Robben Ford Discussion

Bunnylover · Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 7:40 pm Post subject: John Hammond, Jr.

Does anyone know if Robben Ford has or had any connection with John Hammond, Jr.? We had never heard of this performer until we saw him Sunday night in Redwood City, California. We were so blown away! What talent! He worked hard for his money belting out blues, while playing guitar and harmonica all at the same time! I'd like to hear from you Robben fans and chat about this guy. I highly recommend seeing him when he comes to your neck of the woods. Thank you.

nineacres · Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 11:32 pm Post subject:

John Hammond Jr made a documentary film called "The Search for Robert Johnson" (Sony Home Video, 1992) See if you can get your hands on a copy. I saw it on UK TV over 10 years ago. (Amazon.co.uk are "touting" a copy for £60 (sic!) but that's just rip-off Britain for you, I've seen copies on US sites for around $8.00) It's a wonderful journey down Highway 61, visiting the places where Johnson is known\thought to have lived and played. There is even an interview with one of his old girlfriends! It also includes film of old bluesmen playing in juke joints, etc around Mississippi. Quite a few of them died before the film was completed and this is mentioned in the final credits. John Hammond pays a fitting tribute to Robert Johnson with this - I feel - precious documentary dedicated to the King of the Delta Blues.
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"Creativeness often consists of merely turning up what is already there. Did you know that right and left shoes were only thought up a little more than a century ago?" - Bernice Fitz-Gibbon 1894-1982

telefunk1 · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 5:37 am Post subject:

Bunny:

JH Jr has been around quite awhile. He early stuff goes back to the mid-late 60s. He has hosted some great players on his LPs - Duane Allman did some incredible slide work for him (check out the suit Hammond is wearing on the cover of release - I will have to check the title); Duke Robillard has also guested and produced for him. Hammond, I think, is an acquired taste. Some people love him while other folks can't stand his voice. He is a great acoustic picker and true bearer of the blues flame.

telefunk1 · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 5:41 am Post subject:

The release is "Southern Fried" with Allman on 4 cuts and a great back up band to boot (Muscle Shoals). While Hammond is wearing a suit on the cover, this is not the one I was thinking of. I have another one of his LPs (did not see it on Amazon so I will find it at home later) and he wearing an incredible snake skin suit. Talk about some threads! Damn!

BlueRunner · Posted: Wed May 05, 2004 8:43 am Post subject:

Bunnylover: Better late than never! Very glad that you've finally gotten to hear John Hammond Jr. I recall the first time I ever heard him live was around 1970, at Fillmore West (the old Carousel Ballroom) in San Francisco. The show opened with an up-and-coming 21-year old daughter of a famous Broadway performer, who was starting to sing some blues and play some guitar: Bonnie Raitt. Hammond did his thing, and then the show finished with the headliners, Jefferson Airplane.

Hammond's father was a VP of Columbia records, and was instrumental in the transition of blues and other African-American dominated musical art forms from "race records" to mainstream charts. Hammond Sr. had invited Robert Johnson to come to New York in 1938 for a big concert at Carnegie Hall headlined as "From Spirituals to Swing." Johnson died before arrangements could be made, but for a number of other Southern blues performers the concert was a springboard to a broader audience.
Hammond Sr. was responsible for bringing to Columbia Records artists as diverse as Count Basie, Billie Holliday, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Makes you wonder what it was like for John Jr. to grow up in that sort of extended household.

For years John Hammond Jr. travelled from show to show "the old fashioned way" (as they say in the commercials), in a beat-up old car with a couple of guitars and harmonicas and maybe one or two clean shirts. Don't know if he still tours this way. He just won a 2004 Handy Award this spring. Maybe he can now afford airline tickets.
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- BlueRunner

Bunnylover · Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 9:38 pm Post subject: Thank you for your replies

I just wanted to thank all of you for your comments about John Hammond, Jr. I really appreciate your input.