BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON Okeh Records BLACK SNAKE MOAN

$

521

              Lakeside General Merchandise

We folks here at Lakeside General Merchandise plan to continue to offer a wide variety of antiques, collectibles and other cool stuff for sale on eBay in 2004.  Thanks to all of our great customers for making 2003 a great year for us.  Understanding the difficulties of selling by mail order or by internet, we plan to describe each item we offer for sale and its condition very carefully.  Keeping that in mind, we wish to offer a generous return policy. If for any reason you are dissatisfied with one of our items, you may return it for a complete refund. We do ask that if you find that the item is different than described, please let us know by email within 3 days of receipt. Once we reply, you may then send the item back within 10 days, please, and receive a prompt refund upon safe undamaged return of the item. 

 Up for sale is this wonderful old 78 rpm Okeh Records recording of Blind Lemon Jefferson made in 1927 according to authorities on blues records.  The record has made & patented dates of 1913 and 1923 printed on it, with "Black Snake Moan", 8455-A on one side and "Match Box Blues" 8455-B on the other. 

This record is in very good condition; bo th sides play all the way through without skips, and only a very tiny amount of surface noise - we asked a professional's opinion and they aurally graded it at a solid E- (excellent minus), relatively scarce and hard to find in this great shape.    There are some relatively minor scratches and spotting as is usual for these old 78's, and a very small 1/8 inch greenish spot or possibly an inclusion in the old vinyl at the edge on side A which we note only in the interest of being obsessively accurate with our listings; it does not effect the playability at all.   Comes in the plain record sleeve it was found in, which is in very good condition also but is marked with a small number 6 in a circle on both sides, crossed out on one side.  The labels are in excellent condition, with a few very minor darker spots of soiling on side A (which might clean up, but we have not attempted to do so) and some minor darker indentations on side B, perhaps pencil marks, we're not sure; please see photos and supersize for details (and sorry about the glare and reflections-it's pretty shiny!).

These so called "Race Records" featuring black entertainers were made by Okeh Records to be marketed to the African American community.   (Check out our other auctions to see a rare Mississippi John Hurt 78 in its original Okeh Records sleeve that is being sold separately, a corner of which is pictured in two of the pictures below, that makes reference to these Race Records.)  You can find more information on these "Race Records" at this website, if you like: http://features.aroundcarolina.com/racerecords/   And here's some more information on Blind Lemon Jefferson from this great website (for which we apologize in advance if it's not currently up and running- it was at the time this listing was created), where you can also find a sound sample recording by him.  http://www.eyeneer.com/America/Genre/Profiles/BLUES/lemon.html

BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON (1897-1929).

"Considering he was the most popular male blues recording artist of the 1920s, we know very little about Blind Lemon Jefferson. His birthdate is unknown; the circumstances of his death are subject to speculation; his death certificate has never been found. What is certain is that he recorded over a hundred songs in the three years before he died, had 43 records issued, and inspired a generation of male bluesmen. Following his success, other male artists managed to make recordings at a time when female vocalists such as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Ida Cox were dominating the blues scene. He influenced Lightnin' Hopkins, BB King, Blind Gary Davis and Blind Willie McTell; but he had few imitators, due to the complexity of his guitar playing (jazzlike improvisations, bass runs, arpeggios, irregular phrasing) and the distinctiveness of his high, thin voice.  

Blind Lemon Jefferson, blues musician, son of Alec and Cassie Jefferson, was born in Coutchman, Texas, in July 1897 (an estimated date since no records are available). Jefferson's sight was damaged from birth; the fact that he wore spectacles indicates that he may have had some limited vision. He learned guitar in boyhood as a way of making money playing at house parties, picnics, and dances in central and East Texas; he may have met Blind Willie Johnson in Marlin. He played on street corners in Dallas from 1917, successfully enough to support a wife and child. Here he met Leadbelly, and despite being ten years younger than the highly experienced blues guru, Jefferson was the more accomplished musician. Later, Leadbelly recorded several songs in tribute to Jefferson, including 'Blind Lemon's Blues', in honor of his friend. The two played together in Dallas briefly - not from 1918-24, though, as Leadbelly was in prison. 

From the evidence of his songs, which suggest familiarity with many locations, Jefferson travelled widely round the southern states - travelling on railways and getting around with apparent ease despite his blindness - and his reputation grew. He is known to have played in Oklahoma, the Mississippi Delta, Atlanta, and the Carolinas. But it wasn't until 1925, when Jefferson was recommended to Paramount Records in Chicago, that he established himself as a recording artist, cutting spirituals (as Deacon LJ Bates) and blues. He became the biggest-selling bluesman of the decade, and Paramount were encouraged to repeat their success with Blind Blake.

Jefferson also recorded for Okeh in 1927, including 'Match Box Blues' and 'Black Snake Moan', and wrote some of his own songs: 'See That My Grave Is Kept Clean' was an early spiritual tune that has become a blues classic. His other hits included 'Jack O'Diamonds', about the perils of gambling; 'Boll Weevil Blues' about the insect that had just devastated the East Texas cotton crop; and a revamped 'See See Rider', which Jefferson called 'Corrina Blues'. He died as the first great blues boom was subsiding on a freezing night in Chicago, possibly of a heart attack, undoubtedly too early."

To see some more wonderful things, including a rare Okeh Records recording by blues musician Mississippi John Hurt in its original Okeh Records sleeve,  please click here to see our other auctions.  Thanks for looking!

We are offering this great Blind Lemon Jefferson 78 with a starting bid of only $49.95 and no reserve.   

Please read the following carefully. If you have any questions, please email before you bid at karenthian@schoollink.net   All questions will be promptly answered to the best of our ability.  By bidding on this item, you accept all of the terms listed below: 

SHIPPING COST- We currently use USPS priority mail to ship items in the USA, and the cost is determined by weight and the postal zone we're shipping to.   Postage for this item, (with shipping weight of two pounds, well packaged for safest shipping) is only $3.95 for Zone 1 through Zone 3, $4.55 for Zone 4, $4.90 for Zone 5, $5.05 for Zone 6, $5.40 for Zone 7, and $5.75 for Zone 8 which includes all Alaska, Hawaii  and U.S. territories as far away as American Samoa.   You can figure your zone and shipping cost by going to www.usps.com, (we’re at zip code 27842) or e-mail us with your address and we’ll figure it out for you.   Insurance is required for purchases over $20.00, and for priority mail it is $1.30 for the first $50.00, $2.20 for insurance up to $100.00, and $1.00 more for each additional $100 up to $600.00, then $7.20 plus $1.00 for each $100.00 up to a maximum of $5,000.00. (Foreign orders are welcome, but shipping will be considerably more; please e-mail us for information on shipping costs to you.) Gift wrap services and cards are available for a small additional fee; please email us regarding that with your request.  We will also gladly combine shipping on multiple items to reduce your total shipping cost.

Payment may be made by PayPal, Money Order, Cashiers Check, or Personal Check, and must be received within ten (10) days of auction end for U.S. bidders.  Items paid for with personal checks will be held 7 - 10 days before shipping while check clears. North Carolina residents only must add 6.5% sales tax.  If we do not hear from you within three  business days after the close of the auction, we will assume you do not intend to honor your bid and the item may be relisted for sale.