Francis "Scrapper" Blackwell

Scrapper Blackwell (21 February 1903—7 October 1962) was an American blues guitarist and singer. Best known as half of the guitar-piano duo he formed with Leroy Carr in the late 1920s and early 1930s, he was an exceptional acoustic single-note picker in the Chicago blues style, with some critics noting that he veered towards jazz. February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years). ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on a pentatonic scale as well as a characteristic twelve-bar chord progression. ... Steve Howe playing lead guitar for Yes in 1977 A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. ... Simon Le Bon lead singer of Duran Duran in concert, 2003. ... Leroy Carr, probably born in 1899, was an American blues singer and pianist who developed a laid-back, crooning technique and whose popularity and style influenced artists like Nat King Cole and Ray Charles. ... The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago by adding electricity, drums, piano, bass guitar and sometimes saxophone to the basic string/harmonica Delta blues. ... Jazz master Louis Armstrong remains one of the most loved and best known of all jazz musicians. ...

Biography

Blackwell was born Francis Hillman Blackwell in Syracuse, North Carolina as one of the 16 children of Payton and Elizabeth Blackwell. Part Cherokee, he grew up and spent most of his life in Indianapolis, Indiana. His father played the fiddle, but Blackwell was a self-taught guitarist, building his first guitar out of cigar boxes, wood and wire. He also learned the piano, occasionally playing professionally. By his teens, Blackwell was a part-time musician, traveling as far as Chicago. Known for being withdrawn and hard to work with, Blackwell established a rapport with pianist Leroy Carr, whom he met in Indianopolis in the mid-1920s and created a productive working relationship. Carr convinced Blackwell to record with him for the Vocalion label in 1928; the result was "How Long How Long Blues", the biggest blues hit of that year. Blackwell also made solo recordings for Vocalion, including "Kokomo Blues" which was transformed into "Old Kokomo Blues" by Kokomo Arnold before being redone as Sweet Home Chicago by Robert Johnson. Blackwell and Carr toured throughout the American Midwest and South between 1928 and 1935 as stars of the blues scene, recording over 100 sides. This period ended when Carr died as a result of his heavy drinking and nephritis. Blackwell recorded a tribute to his musical partner of seven years before leaving the music business. State nickname: Tar Heel State; Old North State Official languages English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley (D) Senators Elizabeth Dole (R) Richard Burr (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 28th 139,509 km² 9. ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... The Indianapolis skyline Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana. ... State nickname: The Hoosier State Official languages English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Governor Mitch Daniels (R) Senators Richard Lugar (R) Evan Bayh (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 38th 94,321 km² 1. ... The violin is a stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a fifth apart. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... Kokomo Arnold (15 February 1901–8 November 1968) was an American blues musician. ... Robert Johnson Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1909/1912 – August 16, 1938) can arguably be considered as the most famous Delta blues singer and guitarist in history even though he lived to be only 27 and didnt start recording until 3 years before his death. ... The Midwestern United States (or Midwest) is a region of the north-central and northeastern United States of America. ... Nephritis is inflammation of the kidney. ...

Blackwell was rediscovered in Indianapolis at the end of the 1950s and agreed to return to music as the blues/folk revival began. He recorded an album for the Prestige/Bluesville label in 1962 and appeared ready to restart his blues career before being shot and killed during a mugging in an Indianapolis alley. The crime remains unsolved. Blackwell is buried in New Crown Cemetery, Indianapolis. Prestige Records was a record label founded by Bob Weinstock in 1949, initially as New Jazz. ...

External links

• Scrapper Blackwell at mp3.com
• Scrapper Blackwell at allmusic