Bukka White
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Booker T. Washington White, "Bukka White"
(1900s, presumably 1905 - February 26, 1977)
Bukka was born in Houston, Mississippi and as a child began playing fiddle
and guitar, eventually migrating over to Clarksdale, where he reportedly
learned to hone his already good guitar playing abilities from none other
than Charley Patton himself. His name, "Bukka", wasn't a nickname.
it was a phonetic spelling of his name pronounced with thick southern drawl: Booker.
He played mean slide on a National guitar, and In 1930 White traveled to Memphis
to make his first recording under his middle name, Washington, for the Victor
label. Four of those songs were released.
Several years later, Bukka shot a man, and while awaiting trial, he fled to
Chicago, where he recorded with Big Bill Broonzy before being caught and
sentenced to the notorious Parchman Prison Farm. It was there that he met
John Lomax, who recorded Bukka playing "Shake 'Em On Down". After his release
in 1940, Bukka went back to Chicago before ending up giving up playing
to work in a factory, where he remained for a number of years. But
During the 1960's folk revival, Blues enthusiasts John Fahey and Ed Denson
'rediscovered' Bukka after Bob Dylan covered his song "Fixin' To Die Blues".
Bukka quickly returned to the limelight, recording several albums worth of
songs and relearning the songs he'd recorded over 30 years earlier, (having
given up the guitar, he'd largely forgotten the material.) He was very
popular in the folk circuit, and enjoyed years of celebrity and success.
Ultimately, Bukka did much to popularize and continue the traditional,
unamplified "country" style Blues, and made compelling contributions
to Blues as a whole. He gave his cousin B.B. King his first guitar, a stella. He
rubbed shoulders (and was among the ranks) of true original delta
Blues performers such as Charley Patton and long time friends Howlin' Wolf
and collaborator and friend Furry Lewis.
Also of note: Bukka cut an album with Furry entitled "Party! At Home" which
is a quirky album he and Lewis recorded while at home. It's highly recommended
for any Bukka / Delta enthusiast, as it provides som efun and interesting insight
into the lives of these Bluesmen. Much of the album was recorded via tape player
while they drank and chatted and occasionally sang and played.
Notable songs by Bukka White
Shake 'Em On Down
Fixin' To Die Blues
Notable albums by Bukka White
Party! At Home
Notable books on Bukka White
This is embarassing... We don't know any! Do you? Let us know!
