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| PD Productions. Media, Broadcasting and Radio productions for stations worldwide |
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Back to where it all began ... Thank you for taking the time to visit us. My name is David Howard, PD Productions is based in the South West of the UK, but that isn't where our journey into the blues began .... It all started in a small town bar in Louisiana; it was like travelling back in time, dusty, rickety tables, chairs, and a bare wooden floor. Sat on a little platform was a lady and a guy with a guitar, and then the lady began to sing the blues. I could have closed my eyes, although I didn’t realise it at the time, I could have been listening to Ma Rainey or Bessie Smith. Quietly listening, and with encouragement from others we joined with the ‘Tell us your story’...
We knew and felt the songs were telling us of a deep sadness, borne of a deprivation beyond our comprehension. I was listening to the 'Blues' long before that, but never really understood, until then, what was meant by 'Feeling the Blues' ... Each time I produce ‘Backtracking’ I try to show my love and respect for the people and the lives these songs are about, this deprivation, sadness and misery. We are honouring them by keeping their presence and their simple music alive and well.
Each time, we are taking a journey back in time to the abomination of slavery, the depth of the spirituals and of course the expressive blues from all those years ago. Our research and journey since that day has been a discovery of the ‘Blues’ that never ends, of a culture and history that has faded in the mists of time, but remains for us to find. We're honoured and privileged to share with you this great music and its history, back a hundred years and beyond, a genre so rich, so vast so diverse and so real.
Now based in Somerset (UK) What started all those years ago with a handful of blues tracks, a few faded photographs and books has grown exponentially with the help of our good friends, Alan, Terry and Graham, the ‘Doc’ even my dear late cousin Len (Houston) the never ending patience of Pam and so many people from around the world, far too many to mention, Backtracking has become a library of music and resources so vast it’s often difficult to keep track of it all, as it continues to grow.
Thank you for listening to ‘Backtracking’ from here in the UK. At PD Productions, we extend our best wishes to you all.
David – PD Productions (UK) |
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Every Friday we have the Blues ... At PD Productions, our research and journey of discovery never ends, simply because the culture of the blues never ends. We're honoured and privileged to share the music within the genre of the Blues back in time a hundred years and beyond, a genre so vast and so diverse.
So many people from around the world have contributed to our research, and indeed, our library of music, far too many to mention by name. Released every Friday, we invite you to join Backtracking, the blue time machine as we go back to the Roots of the Blues, back, to where it all began. |
| Featured on Backtracking .. |
- The lady sings the blues.
- Blues on the Bayou.
- Gospel blues train.
- Featured artist of the week.
- Spirituals – The blues connection.
- Prison work songs.
- Myths and Legends of the blues.
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Featured artist of the week .... Daddy Stovepipe
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Daddy Stovepipe, real name Johnny Watson (April 12, 1867 – November 1, 1963), he recorded under several other names such as Jimmy Watson, Sunny Jim and Rev. Alfred Pitts. Many of his recordings were jug band duets with his wife, Sarah Watson, who was usually credited as Mississippi Sarah.
Johnny’s career began before 1900 in Mexico as a twelve-string guitarist in early mariachi bands. Later, he joined the Rabbit's Foot Minstrels and possibly, the legendary, United Mastodon Minstrels touring around the southern states.
By the 1920s, he was performing as a one-man band in Chicago, here he acquired the name ‘Daddy Stovepipe’ from the characteristic top hat he wore. He first recorded Sundown Blues in 1924 which is regarded as one of the most primitive blues on record.
He made more recordings back in Chicago in with his wife, Mississippi Sarah, a singer and jug player. They recorded together again in 1935 sadly, Sarah's death in 1937 sent her husband back out on the road, he worked for a while around Texas, playing in Cajun bands and, again, with a selection of Mexican mariachi bands.
 By 1948 he was again performing as a street musician in Chicago, and was recorded in 1960, aged 93, with his repertoire having widened to include traditional popular music tunes such as The Tennessee Waltz. Johnny left us in1963,he died from bronchial pneumonia, he was aged 96. |
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