[Harp-L] Any 1920s 2nd position blues besides Gwen Foster?

[David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Anybody know of accompanied second-position harmonica from the 1920's besides Gwen Foster? I've listened to a lot of music from the 1920s and early 1930s and the harp I hear on blues is all first position and not what we'd call bluesy today, with the exception of Foster. The more I research this, the more it seems like 2nd position was something revolutionary that Foster was experimenting with.
The blues I hear from the period that has harp in it isn't what we'd really consider bluesy. There is some excellent harmonica, Henry Whittier, Frank Hutchison, from the 1920s and a little later DeFord Bailey... but I've not really heard bluesy, wailing, bent notes in first position or second position from the 1920s besides Foster. Frank was a remarkable bluesman, but only used the harp on more folky songs in the Key of C. It seems that applying the harmonica to his blues never occurred to him. 

All this said, it was the next generation of Chicago guys who really made second position what it is in the 1940s. But the more I research this, the more it seems that Gwen Foster was the Howard Levy of blues harp. It does seem, however, that Gwen Foster was to the blow bend what Howard Levy was to the overblow. 
I've been working on this for several years and I'm going to be writing some history stuff for my Web site soon. If anybody has anything to add or subtract here, I'd appreciate it.... just looking for the truth.



Dave
__________________________
Dave Payne Sr. 
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.com