This is part one of the Jack Dappa Blues Podcast Series in affiliation with Lonestar Blues & Heritage Festival about Henry Thomas, also known as Henry Ragtime Texas Thomas featuring our recurring guest The American Songster Dom Flemons.
On this episode, we delve into the evolution of African American Traditions Music from the theater to records. How it became popular to record records that spoke directly to the audience listening in their homes. We also speak of how the change in consciousness of African American musicians, composers and the like, sparked by an article in the Indianapolis Freedman Newspaper, reached across the nation even inspiring Henry Thomas to make revolutionary changes in lyrics that once used derogatory lyrics to describe African Americans and the Black Experience.
A dynamic songster of the early years Having the Quill wrapped and hung around his neck, as he picks the guitar, HenryThomas’ songs represent the oldest traditions of American black music ever recorded. Along with Blues and Ragtime, he played early minstrel songs, black spirituals, square dance tunes, hillbilly reels, waltzes, coon song, story songs, work calls, stomps and hollers and pop songs of the day. Henry Thomas was one of the oldest black musicians whoever recorded 23 cuts on Vocalion Records between the years of 1927 – 1929. his music is a great opportunity to hear what African American Traditional music sounded like near the end of the 19th century.
