Louisiana Red
Encyclopedia
Louisiana Red is an African American
blues
guitarist, harmonica player, and singer, who has recorded more than 50 albums. He is best known for his song "Sweet Blood Call
".
shortly after his birth, and his father was lynched
by the Ku Klux Klan
when he was five. He was brought up by a series of relatives in various towns and cities. Red recorded for Chess
in 1949, before joining the army
. After leaving the army, he spent two years in the late 1950s playing with John Lee Hooker
in Detroit. He recorded for Checker Records
in 1952, billed as Rocky Fuller.
His first album
, Lowdown Back Porch Blues, was recorded in New York
with Tommy Tucker and released in 1963, with second album Seventh Son released later the same year.
Louisiana Red released the single "I'm Too Poor To Die" for the Glover label in 1964. It peaked at Billboard position #117, and Cashbox R&B position 30 (Bilboard did not print standard R&B charts during 1964).
He maintained a busy recording and performing schedule through the 1960s and 1970s, having done sessions for Chess, Checker, Atlas, Glover, Roulette
, L&R and Tomato
amongst others. In 1983 he won a W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Male Artist. He lives in Hanover
, Germany
since 1981.
He has also made film
appearances in Rockpalast
(1976), Comeback
(1982), Ballhaus Barmbek (1988), Red and Blues (2005) and Family Meeting (2008).
In 1994 Red fused the blues with the urban Greek music of the bouzouki
player, Stelios Vamvakaris, on the album, Blues Meets Rembetika. He continues to tour, including regular returns to the US
.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitarist, harmonica player, and singer, who has recorded more than 50 albums. He is best known for his song "Sweet Blood Call
Sweet Blood Call
"Sweet Blood Call" is a song written by Kent Cooper and Louisiana Red , and performed by Louisiana Red in 1975. It became one of his best known songs. In 1981, Eric Burdon recorded a heavy rocking live version of the song, and it was featured in the 1982 film Comeback...
".
Biography
Minter lost his parents early in life; His mother died of pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
shortly after his birth, and his father was lynched
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
by the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
when he was five. He was brought up by a series of relatives in various towns and cities. Red recorded for Chess
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
in 1949, before joining the army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. After leaving the army, he spent two years in the late 1950s playing with John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
in Detroit. He recorded for Checker Records
Checker Records
Checker Records is an inactive record label that was started in 1952 as a subsidiary to Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. The label was founded by the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, who ran the label until they sold it to General Recorded Tape in 1969, shortly before Leonard's death.The label...
in 1952, billed as Rocky Fuller.
His first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Lowdown Back Porch Blues, was recorded in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with Tommy Tucker and released in 1963, with second album Seventh Son released later the same year.
Louisiana Red released the single "I'm Too Poor To Die" for the Glover label in 1964. It peaked at Billboard position #117, and Cashbox R&B position 30 (Bilboard did not print standard R&B charts during 1964).
He maintained a busy recording and performing schedule through the 1960s and 1970s, having done sessions for Chess, Checker, Atlas, Glover, Roulette
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
, L&R and Tomato
Tomato Records
Tomato Records is an independent record label based in New York City. The label has released albums by influential artists such as Townes Van Zandt, Lightnin' Hopkins, Leadbelly, Chris Smither, Dave Brubeck, Nina Simone, Harry Partch and John Cage....
amongst others. In 1983 he won a W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Male Artist. He lives in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
since 1981.
He has also made film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
appearances in Rockpalast
Rockpalast
Rockpalast is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk . Rockpalast started in 1974 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock and jazz bands have performed on Rockpalast...
(1976), Comeback
Comeback (film)
Comeback is a 1982 semi-autobiographical film starring Eric Burdon.- Cast :*Eric Burdon*Julie Carmen*Michael Cavanaugh*John Aprea*Louisiana RedIt was shot first in Los Angeles then in Berlin....
(1982), Ballhaus Barmbek (1988), Red and Blues (2005) and Family Meeting (2008).
