b. December 8th, 1908 in Union or Bogansville (South Carolina)
d. February 1974 in Union (South Carolina)
THE UNION COUNTY FLASH
Trix
MEDICINE SHOW MAN
Trix
October - December 1972
Il apprend la guitare avec son grand frère Roosevelt et son cousin Thelmon Johnson. Il joue aussi du piano à l'église locale. Son surnom "Rufe" lui est donné dès l'enfance. Plus tard, Rufe se produit avec deux groupes vocaux : les West Spring Friendly Four et le Silver Star Quartet dont les performances étaient retransmises respectivement par les radios WPSA et WBSU. Découvert par Pete Lowry, il peut graver ce qui reste son seul album - "The Union County flash" - dans lequel il est parfois rejoint par son ami d'enfance "Peg Leg" Sam à l'harmonica. D'ailleurs, Rufe participe au disque de Sam, gravé lors des mêmes séances (Rufe chante sur deux morceaux sur "Medicine show man"). Mélangeant Blues, Folk et Ragtime, il propose quelques excellents titres : "Join the army", "Boogie baby", "My baby's home", "Little Sally Jones", "My dog's blues".
He learned guitar with his older brother Roosevelt and his cousin Thelmon Johnson. He also plays the piano at the local church. His nickname "Rufe" is given to him from childhood. Later, Rufe performed with two vocal groups : the West Spring Friendly Four and the Silver Star Quartet, whose performances were broadcasted on WPSA and WBSU radios. Discovered by Pete Lowry, he can record what remains his only album - "The Union County flash" - in which he is sometimes joined by his childhood friend "Peg Leg" Sam on harmonica. Indeed, Rufe sings on two tracks on "Peg Leg" Sam's "Medicine show man" cut during same sessions. Mixing Blues, Folk and Ragtime, he proposes some excellent titles : "Join the army", "Boogie baby", "My baby's home", "Little Sally Jones", "My dog's blues".
ANOTHER MAN DONE GONE
Flyright
January 1973
CAROLINA COUNTRY BLUES
Flyright
March 1973
Il s'agit d'enregistrements en public captés à l'Université de Caroline du Nord à Chapel Hill en compagnie de musiciens locaux : Guitar Shorty, "Peg Leg" Sam, Willie Trice, Elester Anderson. "My mother's grave must be found" et "Had a little woman" figurent parmi les meilleurs moments de cette anthologie. Il décède d'une insuffisance rénale quelques mois après.
These are live recordings captured at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill with local musicians : Guitar Shorty, "Peg Leg" Sam, Willie Trice, Elester Anderson. "My mother's grave must be found" and "Had a little woman" are among the best moments of this anthology. He dies from some renal insufficiency a few months later.