The history of the Blues is as rich as the music itself, myths, stories, legends abound often, stories have been told over and over until fact and myth merge. The genre is full of characters that helped shape the 'blues'. Indeed, there are a great many Blues artists who are forever lost to history, fortunately the legacy of their music often remains. However, there are legendary blues men and women whose names have survived the passing of time, but sadly, for example, in the case of Marmie Desdunes her music may never be heard in its original form again.

They really did exist… 'Little Hat Jones' 'Funny Papa Smith', 'Papa eggshell'- even,'Six cylinder Smith'… Introducing you to some of the most obscure Blues artists, long forgotten, artists that have almost disappeared into the mists of time, but not quite. Featuring the long-lost blues artists from so long ago. Artists we'd nearly forgotten.

Swamp pop is a music genre indigenous to the Acadiana region of south Louisiana and a part of southeast Texas. Created in the 1950s by young Cajuns and Creoles, it combines New Orleans–style rhythm and blues, country and western, and traditional French Louisiana musical influences. Although a fairly obscure genre, swamp pop maintains a large audience in its south Louisiana and southeast Texas homeland, and it has acquired a small but passionate cult following in the UK, and Northern Europe. Direct from the US, with Rob and Dee, we’re delighted to be streaming this great production:

... Many early blues singers used variations on the phrase. The expression refers to the place in Moorhead, Mississippi, where the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley rail line intersected with the Southern rail line. Many southerners referred to the Yazoo and Mississippi line as the 'Yellow Dog' or simply the 'Dog'

W. C. Handy wrote in his autobiography of the experience of stopping at the railroad station at Tutwiler, Mississippi around 1903, and coming across, as he described it, a lean, loose-jointed Negro who was plucking at a guitar. His clothes were in rags; his feet peeped out of his shoes. His face had on it some of the sadness of the ages.

As he played, he pressed a knife on the strings ... Quote: The effect was unforgettable. His song, too, struck me instantly... The singer repeated the line (Going' where the Southern cross' the Dog) three times, accompanying himself on the guitar with the strangest music I had ever heard. Unquote

The man at the train station is rumored to have been Henry Sloan ... An elder from Dockery Plantation that taught Charley Patton to play.. The Peavine Railroad went from Dockery to 'Where the Southern Cross the Dog a few miles away to connect to all points North and West.

There is a version of the song that WC Handy heard that day and that is readily available... Blues singers such as Charley Patton, Robert Johnson and Willie Brown all apparently learnt how to play from Henry, this is why his influence is so recognised. In 1917 he boarded a train to Chicago, and was never seen again. For some unfathomable reason, I just wish his name had been 'John Henry' - ah well.