Bo Carter
| Bo Carter | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Armenter Chatmon[1] |
| Born | June 30, 1892 Bolton, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | September 21, 1964 (aged 71) Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Genres | Delta blues Country blues |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1931–1944 |
| Associated acts | Mississippi Sheiks Sam Chatmon Charley Patton |
Armenter "Bo Carter" Chatmon (June 30, 1892 – September 21, 1964)[2] was an American early blues musician. He was a member of the Mississippi Sheiks in concerts, and on a few of their recordings. Carter also managed that group, which included his brother, Lonnie Chatmon, on fiddle and occasionally Sam Chatmon on bass, along with a friend, Walter Vincson, on guitar and lead vocals.[1][2]
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[edit] Career
Since the 1960s, Carter has become best known for his bawdy songs such as "Banana in Your Fruit Basket", "Pin in Your Cushion", "Your Biscuits Are Big Enough for Me", "Please Warm My Wiener" and "My Pencil Won't Write No More".[1][3] However, his output was not restricted to risqué music.[1] In 1928, he recorded the original version of "Corrine, Corrina", which later became a hit for Big Joe Turner and has become a standard in various musical genres.[2]
Carter and his brothers (including pianist Harry Chatmon, who also made recordings), first learned music from their father, ex-slave fiddler Henderson Chatmon, at their home on a plantation between Bolton and Edwards, Mississippi. Their mother, Eliza, also sang and played guitar.
Carter made his recording debut in 1928, backing Alec Johnson. Carter soon was recording as a solo artist and became one of the dominant blues recording acts of the 1930s, recording 110 sides.[1] He also played with and managed the family group, the Mississippi Sheiks, and several other acts in the area. He and the Sheiks often played for whites, playing the pop hits of the day and white-oriented dance material, as well as for blacks, using a bluesier repertoire.[citation needed]
Carter went partly blind during the 1930s.[1] He settled in Glen Allen[disambiguation needed 
] and despite his vision problems did some farming but also continued to play music and perform, sometimes with his brothers. Carter moved to Memphis, and worked outside the music industry in the 1940s.
Carter suffered strokes and died of a cerebral hemorrhage at Shelby County Hospital, Memphis, on September 21, 1964.
[edit] Discography
- "Corrine, Corrina" – 1928 (Brunswick)
- "All Around Man" – 1931 (Bluebird)
- "Old Devil" – 1938 (Bluebird)
[edit] Influence
Bo Carter's style of playing the guitar and his songwriting won him fans long after he died. One of the most notable examples was blues-rock guitarist, Rory Gallagher from Ireland, who performed several of his songs, including, "All Around Man." He is not related to the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame member and 40-plus-years publicist Sam T. "Bo" Carter.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues – From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 99–100. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ a b c "Biography by Jim O'Neal". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p305/biography. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
- ^ Blueslyrics.tripod.com
[edit] External links
- Bo Carter biography at the emusic website
- Biography at Allmusic.com
- Works by or about Bo Carter in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- 1893 births
- 1964 deaths
- People from Bolton, Mississippi
- Acoustic blues musicians
- Delta blues musicians
- Dirty blues musicians
- Country blues musicians
- African American musicians
- American blues guitarists
- Country blues singers
- American folk musicians
- American male singers
- Blind bluesmen
- Deaths from cerebral hemorrhage
