Because of the mention in Nat Hentoff's "American Music Is," I thought I'd post my entry on Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup from "MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide." It was a work-for-hire, so the copyright belongs to Visible Ink Press, which has gone out of business. I'm not sure if its parent company, Gale, which publishes many reference works, kept the rights to MusicHound or sold it off elsewhere. Near as I can tell, a revised version of "MusicHound Blues" was published in 2002 by G. Schirmer Books, and that company's reference book division has been sold to Gale.
The MusicHound entries had a set format, starting with a bio, moving into "must buys" (What to Buy), the next most desirable (What to Buy Next), the clunkers (What to Avoid), the rest of the artist's works (The Rest), rarities worth seeking out (Worth Searching For), and influences. The item on the artist's influences was called Rewind and the one about who the artist influenced was, what else?, Fast Forward. Ratings were given as number of bones, with 5 bones being the best.
This item has not been updated since it was published in 1998, so the recommendations are likely not current.
ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP
Born: Aug. 24, 1905 in Forest, Miss. Died: March 28, 1974 in Nassawadox, Va.
Arthur Crudup was a 30-year-old farmworker in rural Mississippi when he learned to play guitar in an effort to pick up some extra money playing house parties. In near poverty, the guitar he was forced to learn on had a broken neck bound together with wire. As a result, he learned only a few basic chords and riffs. By 1940, Crudup had headed north, spurred by the stories of good jobs in the big cities. Instead, life was hand-to-mouth. However, the move to Chicago wasn't wasted, because soon afterward Crudup signed to Bluebird Records. Although this didn't bail Crudup out of a life of hardship -- he was slickered into selling most of the rights to his music. He made a modest living, but should have been entitled to more. Eventually, he moved back to the South, returning North only for an annual recording session that produced a half-dozen or so songs. This went on until 1954, when a discouraged Crudup gave up in despair of ever making a good income. (He had recorded under pseudonyms for Chess and Trumpet records.) In 1960, he was coaxed back into recording for Fire Records, and in the late '60s until his death, he recorded for Delmark. Although Crudup seemed hampered by stage fright during the first phase of his career, the Delmark years found him an enthusiastic performer. None of it would have mattered, if he hadn't written such evocative images and if his high, clean voice didn't sound so forlorn in songs of lost love. Crudup also indirectly changed the course of pop music, having been a major influence on Elvis Presley. Presley's hopped-up version of "That's All Right, Mama" was his first regional hit on Sun Records, and the catalyst of the rock and roll explosion of the '50s.
What to Buy: That's All Right Mama (Bluebird, 1992, 4.5 bones) is the definitive collection of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's music, hitting the major highlights from his Bluebird years (1941-'54), starting with the rural Delta sound of "If I Get Lucky" and ending with the proto-rock and roll of "She's Got No Hair." Listen to him croon "She cries, 'Ooo-wee, I believe I'll change my mind" on "So Glad You're Mine" or hear the smile in his voice in "Shout, Sister, Shout" and you'll have had a heaping serving of Crudup's charms. Even so, there's plenty more here. Another That's All Right Mama (Relic, 1992, 4 bones) documents Crudup's return from retirement for the Fire label in the early '60s. His remakes of many of his classic tunes have much of the power of the originals, and there are a few new tunes as well. The collection supplants Mean Ol' Frisco (Collectables, 1988, 3.5 bones), which contains fewer songs from the same sessions.
What to Buy Next: Meets the Master Blues Bassists (Delmark, 1994, 4 bones) is the only reissue on compact disc from Crudup's late '60s Delmark years. He records with long-time bass collaborator Ransom Knowling, and with Willie Dixon. Crudup seemed virtually unchanged nearly 30 years after starting his career.
The Rest: Complete Recorded Works, Vols. 1-4 (Document, 1994, 3.5 bones) collects all of Crudup's Bluebird sides. In chronological order, the collection waters down the impact of Crudup's best sides. Still, it is complete and therefore offers many good numbers not found in other collections of this often-anthologized performer.
Worth Searching For: Crudup's Mood (Delmark, 1969, 3.5 bones) and Look on Yonder's Wall (Delmark, 1969, 3.5 bones) might still be around on crackling vinyl. Crudup proved he was a sturdy soul in these late '60s recordings.
Rewind: Robert Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy
Fast Forward: Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan
By Salvatore Caputo
