PINETOP SLIM
Uno de los artistas que aparece en este recopilatorio dedicado al Blues de ATLANTA es el guitarrista y cantante PINETOP SLIM., del cual no se disponen imágenes .
A singular performer, judging b recorded evidence. Pinetop Slim ranks as one of the top post war 'country' blues enigmas. Frank Scott has reported that 'Pinetop Slim was discovered in 1949 by Joe Bihari. He was playing and singing on a street corner in Atlanta. Georgia and Joe took him to a radio station to record [sleeve notes to Blues From The Deep South Kent (LP) 9004, 1969]. According to his discography in Blues Records (p. 379), Slim recorded seven titles at this session on 23 February 1949. Of these seven titles, four together with an unlisted one, Fast Life are available on the Kent album. Interestingly this album has an alternate take of Applejack Boogie to the one issued on 78 (Colonial 106) and reissued on Country Blues Classics Vol. 2 [Blues Classics (LP) 61]. Alternate takes of other titles may, therefore exist. In BU 73 (June 1970) Frank Scott stated that Slim had recorded ten titles at this session so Fast Life could be one of three undocumented titles or possibly, Wonder If I'm Right Or Wrong mistitled.
On all his issued recordings, Slim plays the guitar using a very distinctive 'bottleneck' technique. In this instance, judging by other recordings I have heard on which the performer produces a similar 'bottleneck' sound (for example Reverend Jack Harp; Baby Tate) the slider he uses is probably the back edge of a knife or a like metal implement. As well as an easily distinguishable guitar technique Slim has a recognizable vibrant and occasionally gutteral singing voice.
I have heard no other post war blues recording, by persons sounding remotely like Pinetop Slim (although this obviously does not mean that none exist). There is however one pre war blues artist who might well be either Slim himself or a close influence; that is Lane Hardin.
At a Chicago session for Bluebird on Sunday 28 July 1935, Hardin recorded two songs, Hard Time Blues and California Desert Blues. They were issued on Bluebird B 6242. A total of twenty six titles were cut at this session and some of the other participants, Walter Davis, Big Teddy Edwards, Pinetop and Milton Sparks are known to have come from St. Louis and it is conceivable that Hardin may have travelled with them. It is likely that he was a rambler, judging by the lyrics to his one reissued title California Desert Blues [Roots (LP) RL 319] which also suggest that he had memories of the First World War for they refer to the Hindenburg Line. Thus if Hardin had been an active participant in that war, by 1935 he would probably have been in his late thirties.
Aural comparison of California Desert Blues with Pinetop Slim's recordings of fourteen years later shows some resemblance between the two, for both Slim and Hardin have similar voices and guitar techniques. Differences that do exist could be accounted for by the fourteen year gap in recording dates. Certainly Slim's repertoire, which includes such pre blues titles as John Henry and Poor Boy Long Way From Home, suggests that he may have been just over fifty years old when he recorded the age Hardin might have been in 1949.
Hardin's Hard Time Blues may provide further clues (can anyone supply a tape?), so too may Joe Bihari. He might remember Pinetop Slim's approximate age for Slim was the first artist Joe recorded in the 'field'. There is also the matter of the tradition that Hardin (and Slim, if they are two different persons) represents. Are there any more performers who play 'bottleneck' guitar in this distinctive way and if so, do they come from a specific localized area? Whether or not Slim and Hardin are one and the same person, their blues recordings are definitely of a high quality.
Frank Scott suggests that Slim was an Atlanta bluesman but this seems improbable for he sounds unlike any known Atlanta stylist. He might however be from further south, from Alabama or Florida, those most undocumented of southern blues states.
There is no irrefutable evidence that Pinetop Slim is Lane Hardin, only the aural connections I have suggested so the subject is worth further investigation, if only to disprove my theory! John Cowley (Blues Unlimited 112 March/April 1975 p. 19)
weeniecampbell.com
There are no existing photos of Pinetop Slim (real name unknown). Joe Bihari discovered him in 1948 playing on an Atlanta, Ga. streetcorner, and decided to record him. A total of nine songs were recorded, and only two were issued on 78 RPM, "Applejack Boogie"/"I'm Gonna Carry On" (Colonial 106) Four more titles were issued on the 1960's LP "Blues From The Deep South" (Kent 9004) Pinetop plays a primitive style of slide guitar, a style that had almost vanished at the time of his recordings.
Pinetop Slim:Vocals & Guitar
Recorded February 23, 1949 in Atlanta, GA. Unissued until 2001
This recording taken from 2001 CD "The Travelling Record Man:Historic Down South Recording Trips of Joe Bihari & Ike Turner"
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