Lowe Stokes
Lowe Stokes (* 1898 or 1900 in Elijay , Georgia , as Marcus Lowell Stokes ; † 1983 ) was an American old-time musician . Stokes was a member of the Skillet Lickers and played an important role in the development of their incomparable sound.
Life
Childhood and youth
In addition to 1898, some sources also give the year 1900 as Stokes' year of birth, but it is not possible to say with certainty which information is correct. He learned to play the fiddle from his father and big brother . From the Fiddler Joe Lee he learned the play Katy Hill , with which he won most of the prizes at Fiddler's Conventions . "I'd win most of my prices on that" , Stokes later recalled, "[Joe Lee was] the best fiddler I ever heard".
Career
In 1918, Stokes, a regular at the Atlanta Fiddler's Conventions , began playing in Clayton McMichens , the Lick the Skillet Band , which would later become the Hometown Boys. Over the years, Stokes played with McMichen repeatedly, including on later recordings. Whether on tours, local appearances or on radio WSB, he was often accompanied by McMichen. From 1925 Stokes played from time to time with other guest players such as Bert Layne in the supergroup Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers , which consisted of the four core musicians Gid Tanner , Riley Puckett , Fate Norris and Clayton McMichen. As the third fiddler, he played a decisive role in the “wild” sound of the group.
In addition to the Skillet Lickers, Stokes also worked with John Dilleshaw in his band. In the late 1920s, Stokes also led his own band, the North Georgians , with whom he made numerous recordings for Columbia Records . His repertoire consisted mainly of old fiddle melodies, but also current pop songs , rags and blues . With AA Gray he played the record Swamp Cat Rag / Citaco on Brunswick Records under the pseudonym The Swamp Rooters .
However, Stoke's life was shaken by at least three serious incidents. He was attacked several times while touring the Skillet Lickers and was involved in a shootout on Christmas 1930; as a result, his hand had to be amputated. Bert Layne recalls it this way: “ I broke for Cartersville. That was the town he'd got shot the day before. “A local doctor treated Stokes after the incident and Bert Layne worked with a mechanic friend to develop a prosthesis that allowed Stokes to play the fiddle again.
Despite the severe wound, Stokes recovered and learned to use the prosthesis. After 1930, however, music moved more and more into the background and Stokes had a regular job until he retired. He continued to perform for a long time, but lost interest in the fiddle with age. In 1981 he was given a new fiddle for Christmas and Stokes began performing again. In 1982 he reunited with some of his old companions from the 1920s and performed at the Brandywine Mountain Music Convention . Lowe Stokes died a year later.
Discography
Singles
Where nothing is noted, the singles were recorded with the band The North-Georgians .
| year | title | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Records | |||
| 1928 | Unexplained Blues / Home Brew Rag | ||
| 192? | Wave That Frame / Take Me to the Land of Jazz | ||
| 1929 | Katy Did / Take Me Back to Georgia | with Mike Whitten | |
| 1930 | Left All Alone Again Blues / Wish I Had Stayed in the Wagon Yard | ||
| 1930 | Sailin 'Down the Chesapeake Bay / Everybody's Doing It | ||
| 1930 | It Just Suits Me / Bone Dry Blues | ||
| 1930 | Billy in the Low Ground / Sally Johnson | with Riley Puckett | |
| 1930 | Prohibition Yes or No, Pt.1 / Prohibition Yes or No, Pt.2 | with Riley Puckett | |
| 193? | Row Row Row / Sailing on the Robert E. Lee | ||
| Brunswick Records | |||
| 192? | Great Hatfield & McCoy Feud Pt.1 / Great Hatfield & McCoy Feud Pt.2 | A-side as Stokes-Miller-Mcmichen; B-side as Stokes' Georgia Boys | |
| 192? | Great Hatfield & McCoy Feud Pt.3 / Great Hatfield & McCoy Feud Pt.4 | as Stoke's Georgia Boys | |
| 1930 | Swamp Cat Rag / Citaco | with AA Gray | |
Albums
- 2000: Lowe Stokes, Vol.1: 1927-1930
Individual evidence
- ↑ Tony Russell: Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost (2007), Oxford University Press
Web links
- Entry in the All Music Guide
- Lowe Stokes on Hillbilly-Music.com (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Stokes, Lowe |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Stokes, Marcus Lowell (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American old-time musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1898 or 1900 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Elijay , Georgia , |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1983 |