In 1994 Red fused the blues with the urban Greek music of the bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
player, Stelios Vamvakaris, on the album, Blues Meets Rembetika. He continues to tour, including regular returns to the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Awards
- 1983: W C Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Male Artist
- 2009: Grand Prix du Disque (Blues) for Back to the Black Bayou
- 2009: German Record Critics Award (2.Quarter) Best New Release (Blues)
- 2009: Bluesnews Poll (for Back to the Black Bayou)
- 2010: Blues Music Award (Acoustic Artist of the Year)
- 2010: Blues Music Award (Acoustic Album of the Year) for You Got To Move
Albums
- Lowdown Back Porch Blues (1963) (Roulette)
- Seventh Son (1963) (Carnival)
- Shouts the Blues (1970) (Forum Circle)
- Louisiana Red Sings The Blues (1972) (Atlantic)
- Sweet Blood Call (1975) (Blue Labor)
- Dead Stray Dog (1976) (Blue Labor)
- New York Blues (1979) (L+R)
- Reality Blues (1980) (L+R)
- High Voltage Blues (1980) (Black Panther) feat. Sugar Blue
- Midnight Rambler (1982) (Tomato/Rhino)
- Blues for Ida B (1982) (JSP)
- Boy from Black Bayou (1983) (L+R)
- Blues From The Heart (1983) (JSP)
- Anti Nuclear Blues (1983) (L+R)
- Bluesman (1984) (JSP)
- Back to the Road Again (1984) (MMG)
- My Life (1984) (L+R) feat. Carey Bell
- World on Fire (1985) (MMG)
- Brothers in Blues (1985) (CMA)
- Back to the Roots (1987) (CMA)
- Last Mohican of the Blues (1992) (Polton)
- Ashland Avenue Blues (1992) (Schubert)
- Always Played The Blues (1994) (JSP)
- Louisiana Red (1994) (Forum)
- Blues Meets Rembetika (1994) (Distazi)
- Sittin' Here Wonderin (1995) (Earwig MusicEarwig Music CompanyEarwig Music Company is an independent American blues and jazz record label, founded October 1978 in Chicago by Michael Frank.Before setting up his label Michael Frank from 1975 until 1977 had been - like Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records and Jim O'Neal of Living Blues magazine - employed in Bob...
) - Sugar Hips (1995) (CMA)
- Rising Sun Collection (1996) (JAMR)
- I Hear the Train Coming (1997) (Chrisly)
- Over my Head (1997) (Chrisly)
- Walked All Night Long (1997) (Blues Alliance)
- Rip off Blues (1998) (Chrisly)
- Winter & Summer Sessions (1998) (Blues Factory)
- Millennium Blues (1999) (Earwig Music)
- Sings Deep Blues (2001) (P-Vine)
- Driftin (2001) (Earwig Music)
- A Different Shade of Red (2002) (SevernSevern RecordsSevern Records is an American independent record label that concentrates on blues music. Since its founding in 1998, Severn has issued more than 50 albums. Its motto is "Roots Music for the 21st Century".-History:...
) - No Turn On Red (2005) (Hightone)
- Hot Sauce (2005) (Red Lightnin')
- Back to the Black Bayou (2008) (Bluestown) with Kim WilsonKim WilsonKim Wilson is an American blues singer and harmonica player. He is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman for The Fabulous Thunderbirds on two hit songs of the 1980s; "Tuff Enuff", and "Wrap It Up."-Career:...
and Little Victor - You Got to Move (2009) (Blu Max/Vizztone) with David Maxwell
- Memphis Mojo (2011) Ruf RecordsRuf RecordsThe motto of the blues label is "Where Blues Crosses Over". The company's office is located in Lindewerra, Germany. As of 2008 Ruf has produced 120 releases, sold over 1 million albums, received two Grammy nominations and ten Blues Music Award nominations....
Live albums
- Live & Well (1976) (Ornament)
- King Bee (1978) (Orchid) feat. Sugar Blue
- Red, Funk and Blue (1978) (Black Panther Rec.) feat. Sugar Blue
- Live in Montreux (2000) (Labor)
- Live at 55 (1994) (Enja) feat.Carey Bell
- Bad Case of the Blues (2004) (Mojo Tone) feat. Carey Bell
- Live at Painted Sky (2008) (Paul Prod.)
Compilation albums
- Anthologie du Blues Vol. 11 (Roulette Rec.)
