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8 unusual facts about Samuel Charters


Bas Clas

In 1982, author and producer Samuel Charters heard Bas Clas live at Grant Street Dancehall and sent a cassette tape demo of the band's music to his friend, producer John Hammond Sr.

Charlie Burse

In 1956, Burse and Will Shade were rediscovered and recorded by blues researcher Samuel Charters.

Dallas Blues

No date is found for the actual composition of "Dallas Blues" but Samuel Charters, who interviewed Wand for his book, The Country Blues (1959), states that Wand took the tune to a piano playing friend, Annabelle Robbins, who arranged the music for him.

Folkways Records

The Anthology of American Folk Music originally appeared on the Folkways label, as did the accompanying album to The Country Blues by Samuel Charters.

Hart Wand

Samuel Charters, who interviewed Wand for his book The Country Blues (1959), stated that Wand was respected and well liked in New Orleans.

Lyrichord Discs

Always a label that explored an eclectic range of musical styles, Lyrichord happened to be the label to record and release the first album of late folk/blues legend Dave Van Ronk, entitled “Skiffle in Stereo” (1957) with a band called the “Orange Blossom Jug Five” including Dave Van Ronk, guitar and vocals, Sam Charters cornet, guitar, Ann Danberg, washboard, Len Kunstadt, (co-owner of the Spivey Records label) on kazoo, and Russell Glynn, playing jug.

Samuel Charters

Also in 1959, Charters published his very influential book The Country Blues, the first history of blues and an absorbing account of his search for the bluesmen themselves, as well as issuing the companion album to accompany it.

Since 1959, Charters has been married to the writer, editor, Beat generation scholar, photographer, and pianist Ann Charters (b. 1936), whom he met at the University of California, Berkeley during the 1954-55 academic year in a music class; she is a retired professor of English and American literature at the University of Connecticut.



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