JOE TURNER BLUES
Joe Turner Blues Song History-
In 1915, Pace & Handy published another piece with some unique origins, the Joe Turner Blues. Though the musical origins were still strong traditional blues, the idea for the music and lyrics came from Joe Turner (or Turney) who was the brother of Peter Turney, (1827 – 1903) Governor of Tennessee from 1893 to 1897. It was Joe's task to move convicts from Memphis to the State Penitentiary in Nashville. Joe was not popular with the African Americans for obvious reasons and the music and Lyrics lament his arrival. Over the years the song was often incorrectly attributed to have been inspired by the blues singer Big Joe Turner. Though Big Joe did eventually record the song in 1941, he was only five when the piece was published.
WC Handy
W. C. (William Christopher) Handy is revered as one of the originators of a particularly American form of popular music, the blues. In fact, in his autobiography, he assumed the mantle of "Father of the Blues." Born in Florence, Alabama in 1873, he was the son of former enslaved parents. Handy's first musical instruction was from his parents, on the church organ playing only sacred music. He studied music theory at the Florence district school. As a teenager, he played cornet in a local brass band where he also began his composing activities. Later, Handy acquired a trumpet from a traveling circus performer. At age 18 he left home and in a short time he learned to play it so well that he joined a traveling Minstrel troupe. He then became a teacher at Alabama and Mechanical College and later worked in a foundry where he organized and directed a brass band.¹
Though some may question his title of "Father of the Blues," there is little doubt that he popularized the blues and made them mainstream music through his compilations and arrangements of traditional blues-like music which undoubtedly inspired him. Regardless of exactly who may be considered the true father of the style, his blues masterpieces and other blues works made them available throughout the world.
JOE TURNER BLUES
C
They tell me, Joe Turner's come and gone.
F C
They tell me, Joe Turner's come and gone.
G7 F C
He left me here to sing this song.
C
He came here with forty links of chain.
F C
He came here with forty links of chain.
G7 F C
He left me here to sing this song.
C
Joe Turner, he took my man away.
F C
Joe Turner, he took my man away.
G7 F C
He left me here to sing this song.
PARAMOUNT RECORDS:
Parmount Blues #1
Parmount Blues #2
MA RAINEY
SON HOUSE
MAMIE SMITH
BLIND BLAKE
BILLIE HOLIDAY