Furry Lewis

 

Walter "Furry" Lewis embodied the relaxed and intimate character of the early blues.  A master of multiple guitar techniques, Furry was most notable as an impressive bottleneck guitarist who echoed his vocal phrasings with an expressive set of sliding notes.  His performances exuded spontaneity, subtlety, and feeling, making him, in the words of blues historian Sam Charters, one of 

"Only a handful of singers [of his era] with the creative ability to use the blues as an expression of personal emotion."

In April 1927,  Furry ventured to Chicago, and recorded six songs for the Vocalion label.  This pivotal moment marked his entry into the world of recorded music.  Tragically, Furry lost a leg while attempting to hop a freight train in Illinois.  Undeterred, he continued his musical journey, traveling with a medicine show, performing on the streets and at various social gatherings, including picnics and saloons.  Furry often reminisced about his experiences playing with W.C. Handy and the "first good guitar" he ever owned, a gift from Handy himself.

His 1927-29 Vocalion and Victor recordings, now considered some of the finest examples of early blues, featured ragtime-influenced pieces, Delta-style blues (some played with a bottleneck), and folk hero ballads.  Unfortunately, music didn’t provide a livelihood for Lewis, who held various jobs in Memphis, including garbage man, night watchman, and street sweeper.

In the 1960s, Furry was able to build a new musical career, after author Sam Charters produced his first LP in 1959.  This was followed by a series of records and performances across the country for the emerging folk-blues audience.  Furry, known for his showmanship and humor, became a beloved figure in Memphis.  He formed a close bond with a young group of fans, writers, and musicians who visited him, chauffeured him to gigs, and even took turns going to the local pawn shop to retrieve his guitar or wooden leg.

His profile surged in the 1970s, gracing television shows like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and films, notably 'W. W. and the Dixie Dance Kings'.  He even opened a concert for the Rolling Stones and had a song, "Furry Sings the Blues", written in his honor by Joni Mitchell, and released on her 'Hejira' album.  His album 'Live at the Gaslight', recorded in New York City in 1971, was produced by Jim Nash, who revealed that he first discovered Lewis through Jimi Hendrix. 

Furry Lewis died on September 14, 1981, at the age of 88. 

He was elected to the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012.

Today's freeload is two Furry albums, one from the late 1920s, and one from the early 1960s.

This Yazoo Records release is a very worthwhile collection of Furry Lewis recordings from the 1920s.  The re-mastering is very well done, and the sound quality is very good for 1920s original recordings taken from 78 rpm records of the period.

This double LP set was released in 1972, and is two previously released albums.  LP1 was originally released on the Prestige/Bluesville label as 'Back On My Feet Again', and was recorded on April 3 and 4, 1961.  LP2 was also originally released on the Prestige/Bluesville label as 'Done Changed My Mind', and was recorded in May 1961.

Both albums are vinyl rips, and sound sweet.

For the freeload, what's your favorite furry animal?