- Blues Classics (1983) (L+R)
- Pretty Woman (1991) (Blues Beacon)
- The Best of Louisiana Red (1995) (Evidence Rec.)
- The Blues Spectrum of Louisiana Red (1998) (JSP) feat. Sugar BlueSugar BlueSugar Blue is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician, who plays the harmonica. He is probably best known for playing on The Rolling Stones' single, "Miss You"....
Guest appearances (selected)
- Kent CooperKent CooperKent Cooper served with the Associated Press for 41 years, including positions as general manager from 1925 to 1943 and concluding his career as executive director. Cooper is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Sleepy Hollow, New York.Cooper Glacier in Antarctica is named for him.-External links:* *...
- The Blues and other Songs - Eric BurdonEric BurdonEric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
- ComebackComeback (album)Comeback is an album by Eric Burdon released in 1982, during the Comeback project. It was the studio album to the film. Live tracks during this sessions were released later on compilations.-Track list:# "No More Elmore" – 4:36# "The Road" – 4:50... - John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
- Down Child - Sunnyland SlimSunnyland SlimAlbert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew was an American blues pianist, who was born in the Mississippi Delta, and later moved to Chicago, Illinois, to contribute to that city's post-war scene as a center for blues music...
- Decoration Day - Carey BellCarey BellCarey Bell was an American blues musician, who played the harmonica in the Chicago blues style. Bell played harmonica and bass for other blues musicians during the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s before embarking on a solo career...
- Brought up the Hard Way - Roosevelt SykesRoosevelt SykesRoosevelt Sykes was an American blues musician, also known as "The Honeydripper". He was a successful and prolific cigar-chomping blues piano player, whose rollicking thundering boogie-woogie was highly influential.-Career:Born in Elmar, Arkansas, Sykes grew up near Helena but at age 15, went on...
- Boogie & Blues - Roosevelt SykesRoosevelt SykesRoosevelt Sykes was an American blues musician, also known as "The Honeydripper". He was a successful and prolific cigar-chomping blues piano player, whose rollicking thundering boogie-woogie was highly influential.-Career:Born in Elmar, Arkansas, Sykes grew up near Helena but at age 15, went on...
- Music is my Business - Albert KingAlbert KingAlbert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
- Live - Albert KingAlbert KingAlbert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
- Blues Guitar Killers with Johnny WinterJohnny WinterJohn Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
and Rory GallagherRory GallagherWilliam Rory Gallagher, ; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995, was an Irish blues-rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland, and raised in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste... - Champion Jack DupreeChampion Jack DupreeWilliam Thomas Dupree, best known as Champion Jack Dupree, was an American blues pianist. His birth date is disputed, given as July 4, July 10, and July 23, in the years 1908, 1909, or 1910. He died on January 21, 1992.-Biography:...
- After All - Brownie McGheeBrownie McGheeWalter Brown McGhee was a Piedmont blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaborations with the harmonica player Sonny Terry.-Life and career:...
- Rainy Day - Johnny ShinesJohnny ShinesJohnny Shines was an American blues singer and guitarist. According to the music journalist Tony Russell, "Shines was that rare being, a blues artist who overcame age and rustiness to make music that stood up beside the work of his youth...
- Too Wet to Plow
Various artists (selected)
- The Paul Jones Rhythm & Blues Show - The American Guests (JSP CD210)
- The Paul Jones Rhythm & Blues Show - The American Guests - Vol.3 (JSP CD235)
- Chicago Blues Vol.2
- Earwig 16. Ann. Sampler (Earwig Music 1995)
- Earwig 20. Ann. Sampler (Earwig Music 2000)
- Am. Folk Blues Festival (L+R 1980 & 1983)
- The 1. Blues Sampler (L+R 1980)
- Live at Boston Blues Festival Vol:2 (Blues Trust 2007)
- Family Meeting by Wentus Blues Band (Ruf 2008) with Mick TaylorMick TaylorMichael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
, Lazy LesterLazy LesterLazy Lester is an American blues harmonica player, whose career spans the 1950s to the 2000s.... - Blues Wire Birthday Tour (August 2007 - Greece)