Re: [Harp-L] Little Walter - Defamation

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Dec 12, 2008, at 2:01 PM, James wrote:

> Before I comment let me say I did  not see the film.

I haven't seen it yet either.

> I just found out Marshall Chess (nephew and son of the Chess  
> Brothers) lives in my county and I want to contact him and get his  
> opinion.

Czecz may be too young to know?

> As far as the Little Walter incident, I know of no written evidence  
> in any book by Mike Rowe, Paul Oliver, Robert Palmer etc and  
> reports such an incident.
> Now, I wish to present two historical facts:
> First: Many of the traditional bluesman carried weapons.

A LOT of people carried weapons back then. My father was a hobo in 34  
till?. It was during the depression. He told me he carried a knife.

> Sonny Boy II carried a knife (based upon written accounts) The  
> first and only time I met "Lightin' Hopkins" he was packing a 44  
> Colt under his jacket. It is documented that William De Ford Bailey  
> and Sleepy John Estes slept with a pistol under their beds.

I used to do that. :)

> These were African Americans living in the South!

Right, which in an of itself was a problem. White vagrants also had a  
problem. Lesser perhaps, but still evident.

> They could not rely upon police protection.

Remember, when minutes count, the police are only HOURS away.

> When they did they rambling they might find them in a railroad yard  
> or some isolated place where you better be armed or else. It wasn't  
> "some cool artifact" it was a  matter of survival.

Absolutely. But when I was a hobo (1960-61) things had changed. Back  
in 34, if you arrived in a hobo jungle, there were a half to two  
dozen downtrodden unemployed destitute men whose only interest was  
surviving. By 1960, the most men you would come across in the rail  
yards or behind the abandoned factories would have been 2. Desolation  
and lack of people around spells trouble...always. By 1960, there  
were too many serial killers roaming these places. Ergo, I carried a  
stiletto and a 25 Mauser.

I found the best way to stay out of trouble was to 1.. not get TOO  
drunk. 2.. not play cards nor shoot dice. 3.. not talk to any  
females. 4.. mind my own business. 5.. not attract attention.  6..  
smile a lot.

> Second point: Many bluesman lived troubled lives.Sonny Boy II and  
> Walter Horton had problems with alcohol but that does not define  
> who they were and should not be the focal point of any film book  
> etc, entertainment or not.

I agree. I saw Rice at a roadhouse in Port Allen La. (across the  
ferry from Baton Rouge) a couple times. He was always half lit, but  
never gave a bad show. As a side point, I was in what was called back  
then a 'black & tan club', I never had a problem. Even though there  
was trouble at the time between LSU and Southern U. Having had (at  
the time) nearly black eyes and hair, and a coffee bean tan. I think  
I was taken as Cajun.  lolol

> I am a bluesman. I have the deepest respect for all of these folks  
> and the music they gave us.

You betcha.

> Making a film for commerical success is fine but for God sakes -  
> show a little respect!

You betcha. I think writers with no talent have to resort to  
sensationalism. Therefore, I view all movies with suspicion.
smo-joe
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