Big John Wrencher

Big John Wrencher (born February 12, 1923 in Sunflower , Sunflower County , Mississippi , † July 15, 1977 in Clarksdale , Mississippi, also known as One Arm John , actually John Thomas Wrencher ) was an American harmonica player and singer. He played often at Maxwell Street Market in the 1960s and toured Europe in the 1970s.

Life

As a child he showed great interest in music and taught himself the harmonica at an early age. In the 1940s he was a traveling musician in Tennessee , Missouri , Indiana and Illinois . He arrived in Chicago by the middle of the decade and often played at Maxwell Street Market and house parties. He lived in Detroit in the 1950s and played with Baby Boy Warren and in his own trio.

In 1958, he lost his left arm in a car accident in Memphis. He relocated to Chicago in the early 1960s and became a fixture on Maxwell Street, playing every Sunday from 10am to 3pm. In 1964 he appeared in the documentary And This Is Free , the music was released in a CD box ( And This Is Maxwell Street ). During that decade he recorded for Testament as a musician in Robert Nighthawks Band.

In 1973 and 1974 he toured Europe with the Chicago Blues Festival and the American Blues Legends, during the 1974 tour he recorded an album in London for the Big Bear label , with Eddie Taylor and his band accompanying him.

While visiting family in 1977, Big Joe Wrencher died of a heart attack in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Discography

• 1969 Big John Wrencher and his Maxwell Street Blues Boys: Maxwell Street Alley Blues
• 1974 Big John's Boogie Castle Music Ltd.
• 1978 Maxwell Street Alley Blues Blue Sting
• Memphis to Maxwell Jawes

Individual evidence

1. ^ Harris, S. (1981): Blues Who's Who. New York, Da Capo Press, pp. 589-590
2. ↑ www.allmusic.com