Out in West Fresno's Jericho d istrict, in Stockton, Pittsburg, or around Bakers­field they have been playing the blues for a long time, and the workers, who come into town on week ends from the large farms which sti ll make agriculture the number one business in California, have had plenty to sing the blues about: wages are low-minimum wage laws have always excluded farm workers, competition is tough especially from the Braceros, and the living costs are high. But in some ways life is better than it was "back home," in the deep South, where many of the people came from before trying their luck in the " Golden State." A talented man has at least a chance out here and one of these was Mercy D. Walton-one of the finest blues men of his generation. He came to California just prior to World War II from his home state of Texas, and after working in the fields and in many a joint up and down the Valley, from Los Angeles to Oakland, he met up with record scouts soon after the war and made his first record for the regiona l Spire label in Fresno: lonesome Cabin Blues: Shortly after that his real national hit on Specialty Records put his name on every jukebox in the country. One Room Country Shack. Mercy Dee's life changed- he no longer had to rely on chopping cotton, picking grapes, or cutting spinach to make ends meet. He soon went on tours across the country playing the auditoriums and major dance halls usually w ith other well­known Rhythm and Blues recording stars. On the West Coast he toured a lot with the popular jump band of Big Jay McNeely and he met many of his con­temporaries like Smokey Hogg and T-Bone Walker. They had all come from Texas but had found success in California.

Life hadn't always been like that. Born in Waco, Texas, on August 13, 1915, Mercy Dee started playing piano at the age of thirteen- but he had to earn his living out in the fields-in the Brazos Bottoms- a life which is still the subject of many of his songs. However the music he heard on week ends and at parties impressed the young man and inspired him to try and find a more rewarding life as a musician. As you talk to Mercy Dee about the singers and players whom he heard, you soon realize that with that much music all around him it was not too surprising that with his own talent he soon developed one of the most unique styles in the blues idiom. The man who impressed Mercy Dee most was one Delois Maxey-he was his idol and Mercy Dee says he took much of his style of singing and playing from this Texas p iano player who never had a chance to make any records himself. There were many others. None of them ever recorded but they played at the 10-cent house parties out in the country on week ends. There was Son Brewster from Waco and Pinetop Shorty, who apparently was the man to bring boogie woogie to the Waco area much in the same way that Buster Cartright introduced this music to Houston - they all got it from the record by Pinetop Smith, but it needed local representatives to popularize it. Today the jukebox does this but in those days it was st ill the local "songster" or pianist as the case may have been. Willy Woodson was another piano man, and Pete " The Grey Ghost" was " real ,ountry" according to Mercy Dee. Up in Ft. Worth he met Sonny Vee and " Big Hand" Joe Thomas, while over in Dallas he ran into Son Putney. These men would all be making the rounds during the harvest seasons, but in the winter they would play largely in the bigger cities. Not only was Mercy Dee impressed by the styles of these Texas pianists, he also heard many songs which have stayed with him. Troublesome Mind he first heard from a Bob Jackson in Marlin, Texas, and of course those days are still on his mind. At the first recording session we had talked about Texas, about life down there and the next week at our second meeting Mercy Dee sat down at the p iano and gave me one of his most moving performances ever to be put on record. Largely auto­biographical I simply called it Mercy's Troubles. No words of mine can compare with his own- so just listen to him.

Although his music and many of his songs are deeply rooted in the traditions which have given such a long life to the blues, Mercy Dee writes most of his own numbers. His lyrics are delightful- listen to lady luck- there is humor, sar· casm, sadness and joy in his music and that makes his blues unique. The variety in his music reflects Mercy Dee's character and personality- he has been around, has played in many different places and has met a lot of people. He enjoys other types and forms of music, and has played with various combos. But the blues are his real love and he sings them because they release him from troubles and worries.

The men who are with Mercy Dee on this record were no strangers when they got together at the studio. All of them have played the blues- the old "down-home" blues, most of their lives and they had p layed together before on many occasions. K. C. Douglas, who on this record plays mostly rhythm guitar as background to Mercy Dee's lead piano, is a magnificent singer and soloist in his own right. Born and raised in Mississippi, he came to Cal ifornia during the war, but had mastered the Mississippi guitar style long before leaving home. Tommy Johnson was his main influence but since coming to Calaiforn ia K. C. has become also an excellent accompanist. K. C. had met Sidney Maiden when they were both working in the naval shipyards in Richmond, Calif. Sidney had come from Louisi­ana and his idols were Sonny Boy Wi lliamson and Little Walter. For many years K. C. and Sidney played togethe r with the young drummer Otis Cherry and a second guitarist afl around the Bay Area and made their first record for Bob Geddins' Down Town label in 1948. It was largely due to this record that I decided to try and record them together once more . All of them had met Mercy Dee before and Sidney, who has made Fesno his home in recent years, had played with him there many times. These sessions were in a way a re union not only for K.C. and Sidney Maiden, but for a ll four of them and resulted in some of the best blues in Arhool ie grooves.

CHRIS A. STRACHWITZ

MERCY'S TROUBLES

JACK ENGINE

LADY LUCK

RED LIGHT

WALKED DOWN SO MANY

TURNROWS

TROUBLESOME MIND

BETTY JEAN

CALL THE ASYLUM

MERCY'S PARTY

RECORDING DATA:

Jack Engine, Call the Asylum, Mer­cy's Party, Walked Down So Many Turnrows, and Red Light: Mercy Dee Walton - piano and vocal ; Sidney Maiden - ha rmonica; K. C. Douglas - el. guitar; and Otis Cherry-drums. Stockton, Cal if. Feb. 5, 1961.

Mercy's Troubles and Troublesome Mind: Same g roup as last but Sidney Maiden out. Stockton, Calif., Feb. 12, 1961.

Lady Luck and Betty Jean: Same as first group but K. C. Douglas out. Berkeley, Calif., April 16, 1961.

Mercy's Party: Vocals also by Sidney Maiden and K. C. Douglas.

All orig inal song material Arhoolie Music - BMI.

cover photo: WILLIAM CARTER cover layout: WAYNE POPE

recorded and produced by CHRIS A. STRACHWITZ

ARHOOLIE RECORDS Box No. 5073

Berkeley 5, Calif.