Snooks Eaglin was born in 1936 and raised in New Orleans. When he was a year and a half, surgery for a brain tumor left him blind. Eaglin's father, a harmonica player, gave him a guitar at the age of five, and young Snooks taught himself to play by replicating songs off the radio and phonograph. Eaglin's first regular gig was with the Flamingoes in 1952, a seven-piece horn combo started by 13-year-old Allen Toussaint on piano. Snooks recorded for Folkways in 1958 then for Imperial. He still lives in New Orleans and still plays a great guitar.
This is a cut from the Smithsonian Folkways album Snooks Eaglin New Orleans Street Singer originally released in 1959 but now in re-release.
MP3 File
Friday, February 01, 2008
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7 comments:
I loved this song by Snooks! He has such a clean sound. Please play more of his creations.
Thanks
Rainbowrod,
If you give me your e-mail address, I'll send you a few more. It's usually a while between postings from the same singer.
I hadn't heard anything from Snooks for years, and had forgotten him. Thanks for this gem, and thanks for the memory.
Dan,
You're always welcome!
Dang . . . now did he get it from Lightnin' Hopkins, or did Lightnin' get it from him? (cf. Lightnin's Autobiography in Blues on Tradition.) The two versions are VERY similar, save that Snooks always knows where the changes go, and Lightnin just changed chords when he damn well felt like it.
And I forgot to mention--this is the only tune by Snooks I've ever heard except for "Uncle Sam Blues," a perennial favorite of Jorma Kaukonen.
Marchbanks,
From what I can find, it seems Snooks was 22 when he recorded this album. How that relates to the Lightin' song I have no idea, but that was all I could find.
I suggest you pick up this album. No songs disappoint.
Here is the review I found when I went hunting for more info:
http://weeniecampbell.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=42♦
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