St. Louis Blues Society Greenwood Cemetery CD project updates, courtesy of Michael Higgins.
From Michael –
The Greenwood Cemetery CD project has begun 
! First song down, and the bar has been set high 
Thank you! Everyone was in good spirits, the set up was perfect and it showed. John May so glad you made it and brought your infinite wisdomThis was a TREAT to behold and hear. Everyone was locked in and on it.
!!From Michael – “Many thanks to St Louis blues favorite Eric Mcspadden and the wonderful guitar of Brian T Curran
The 1,400 mile long highway dates back to 1926 and was part of the United States very first highway project. Originally it ran 1,716 miles from the US-Canadian border in Minnesota following the lines of the mighty Mississippi River south through the Delta all the way to New Orleans.
The song has been a deep Delta blues staple for good reason. Besides being the oldest known American song about a highway, it’s been recorded by some of the greatest bluesmen ever. Among those who’ve recorded it are Mississippi Fred McDowell, Honeyboy Edwards, Big Joe Williams, Johnny Young, Eddie Burns, Joe McCoy and both James “Son” Thomas and his son, the recently departed Pat Thomas 
. These great versions all have that Delta feel with guitar, vocals, and sometimes slide. The metaphorical blues crossroads sits right on US 61 when it crosses Highway 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
But did you know that both the first and second recorded versions of this blues classic came out of St Louis, Missouri? And not only that: they were recorded as piano blues. No guitar.
The great Roosevelt Sykes recorded the first version in 1932, and a few months later in 1933, The Sparks Brothers recorded their take. Vocalist Milton Sparks (twin brother of pianist Pinetop Sparks) was buried in Greenwood 30 years after their recorded version.
Eric and Brian’s take carries some of that STL flavor. Although there’s no piano, they made the conscious decision to record Brian’s guitar in the key of E following the piano pattern of The Sparks Brothers. With Brian now living in Michigan, he recorded his guitar part there. The track was then sent to Paul Niehaus’s Blue Lotus Studio in St Louis where Eric came in and laid down some great vocals and sweet harp.
Many thanks to Lady J Huston and her band Wednesday night
! The St. Louis Blues Society’s Greenwood Cemetery, CD project “ONE KIND FAVOR — PLEASE SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEAN ” keeps trucking forward!
Celebrating the amazing blues and jazz history buried in the oldest African-American cemetery west of the Mississippi River, Lady J and her band knocked out a funky horn-backed take of Bertha Henderson’s “The Jamboree Blues”.
Originally recorded in 1926, this take is nearly one hundred years later!
Kudos to Paul Niehaus and his Blue Lotus Studio and John May. The same goes for the great sounds of Lady J on vocals/trumpet/tambourine/arranger, Darryl Bassett guitar, Frank Dunbar bass, Keith Fowler Jr keys, Bwayne Smotherson drums and Eric Johnson trombone.
The Greenwood project explores the great music of those buried in the historic 150 year old cemetery, including Grant Green, Walter Davis, Milton Sparks, Signifying Mary Johnson, Bertha Henderson and the notorious Stagger Lee.
Once again, thanks Lady J
!
Really looking forward to more great blues and jazz in studio from the deep reservoir of St Louis/East St Louis talent.
Photos courtesy of STL blues historian Charles A Johnston
