If it's a serious journal, then the quoted statement is completely irresponsible - "may or may not have been wanted for murder"? That has no place in serious scholarly work; it's just sensationalism for its own sake. I wonder how John Lee's Williamson's relatives would feel about such a statement?
If in fact the statement refers to John Lee. Literally that's what the sentence says, but West Helena was Rice Miller's stomping grounds. Still, either he was or wasn't wanted for murder. If it was a rumor, and there is something to be understood socially or about Sonny Boy personally from this, then it deserves to be labeled as such, or explained in some way that gives it significance beyond lurid reading. Are there police records? Was there a question of the true name of the suspect (Rice Miller having woven such a web of confusion about his name)? Did it lead to flight from the area to some other place, like Chicago?
I'm not sure of the scholarly value of the piano player story, but at least it's an apparently known story that may have literary value. Again, social significance, portait of the artist, etc., and the author or editor is doing the responsible thing in trying to attribute it. But s/he should not let the murder allegation pass unexamined.
Winslow
--- Glenn Weiser <celticguitar1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Peter-
Good to hear from you, and yes, I do own that book. It's great.
Everyone- The same writer has queried me again on a diiferent incident-
"I hate to bother you again, but do you know where I could find some back-up for the rumor that Sonny Boy Williamson II allegedly stabbed someone in a street fight? The actual sentence reads as follows:
Sonny Boy Williamson-who stole his name from the real Sonny Boy, who may or may not have been wanted for murder in West Helena, Arkansas-pulls a switchblade out of his pocket in the middle of a recording session and tells the piano player, 'This time, motherfucker, we're going to play it my way.' "
He neglected to tell me where he read this, but does anyone have anything on it? Again, he is writing for an upcoming music issue of the Oxford American magazine, which I hadn't heard of, but is evidently a rather serious journal dedicted to the South.
-Glenn Weiser
----- Original Message ----- From: Peter and Connie Ruth
To: celticguitar1@xxxxxxxxxxxx ; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 1:37 PM
Subject: Re; Doorless LW car
The story about Little Walter taking the doors off his Lincoln can be found in the book: The Voice of the Blues, Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine Edited by Jim O'Neal and Amy Van Singel published in 2002 by Routledge.
I highly recommend this book.
Peter Madcat Ruth
madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.madcatmusic.net
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