Johnny Barfield

John Alexander "Johnny" Barfield (born March 3, 1909 in Tifton , Georgia , † January 16, 1974 ) was an American old-time and country musician . Barfield recorded the first country boogie in 1939 with his version of the song Boogie Woogie .

Life

Johnny Barfield was born in Georgia in 1909. In his youth, he often played guitar on street corners with his brother Coot, who played the fiddle, to make money.

In 1927 Barfield made his first recordings with his brother in the Columbia Records studio in Atlanta, but the label did not release them. He made the acquaintance of Clayton McMichen , who at the time was a Fiddler with the Skillet Lickers . This band from Atlanta was one of the most successful old-time groups in the mid and late 1920s, and Barfield soon became part of the band's immediate environment and toured with them, for example.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Barfield made recordings for the American Record Corporation with Bert Layne , also a member of the Skillet Lickers, and was a member of Clayton McMichen's band, the Georgia Wildcats , from 1931 . He toured with them, made radio appearances and worked as a guitarist on recordings. In 1932 he left the group, however, and embarked on a solo career. In the 1930s he could be heard on various radio stations, for example at WGST in Atlanta, and played in Bert Layne's band.

However, Barfield was only able to get a recording contract as a solo artist with Bluebird Records in 1939 . He had his first success with his first record on Bluebird, cover versions of the songs Boogie Woogie and Everybody's Tryin 'to Be My Baby . Boogie Woogie was originally recorded by pianist Pinetop Smith in 1928 and is considered the first boogie woogie song in music history. Similar to Smith, Barfield played in an eight-bar chord scheme, but changed the lyrics and only accompanied himself on guitar . His version is considered the first country boogie and quickly became a hit on the jukeboxes .

Barfield's success prompted Bluebird to bring Barfield back to their studio in 1940, where the sequel The New 'Boogie Woogie' was created during further sessions . In the long term, however, Barfield was unable to establish himself as a successful musician in the national, newly emerging country scene. He continued to record in the following years, including with Bullet Records , but had no hit.

Barfield died in 1974.

Discography

Bluebird recordings have also been released by Montgomery Ward .

year	title	#	Remarks
Published titles
Bluebird Records
1939	Boogie Woogie / Everybody's Tryin 'to Be My Baby	BB-8272
	When Daddy Played the Old Banjo / In a Sleepy Country Town	BB-8300
	Don't Cry My Darlin '/ Why Don't You Give Me My Memories	BB-8318
	Old Fiddler Joe / I'm Gonna Ride Til the Sun Goes Down	BB-8395
	It Ain't No Good / My Poodle Doodle Dog	BB-8415
	Love Me Only / Don't Take My Memories	BB-8447
	Long Tongued Woman / Ain't It Right	BB-8486
	The New Boogie Woogie / That Little Shirt My Mother Made for Me	BB-8506
	Sleep, Darlin ', Seep On / In the Heart of the City	BB-8586
	Heartaches and Tears / Desert Lullaby	BB-8636
	Pretty Little Naponee / True to the One I Love	BB-8691
	You'll Want Me to Want You Some Day / It's a Long Lane That Doesn't Have a Turning	BB-8782
	Highway Hobo / Berry Pickin 'Time	BB-8830

literature

• Charles K. Wolfe: Classic Country: Legends of Country Music (2001), pp. 152-153; Routledge Group, ISBN 0415928273

Web links

• Johnny Barfield on Hillbilly-Music.com (English)