This transcript was generated with speech recognition software and reviewed by human transcribers. It may still include inaccuracies. Please listen to the episode audio for precise quotes and email any queries to [email protected].

Jamie Anthony: Hi. Welcome back and thanks for joining us here today. I’m Jamie and I am a Blues Disciple. Now please join me for a little while to hear some excellent blues music from some of the masters of the blues. Blues Disciples is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, and please note that earphones or earbuds will definitely enhance your listening pleasure.

And if you’re listening to this podcast through our website, you can click on the playlist to expand its size for easier viewing of the playlist and the featured artist.

Today, we’re going to do things a little differently. Back in 2015, Yazoo Records issued a compilation of remastered recordings made by the Memphis Jug Band from 1927 to 1934, as this band became the most recorded jug band of the era between 1923 and 1934. The Memphis Jug Band was composed of a loose knit group of early blues artists organized and led by the multi talented blues man, Mr. William “Will” Shade, also known as Son Brimmer. Besides Will Shade, the other performing artists would vary depending on the venue, the type of audience and which of the artists were available to perform at that particular date and time.

The Memphis Jug Band used a variety of instruments including individual artist vocals, guitars, violin, mandolin, banjo, harmonicas, kazoo, piano, washboard, wash tub or oil can bass, drums and of course, jugs. This album features 28 recordings by the Memphis Jug Band, and I’ve selected 18 of my favorites to play for you today. Given the 7 year span of the recordings from the band’s first recordings in 1927 until their last in 1934, it’s interesting to observe how the mood and lyrics of the songs changed from the Roaring 20’s optimistic outlook and economy of 1927 up until the Great Depression and stock market crash of October 1929, then a short spurt of optimism in 1930, and finally the acceptance of the dismal depression of the decade to follow. So we’ll present our 18 songs in chronological order as recorded. Now here from the Memphis Jug Band’s first recording session in Memphis on February 24, 1927, we’ll hear the first takes on “Memphis Jug Blues” and then “Newport News Blues.”

• 00:02:12 – [Memphis Jug Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:05:44 – [Newport News Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

Jamie Anthony: Then from their June 9, 1927 recording session in Chicago we will hear “Sometimes I Think I Love You” and “Memphis Boy Blues.”

• 00:09:01 – [Sometimes I Think I Love You – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:12:08 – [Memphis Boy Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

Jamie Anthony: Here now we’ll play 5 songs recorded in the still roaring and booming year of 1928. The songs are “She Stays Out All Night Long,” “Lindberg Hop,” “On the Road Again,” “Whitewash Station Blues,” “Stealin’ Stealin’,” and “What’s the Matter.”

• 00:15:18 – [She Stays Out All Night Long – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:18:19 – [Lindberg Hop – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:21:01 – [On the Road Again – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:23:56 – [Whitewash Station Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:26:45 – [Stealin’ Stealin’ – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:29:54 – [What’s the Matter – Memphis Jug Band]

Jamie Anthony: At the dawning of 1929 the US experienced a weakening of the the Roaring 20s optimism and then, in March a mini stock market crash, after which the economy seemed to recover a bit. Later that year on October 4 1929, just 20 days before the October 24 & 29 massive Stock Market Crash, the Memphis Jug Band recorded this little double entendre song sung by the great blues lady Miss Hattie Heart titled “Memphis Yo Yo Blues.”

• 00:33:15 – [Memphis Yo Yo Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

Jamie Anthony: Folks, after the stock market lost about 50% of its value in 1929, the new decade of 1930s started out looking like an economic recovery might take hold. And from May 14th to May 29th, 1930, the Memphis Jug Band recorded these 5 songs that covered a number of reasons to have and to cry about the blues. Here, they start optimistically with “Everyone’s Talking About Sadie Green,” then, “Oh Ambulance Man,” “Cocaine Habit Blues,” “Caveman Blues,” and “Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues.”

• 00:36:39 – [Everyone’s Talking About Sadie Green – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:39:54 – [Oh Ambulance Man – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:42:35 – [Cocaine Habit Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:45:37 – [Caveman Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:48:44 – [Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues – Memphis Jug Band]

Jamie Anthony: Unfortunately, after those songs were recorded and by the end of the month of May 1930, reality set in and the world started to recognize that the worldwide depression was here to stay for a long time. In 1932, unemployment had ridden to 25% and the stock market had lost 90% of its pre 1929 value, which then marked the bottom of the Great Depression. But it would take almost 7 more years before a recovery could be declared. Unfortunately, the days of the jug bands, as with many other elements of our society, did not survive the Great Depression. And Will Shade’s Memphis Jug Band had its last recording sessions in November of 1934, including 2 great songs titled “Gator Wobble” and “Insane Crazy Blues.”

But before we hear those songs, I wanna suggest that you check out our Blues Disciples podcast number 83 to learn more about the Memphis Jug Band artists, including their leader, Mr. Will Shade, through our interview with my friend and musicologist, Mr. Roger Brown, as he shares his stories about his and his good buddy George Mitchell’s trips to Memphis after their junior and senior high school years in 1961-1962, which was 28 years after the Memphis Jug Band’s last 1934 recordings. You’ll learn far more about Will Shade and his fellow Jug Band artists, including blues legends Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis, Will Shade, Gus Cannon, Charlie Burse, Noah Lewis, and Will Shade’s wife, Miss Jenny Mae Clayton Shade, as they entertain, record, and party with 17 and 18 year old George Mitchell and Roger Brown. And next week, we’ll play a remastered version of our podcast number 83 with expanded narrative as podcast number 258. Now as we close out this show, here from November 6th-7th, 1934 are “Gator Wobble” and “Insane Crazy Blues.” And thank you all for listening.

• 00:53:54 – [Gator Wobble – Memphis Jug Band]

• 00:56:38 – [Insane Crazy Blues – Memphis Jug Band]