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Scrapper Blackwell

Francis ‘Scrapper’ Blackwell was born in 1903 in North Carolina and was still a child when his family moved to Naptown. (Indianapolis) Credited later as being the man responsible for moving the blues from the country to the city, Blackwell was a guitarist of highly impressive skills and a sensitive songwriter. Scrapper Blackwell is an important link to modern Urban Blues. He recorded throughout the late 1920s and '30s, most often with pianist Leroy Carr. The guitar style he developed based around sophisticated single string-soloing, pointed the way for the guitar heroics that became a big part of most Electric Blues in the '40s and '50s, whose major proponent was T-Bone Walker.

Leroy Carr was a songwriter with many stories to tell and in teaming with Scrapper Blackwell, a guitarist of enormous stature; the pair managed many hits in their time together. They were primarily known for the 1928 signature tune “How Long, How Long, Blues.” As a duo, they juggled immense popularity, busy recording schedules, jook joint performances, bootleg operations, arguments, and much more in their years together. Running the gamut from introspective blues, "You Got To Reap What You Sow," and "Six Cold Feet In The Ground," to the comical, near-hokum approach, "Box Car Blues" and "Papa Wants A Cookie."

Although the partnership was a success on record, Leroy and Scrapper had their personal difficulties. At one session they went in together and a disagreement ensued, the two were separated; both finishing their studio time recording solo. Blackwell was reportedly dissatisfied with getting less than his fair share of credit and financial rewards as he claimed to have written many titles with his sister, Mae Malone. Whatever the disagreements, when Carr died in 1935, from Nephritis due to his extreme intake of alcohol, Scrapper mourned the loss of his longtime friend with "My Old Pal Blues" at a July session.

Scrapper went on to do quite a bit of recording on his own, “Bad Liquor Blues” is a fine 21 track testament to his wide ranging abilities and importance in both areas. Scrapper's "Kokomo Blues" from a 1928 recording session was reworked by Kokomo Arnold, another guitarist and bootlegger as well, and later by Robert Johnson into "Sweet Home Chicago," which became the anthem for the Windy City. An intricate player, Blackwell was known for stunning treble runs, driving rhythms, and powerful string snaps that stunned the competition. His rolling "A Blues" and the equally impressive "D Blues," both instrumental pieces from a 1935 date, show the evidence to great effect. His touching "Blues That Make Me Cry" and "Morning Mail Blues" from 1934 prove him to be rather adept at the piano as well, and the two-part "Trouble Blues" will satisfy any curiosity as to how deft he was with guitar in hand. The previously mentioned "My Old Pal Blues" following the death of Leroy Carr, shows Scrapper teamed with Dot Rice on piano in an attempt to recapture the earlier brilliance but was only successful, in impressing again, his fleet-fingered style.

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119
Album Review

Scrapper Blackwell: Mr. Scrapper's Blues

Read "Mr. Scrapper's Blues" reviewed by Derek Taylor


As one half of what was the easily most popular blues team of the Pre-War era, Scrapper Blackwell tasted the fruits of fame and fortune early in his career. His partnership with pianist/vocalist Leroy Carr turned in more ‘race record’ hits for Vocalion than any other act in the label’s talent stable. Sadly the duo’s relationship, both professional and personal, eventually soured when the dual sins of hard liquor and hard living caught up with them. They consigned Carr to ...

243
Album Review

Scrapper Blackwell: Bad Liquor Blues

Read "Bad Liquor Blues" reviewed by Derek Taylor


Scrapper Blackwell was a pioneering blues guitar genius possessing a technique that made most of his peers green with envy. Sadly, as if living the lyrics of one of his song, his career took a mortal blow with the passing of his musical partner Leroy Carr. Carr and Blackwell were the earliest and most successful blues duo regularly charting hits on the race records sales circuit. When Carr died of liquor-related illness Blackwell’s similar demons caught up with him and ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Bad Liquor Blues

Catfish Records (UK)
2001

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Mr. Scrapper's Blues

Original Blues Classics
1960

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