A Good Read: John Hammond "On Record"

The father of bluesman, and Narrows fave, John Hammond, wrote a book back in the late 1970s about his life as a music producer and promoter in a lot of the first 80 years of the 20th century.

Called "John Hammond On Record," it starts in 1910 when he was born and takes us through the music he was involved with from the 1920s to the 1970s.

As you may know from my previous posts, the elder John Hammond signed Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to Columbia Records. But his main involvement was primarily in the jazz scene with the likes of Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and, later, George Benson, as well as with blues legends Robert Johnson and Sonny Terry.

I borrowed the book from the Providence public library, so it should be readily available there if you're interested. It's such an old book that nobody takes it out anymore, I guess. But if you love to read about the history, production and promotion of music, this is for you.

Also, it's fun to read about our own John Hammond, nicknamed "Jeep."

Here's a quick hit: when John Hammond the younger was really young (about 19), he went down to Boca Grande, Florida to work as a handyman and to listen to music:

He bought a pair of blindman's glasses and a tin cup, and took to the streets to play and sing the blues. He felt that only by disguising himself would he be allowed to enter black taverns where he could learn more about singing the blues.

Sounds like the John Hammond who performs at the Narrows. He was passionate about music even back then!




Submitted by bookworm Steve the Emcee