From: "Dik de Heer" Date: Tue Jul 15, 2003 1:18 am Subject: Born To Be With You : Washboard Sam WASHBOARD SAM (By Phil Davies) Born Robert Brown, 15 July 1910, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas Died 6 November 1966, Chicago, Illinois ( Guinness says 13th Nov). Not to be confused with soundalikes Ironing Board Ianto and Mangle-Handle Morgan ;-), there are other serious blues men like Washboard Doc, Slim and Willie. Thanks go to the ever reliable AMG Guide, Guinness Who's Who of Blues and Santelli's Big Book Of Blues Robert Brown was reputedly the illegitimate son of Frank Broonzy, who also fathered Big Bill Broonzy. Broonzy often joked that Sam was his half brother when they performed together. Sam was raised in Arkansas, working on a farm. He moved to Memphis in the early '20s to play the blues. While in Memphis, he met Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon and the trio played street corners, collecting tips from passer-bys. In 1932, Washboard Sam moved to Chicago. Initially he played for tips, but soon he began performing regularly with "half brother" Big Bill Broonzy. Within a few years, Sam was supporting Broonzy on the guitarist's Bluebird recordings. Soon, he was supporting a number of different musicians on their recording sessions, including pianist Memphis Slim and bassist Ransom Knowlin, and a handful of saxophone players, who all recorded for Bluebird. He was a mainstay of a shifting group of musicians centred on A & R man Lester Melrose, Slim, Broonzy, Sam, Tampa Red and Jazz Gillum, often played on each other's sessions and in ad-hoc groups like the Hokum Boys and the State St Swingers, this was later called the Bluebird Beat. In 1935, Washboard Sam began recording for both Bluebird and Vocalion Records, often supported by Broonzy. Throughout the rest of the '30s and the '40s, Sam was one of the most popular Chicago bluesmen, selling numerous records and playing to packed audiences. As a testament to his popularity RCA/Bluebird issued nearly everything he recorded for them. His deep strong voice overcame the stylistic limitation of his chosen instrument. By the 50s, his audience began to shrink, largely because he had difficulty adapting to the new electric blues. In 1953, Washboard Sam recorded a session for Chess Records and then retired. In the early '60s, Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim tried to persuade Sam to return to the stage to capitalize on the blues revival. Initially, he refused, but in 1963 began perfoming concerts in clubs and coffeehouses in Chicago; he even played a handful of dates in Europe in early 1964. Washboard Sam made his final recordings for the small Chicago-based label Spivey in 1964. The following year, his health quickly declined and he stopped recording and playing shows. In November of 1966, he died of heart disease. He was also known as Shufflin' Sam and Ham Gravy. Lonnie Donegan fans can check out Washboard's influential version of the great Diggin' My Potatoes, sometimes creditted to Sam othertimes to Broonzy, Terry or Lawler!!!!!! Bluesman from Broonzy through Muddy, Taj Mahal and Elvin Bishop have recorded good time Sam's songs, says it all really. Recommended Listening: Washboard Sam & Big Bill Broonzy - Chess/MCA CHD 9251 7 Volumes of the Bluebird sides on Document Rockin My Blues Away -RCA