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Mississippi John Hurt: His Life, His Times, His Blues (American Made Music Series) Hardcover – June 6, 2011

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Philip R. Ratcliffe (Author)
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Philip R. Ratcliffe (Author), Mary Frances Hurt Wright (Foreword)
4.7 out of 5 stars 9 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Series: American Made Music Series
  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: University Press of Mississippi (June 6, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1617030082
  • ISBN-13: 978-1617030086
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #401,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4.0 out of 5 starsA FINE LOOK AT A QUIET, GENTLE "SONGSTER"
By Stuart Jefferson TOP 100 REVIEWER on June 25, 2011
Format: Hardcover
Hardcover, 5 page Forward, 8 page Introduction, 237 pages of text, 23 pages of Appendices-including Hurt's contracts and a lengthy discography, Chapter Notes and an Index are also included. There's a number of b&w photographs (including some never before seen) and reproductions of advertisements and posters throughout the book, which add depth and detail to the text.

Of all the country blues artists, Mississippi John Hurt deserves to be included with other notable artists of his era. Not strictly a blues singer (he was referred to as a "songster" like Texas' Mance Lipscomb), Hurt also sang folk and gospel songs and would add popular tunes into his repertoire when people requested them. His warm quiet voice and his wonderful guitar playing was easy on the ears. He led a quiet life in Mississippi for the majority of his life. He recorded some of his best work for the OKeh label in 1928, and then seemingly disappeared for decades until his re-discovery in the early 60's, during the folk-blues boom. He then recorded some more fine work up until his death in 1966.

This book, the first to look at Hurt's life and music in depth, is a well researched and written book. Beginning with Hurt's parents, who were freed slaves, the author, Philip Ratcliffe, has used previously published works, interviews with a number of musicians and others who knew Hurt, stories from family and friends, and census records, to put together not only Hurt's life, but what life was like in (very) rural Avalon, Mississippi during this era. Ratcliffe goes into detail about life in the South, and it's affect on the poor farmers (including Hurt), and you come away knowing not only about Hurt, but what shaped his outlook and music.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 stars"This is the Rosetta stone"
By colm on August 14, 2011
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Philip Ratcliffe tells us in this book that Tom Hoskins(who rediscovered Mississippi John Hurt in 1963, when handing into safe keeping the original tapes he recorded when he rediscovered MJH said; "This is the Rosetta Stone. It is priceless. Do not lose this." For all fans of Mississippi John Hurt, Ratcliffe's book is the Rosetta Stone! This book pulls together the story of John Hurt by perfectly fitting each piece of the jigsaw together so precisely that the reader's experience is three dimensional.

This is a terrific book! Full of factual detail and full of life. Little nuggets of information are found on every page which can illuminate the musician and the man we know as Mississippi John Hurt. I can't recommend it highly enough. I nave no connection to the author. I'm just a MJH fan.
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4.0 out of 5 starsThe Roots of the Delta Blues!
By Thomas E. Baldwin on July 24, 2014
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Published as part of the American Made Music series by the University Press of Mississippi, Mississippi John Hurt is a well written biography of legendary blues musician John Hurt by Philip R. Ratcliffe. Tracing Hurt's family back to slavery days, Ratcliffe gives us the background which must be a part of any study of blues music. It also gives us a view of music in the middle of the last century. The music industry today is based on music copyrights establishing authorship so that royalties can be paid. But, Hurt and the other musicians first recorded in the 1920's bent familiar melodies and changed words to fit their own styles and moods. For example, Hurt's recording of the familiar song "Frankie and Johnny," is about Frankie and Albert.

John Hurt was a small, quiet, unassuming man from Avalon, Mississippi, which is just at the edge of the Mississippi delta. He was discovered in 1926 and made several records in Memphis and New York before the depression claimed all the recording companies. He went back to farming and was re-discovered in 1963 during the folk music revival. He went on tour at age 70 and died in 1966.

John Hurt played the guitar by running a constant bass beat on the top three strings with his thumb, index, and middle fingers while playing a melody on the bottom three strings with his ring and little finger, sometimes plucking the frets above with his left hand. It's light and airy with none of the harsh, string stretching improvisation that came with electric guitars in the 1950's. His music would be categorized as Old Blues, i.e., part folk music, part blues, part African rhythm and style. He sounds more like Jimmie Rogers, the father of Country Music also recorded in 1926, than Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsLabor of Love
By Ron Dragano on February 4, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Unfortunately there's not a lot of information available for any in depth biography but leaving no stone unturned, the author presents all he could dig up and unearths some new tidbits of info that shed light on John. He provides background to place John in the context of his times, relations and environment and I now know more about railroad routes in rural Mississippi than I care to. But his point is well taken as he explains John's access to musical influences of the day that literally rode the rails into his world. The book is obviously a labor of love and those who love John will realize the limitations the author faced and the wonderful job he did within them.
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5.0 out of 5 starsBetter than I expected
By bounce on September 2, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Better than I expected, Lots of history, besides the Hurt family. Some of the Family tree info is a bit confusing, but feel it was researched as well as possible. Like the stories. Like Johns simple but effective answers to folks.
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