for the politics and so forth, the other for the music.

I was thinking about him only a couple of weeks ago when I went to see "Oh Brother Where Art Thou", where the climax has the heroes playing "You are my Sweetheart" and sweeping the seaty old governor back into office. But it never occurred to me Jimmie Davis was still alive.

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Banjer
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 06:25 AM

Sad to hear that yet another of our musical treasures has crossed over. Makes me think that my passing will be so much better knowing that all that good music will be there waiting for me! I knew of Jimmie Davis more as a country /gospel artist than a blues man, but anything he did was good.

Not unlike Doug and I'm sure many others, I will be so glad when I can once again turn on a television or radio, or even just drive down the street without being besieged with political advertising (aka lies). It will be fun, no matter who wins, to watch the backpedaling on the issues. "Well, that may be what I said but it isn't exactly what I meant!" Thank god it only happens every four years!

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Michael in Swansea
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 04:50 AM

Just read his obit in today's Daily Telegraph. Not much talk of his politics, mostly his music. He's quoted as saying his first Christmas present was "A dried hogs bladder and a plucked blackbird" They ate the bird and played ball with the bladder.

RIP Jimmie, the "Singing Governor"

Mike

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: DougR
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 01:05 AM

Sorry for jumping back in so quickly, but I was just reminded, as I hit the submit button, that Jimmie Rodgers wrote one of my wife's favorite songs: "Be Nobody's Darling."

Eddy Arnold came to Phoenix to appear with the Phoenix Symphony back in the 1960s. My wife and I gave a party for Eddy and she mentioned to him that "Be Nobody's Darling" was one of her favorite songs.

Months later she called me at my office and told me she had found a new Eddy Arnold LP at one of the local record stores, and one of the cuts on the LP was, "Be Nobody's Darling." I think she believed, to the very end, that she was responsible for him including that song on his next recording after his appearance in Phoenix. I still have that LP, and it is priceless to me.

Sorry for the thread creep.

DougR

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: DougR
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 12:57 AM

Lepus Rex, I would imagine that your going home and listening to his songs would be about the best memorial to his memory that one could do. Think I'll do the same. Good idea.

DougR

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 11:49 PM

I'll be glad when it's Wednesday, too. Though not as glad as you, Doug.

I didn't even know he had been recently alive when I read his obituary in this morning's paper. Sorry to hear he's gone. 101 years is pretty good, though. I'll have to listen to some of his songs when I get home...

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 11:15 PM

Rick, it wasn't me. The only ones I have heard are the ones with Davis. Are you referring to the 4 unissued guitar solos for Victor in San Antonio in 1928: 'Snoozer's Blues', 'Tiger Rag', 'That'll Get It and 'Rambling Blues'? Tony Russell has noted that Quinn is also reported to have said [to Johnny Wiggs] that he had cut about eight sides for Columbia in Houston about that time.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: DougR
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 10:31 PM

I find it interesting that this thread has eight replies while the political replies garner multiple replies within hours.

I think Jimmy Davis' contribution to the American musical scene deserves better.

I'll be so glad when it is Wednesday.

DougR

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 10:00 PM

Hey Stewie, have you heard the long lost Snoozer recordings?.....or were you the one who told ME about the website? (senior moment!)

Rick

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 08:03 PM

Digging out the Bear Family LP 'Rockin' Blues', I find that there were 2 guitarists on 'She Left a-Runnin' Like a Sewing Machine' - Quinn and Buddy Jones, and Quinn played lead. I think I had better go and lie down - that's more than enough stuffups for one day.

Anyhow, most of Davis' blues offerings were collected together on 2 LPs: 'Rockin' Blues' Bear Family LP BFX 15125 and 'Barnyard Stomp' Bear Family LP BFX 15285. They are great LPs if you come across them in second-hand record stores. The only other way you can get all the blues tracks is to buy the first of the 2 Bear Family box sets devoted to Davis: 'Nobody's Darlin' But Mine' - a 5 CD set. The rest of his career is covered in a second 5 CD set, titled 'You Are My Sunshine'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: DougR
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 07:39 PM

I was sure sorry to read that Jimmy Davis died. We can't hold on to these people forever though. I didn't know he was a well known blues singer, I only knew him as a Country singer/songwriter.

DougR

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 07:25 PM

Well, I stuffed that up comprehensively! What I meant to say was that Quinn was the second guitarist, with Schaffer on steel, on 'There's Evil' and 'Pea Pickin' Papa'. And Quinn and Schaffer were the 2 guitarists on 'Midnight Blues', 'Get on Board, Aunt Susan', 'She's a Hum Dum Dinger part 2', 'Down at the Old Country Church' and 'Market House Blues'. Buddy Jones played the only guitar on 'She Left a-Runnin' Like a Sewing Machine'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Stewie
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 07:12 PM

Well said, Rick. His blues recordings were great.

However, I think you'll find that the second guitarist with Schaffer on 'Red Nightgown' and 'Sewing Machine Blues' was Oscar Woods. Snoozer Quinn was the guitarist with Woods - and took two breaks - on the marvellous 'There's Evil in Ye Children', and also on 'Pea Pickin' Papa'. With Buddy Jones, Quinn played on 'She Left a-Runnin' Like a Sewing Machine', 'Midnight Blues', 'Get on Board Aunt Susan' and others.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: GUEST,khandu
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 05:45 PM

My dad had some of his records (risque and gospel) when I was a youngun. I loved them! Wish I had kept track of Dad's records. They made me happy when skies were gray.

Here's to the guv! He did it good and he did it right!

khandu

Subject: RE: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Dale Rose
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 05:33 PM

Nothing I can really add, Rick, you said most of it. He was one of a kind. "Come Home, It's Suppertime"

Subject: Governor Jimmie Davis. R.I.P.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 04:15 PM

The ol' "singin" Governor left us yesterday at 101 years old.

The obits are of course filled with mentions of "You Are My Sunshine", "Makes No difference Now", and his segregationist politics (what the hell else would he have been?) but naturally there is absolutely NO mention of his wonderful Blues singing. I shouldn't be surprised, 'cause so few people would care....but it still ticks me off.

Jimmie recorded some amazingly WEIRD and delightfully "dirty" blues in the early thirties, backed up by black slide master Oscar Woods. The integrated band may not have been the first to record (Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang probably beat them by a bit) but I'll bet they were the first down South. I hope you get a chance to hear "She's Comin' Thru Town in Her Red Nitegown", or "Sewing Machine Blues". They are superb! And get this...the cuts also had perhaps the most obscure original guitarist of all time.."Snoozer Quinn" on them.

Like most of the "double entendre" singers, Jimmie recorded an equal number of hard line Gospel songs. I LOVE the dichotomy.

Rest in peace Jimmie, you may have been an old rascal, but you gave me some of the best music I've ever heard!

Rick