Robert Petway

Catfish Blues: Mississippi Blues 3 (1936-1942) Robert Petway

Robert Petway is famous recording the first version of 'Catfish Blues', which has provided the template for innumerable versions ever since. The fourteen titles here reveal a strongly rhythmic approach, a growling voice, and those little self-encouraging asides - all trademarks of Tommy McClennan. There are, at times, traces of contemporary Chicago, and particularly Bluebird, sounds in numbers like 'Rockin' Chair Blues', which has a writer's credit to 'McClennan - Broonzy'. McClennan even crops up in person on 'Boogie Woogie Woman', a dynamic performance which Chris Smith so accurately describes as "as close as we shall ever get to Saturday night at the Three Forks juke". Matilda Witherspoon is a fascinating singer, though with a meagre legacy of just three songs, 'Peel Your Banana' remaining unissued. On 'Hard Working Woman' her voice almost has the timbre of a New Orleans Jazz trumpeter, whilst 'Happy Home Blues' uses the melody of '44 Blues'. She is accompanied on guitars by her partner (musical and otherwise) Eugene 'Sonny Boy Nelson' Powell and his musical buddy Willie Harris; the latter sings on the memorable 'Low Down' and is accompanied by Bo Carter of The Mississippi Sheiks. 'Pony Blues', the final number of the session and not related to any of the more famous songs of the same name is a powerful, driving track and something of a minor classic. Nelson's recordings of later years, following his 'rediscovery' do little more than hint at the accomplished playing on these sides.