Josh White

Josh White had a remarkable career and life fully equal to his remarkable talents. The story goes that he began his career as a boy dancing and singing as a sort of side attraction for blues singers such as Blind Lemon Jefferson. He became a recording star himself as a singer and guitarist in a number of genres while still quite young. By the time these records were made in the mid-1940s, he had moved on to become one of the first (if not the first) crossover stars of sorts, playing now-familiar folk and blues tunes in New York cabarets.

With his good looks, magnetic stage presence, and superb musicianship, he must have been an impressive act.

Moe Asch recorded these eight items for an Asch Records 78 album and later released them on 10-inch LP on both the Stinson and Folksay labels.

The cover is by the great David Stone Martin, one of his earliest ones, I believe, because it was used for the album of 78s. It isn't one of his best compositions, but the rendering of White's head is exceptional.

NEW LINK - MARCH 2015