fR316 PAGES 47-48-49 25/8/09 12:05 Page 1
47 f
Photo: Dave Peabody
Red’s Blues
Blues veteran Louisiana Red tells Dave Peabody about
his early mentors and how to get a good slide sound.
T
hrough his powerhouse perfor- “After my father was murdered by back my grandmother had passed away
mances and with over 50 the Ku Klux Klan I was raised in Pitts- and then I left Pittsburgh altogether. I
albums to his credit, Louisiana burgh by my grandmother and I stayed went on to East Liverpool, Ohio. I got
Red has earned himself a place there until I went into the army. I was 12 with a band there… got a job there play-
in the blues pantheon. He’s years old when my grandmother bought ing. I was working in the clubs as a musi-
spread the blues around the globe, and me a Stella guitar. She paid 12 dollars for cian. I made a living from that.”
he is as ebullient off stage as he is on. it. I got disgusted and I put it down, I
“My brother had bought a record.
Taking a day off during his recent UK tour couldn’t learn it. I was about ‘round 15
He says ‘Hey, listen to this man here’ and
with British slide guitarist Michael Mess- or 16 and I was working construction
it was Muddy Waters, Feel Like Goin’
er, Red talked effusively about his life, his work. I was walking up the street one
Home and Can’t Be Satisfied on Aristo-
blues mentors, and revealed some tips day and I seen a man playing a guitar
crat Records. Later I called Chicago and I
about his own slide guitar technique. and I said ‘Mister, can you please show
got Phil Chess on the phone. I said ‘I like
“I was born in Bessemer, Alabama,
me how to play the guitar?’ He says ‘I’ll
this artist you have named Muddy
March 23rd 1932, right then. I’m 77 and
show you what I know, son’. His name
Waters’. They sent me a picture of
still a young man, oh yeah! I got called
was Crick Walters. I had two instructors:
Muddy and a record along with it. Then
Louisiana Red on account of hot sauce.
Crick Walters and Mr Slim Brown. Slim
they said ‘We’re coming to Pittsburgh
My grandaddy used to take me to
showed me how to play in E natural. I
and we want to meet you’. They took me
Louisiana and I’d get crawfish sandwiches
was playing in open G tuning the way
down to KDK and recorded me down
and I put a lot of hot sauce on it… just
Crick Walters learned me.”
there. I can’t find that record I did at
covered the bread up. He said ‘You’re Lit- “I was in the army for about four KDK – Pittsburgh studio. Finally, they
tle Louisiana Red because you can use years. They lost my military records in a give me the bus fare… I didn’t like to
pepper, you can use hot sauce’. It’s a sauce fire. I can get benefits if they ever find ride no train too much… had a vacation
called ‘Louisiana Red Hot Sauce’ that’s my records and I can get a copy of it. I on my job and I went on to Chicago and I
why, I guess, I got my name.” served in Korea in the ‘50s. When I came was scared.”
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92