Historical May 1990 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
…If I don’t know what blues is now, nobody does!
Coming from anyone else, the words might carry a sense of arrogance.
From Yank Rachell it’s simply a statement of fact: says Jill Warren in the Indianapolis Star. Yank Rachell, called the Godfather of Blues, returns to St. Louis from Indianapolis to sing and play his mandolin at the History Museum in the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park on Saturday, May 12, beginning at 8 p.m. Legendary bluesman Henry Townsend, who has played and recorded with Rachell for 50 years, has promised a special guest appearance.
The concert, held in conjunction with the museum’s exhibition, “Ragtime to Rock ‘n Roll: St. Louis African American Music!’ will be presented by the Missouri Historical Society and the St. Louis Blues Society. Tickets are $6 per person and may be reserved in advance by calling 361-9265.
A career that spans over 60 years has taken Yank Rachell and his blues mandolin to Europe, Canada and most parts of the United States, where he has played in major clubs and festivals, on radio and on television.
He is featured in a documentary film, “Yank Rachell-Tennessee Tornado,” produced by PBS by Mike Atwood in 1989. Born in Brownsville, Tenn., Rachell developed his skills by playing the rough house parties and fish fries common to the area.
He was “discovered” in Memphis in 1929 and recorded for the first time on the Victor label. Numerous recordings have followed.
His two most recent releases find him expanding his scope into a more contemporary blues fusion.
His song credits include “Gravel Road Woman;’ “Hobo Blues,” “Tappin That Thing’: and “She Caught the Katy’: performed by Taj Mahal in the movie “The Blues Brothers!’ Chris Sautter, writing for Living Blues magazine, called Rachell “an animated performer, enthusiastically shouting and clowning with his audiences:’ An innovator of the moment, he marks his appearances by unrestrained vocals and raw, hard-driving mandolin.
Original photograph caption
Yank Rachell, above, right, called the Godfather of Blues, returns to St. Louis from Indianapolis to sing and play his mandolin at the History Museum in the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park on Saturday, May 12, beginning at 8 p.m. Pictured with Rachell is Henry Townsend who has promised a special guest appearance. The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, May1990, page7. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, May 1990.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1990_05.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 7.
