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Charlie Patton, better known as '''Charley Patton''' ( May 1 , 1891 - April 28 , 1934 ) is best known as an American Delta Blues Musician . He is considered by many to be the "Father of Delta Blues" and therefore one of the oldest known figures of American popular music. He is credited with creating an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring just about every Delta blues man (Robert Palmer, 1995). Palmer considers him among the most important musicians that America produced in the twentieth century. Many sources, including some musical releases and even his gravestone, misspell his name “Charley” even though the musician himself spelled his name “Charlie”. Charlie Patton was one of the first mainstream stars of the Delta blues genre. Patton, who was born in Hinds County, Mississippi near Edwards , lived most of his life in Sunflower County , in the Mississippi Delta . Most sources say he was born in 1891, but there is still some debate about this. In 1900, however, his family moved 100 miles north to the legendary 10,000-acre Dockery Plantation sawmill and cotton farm near Ruleville, Mississippi . It was here that both John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf fell under the Patton spell. It was also here that Robert Johnson played his first guitar. At Dockery, Charlie fell under the tutelage of Henry Sloan , who had a new, unusual style of playing music which today would be considered very early blues. Charlie followed Henry Sloan around and by the time he was about 19 he was an accomplished performer and composer, having already written "Pony Blues" - a song that would become iconic of the era. He was extremely popular across the Southern United States , and - in contrast to the itinerant wandering of most blues musicians of his time - was invited to perform at plantations and taverns. Long before Jimi Hendrix impressed audiences with stylish guitar playing, Patton gained notoriety for his showmanship, often playing guitar on his knees, behind his head, and behind his back. Although Patton was a small man at about 5 foot 5 and 135 pounds, the sound of his whiskey- and cigarette-scarred voice was rumored to have carried for over 500 yards without amplification. This gritty voice was a major influence in the singing style of one of his students, Howlin' Wolf. Patton settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi with his common-law wife and recording partner Bertha Lee in 1933. He died on the Heathman-Dedham plantation near Indianola from Heart Disease on April 28, 1934 and is buried in Holly Ridge (both towns are located in Sunflower County). There apparently exists only one photograph of Charlie Patton, although its authenticity is disputed. Rights to it are owned by a collector named John Tefteller. The question of Patton's ethnicity is of minor debate. Though he was most likely African-American, because of his light complexion there have been rumors that he was Mexican , full-blood Cherokee (Howlin' Wolf endorsed this theory) or some other race. While he was a child he experienced a close call with his life. CHARLIE PATTON TIME LINE
DISCOGRAPHY Original 78's (in chronological order) Edition
SONGS OGG VORBIS TRIVIA AND TRIBUTES
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