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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZESTES, Sleepy John(b 25 Jan. 1899, Ripley TN; d 5 June '77, Brownsville TN) Blues singer, guitarist, songwriter; blind in one eye from accident age six, totally blind by about age 50. Nickname from tendency to doze due to low blood pressure. Often worked outside music; sang in the street, at house parties etc; hoboed through the South; with Rev. Gary Davis, Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Skip James and a few others he lived long enough and was still vigorous enough to work festivals, tour Europe, make film/TV documentaries incl. Citizen South-Citizen North '62, The Blues '63 (by Sam Charters), Thinking Out Loud '72, Born In The Blues '73. First records on Victor '29; then Champion, Decca, Bluebird, Sun, Vanguard (Newport '64), Fontana, Storyville, Adelphi and Albatross. Later albums incl. 1929--40 on Folkways, I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More '29--41 on Yazoo, Down South Blues '35--49 on MCA; Delmark albums '62--70 incl. Legend Of with Hammie Nixon, Broke And Hungry (with the Tennessee Jug Busters: Yank Rachell, Nixon and Mike Bloomfield), Brownsville Blues and Electric Sleep (with Sunnyland Slim and Carey Bell); Portraits In Blues Vol. 10 on Storyville made in Europe '64. |