Ishmon Bracey
Ishmon Bracey (January 9, 1901 – February 12, 1970) was an American blues singer and guitarist from Mississippi, considered one of the most important early delta blues performers. With Tommy Johnson, he was the center of a small Jackson, Mississippi group of blues musicians in the 1920s. His name is incorrectly spelled "Ishman" on almost all of his records and in most older sources.
Biography
Bracey was born in Byram, Mississippi, and started playing at local dances and parties around 1917. He also worked as a waterboy on the Illinois Central Railroad. He first recorded in Memphis in 1928 for the Victor label, with Charlie McCoy on second guitar, recording two sessions in February and August that year.
At that time his style had not fully formed and his performances varied considerably, probably in his attempts to become more commercially successful. Bracey's blues "Saturday Blues" and "Left Alone Blues", used interesting variations in the usual three line verse form. Bracey was one of the few Mississippi bluesmen who sang with a nasal tone without embellishment. In "Saturday Blues" he used one of the conventional infidelity themes, but he changed the form of the verses to fit a newer melodic concept. His lyrics loosen up enough to sing about skin creams and powder advertised as being able to lighten dark skin.
Podcasts:
Ishman Bracey
ALBUMS
- Definitive Delta Blues released: 2012
- Essential Delta Blues released: 2009
- The Blues: 1927-1946 released: 2004
- Legends of Country Blues released: 2003
- Broke, Black & Blue released: 2000
- Dust My Broom: The Essential Recordings of Mississippi Delta Blues released: 1995
- When the Sun Goes Down, Volume 2: The First Time I Met the Blues released:
- Jackson Blues 1928-1938 released:
- Masters of the Delta Blues: The Friends of Charlie Patton released:
Definitive Delta Blues
Released 2012- Delta Blues
- Country Blues
- Stagolee
- Death Valley Blues
- Black Spider Blues
- Highway No.51
- Candy Man Blues
- Hellhound on My Trail
- Early in the Morning
- Hobo Jungle Blues
- Motherless and Fatherless Blues
- Blue Harvest Blues
- Aberdeen Mississippi Blues
- Banana Your Fruit Basket
- My Black Mama, Part 1
- Left Alone Blues
- Nobody's Fault But Mine
- 1951 Blues
- Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues
- Rockin' Chair Blues
- Something Gonna Happen to You
- Joe's Jump
- Cool Drink Water of Blues
- Rootin' Ground Hog
- Cross Road Blues
Essential Delta Blues
Released 2009- I Believe I'll Dust My Broom
- Baby Please Don't Go
- Canned Heat Blues
- Crawlin' King Snake
- Parchman Farm Blues
- Country Blues
- Special Agent Blues
- Walkin' Blues
- Candy Man Blues
- Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues
- Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground
- Little Boy Blue
- Banana In Your Fruit Basket
- Catfish Blues
- Bottle It Up and Go
- Landing Blues
- Standing At The Crossroads
- Death Valley Blues
- Stomp Down Rider
- Rootin' Ground Hog
- Love In Vain
- Shake It and Break It
- Trouble Hearted Blues
- Fixin' To Die
- I'm So Glad
The Blues: 1927-1946
Released 2004- Big Road Blues
- Canned Heat Blues
- Trouble-Hearted Blues
- Dark Knight Blues
- Loving Talking Blues
- Drayman Blues
- She Rolls It Slow
- The Panama Ltd.
- I'm Wild About My Loving
- Dry Land Blues
- 'Taint Nobody's Business If I Do, Part 2
- Frank Stokes' Dream
- The Girl I Love, She Got Long Curly Hair
- Poor John Blues
- Lawyer Clark Blues
- A Hard Pill to Swallow
- Don't Want No Woman
- Memphis Jug Blues
- Going Back to Memphis
- Jug Band Waltz
- Viola Lee Blues
- Going to Germany
- Walk Right In
- The Spasm
- Gonna Hit the Highway
Legends of Country Blues
Released 2003- The New Frisco Train
- The Panama Limited
- I Am in the Heavenly Way
- Promise True and Grand
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas
- Shake 'em on Down
- Sic 'em Dogs On
- Po' Boy
- Black Train
- Strange Place Blues
- When Can I Change My Clothes
- Sleepy Man Blues
- Parchman Farm Blues
- Good Gin Blues
- High Fever Blues
- District Attorney Blues
- Fixin' to Die Blues
- Aberdeen, Mississippi Blues
- Bukka's Jitterbug Blues
- Special Streamline
Broke, Black & Blue
Released 2000- Barrell House Blues
- Georgia Stockade Blues
- Sun Brimmer's Blues
- Goin' to Leave You Blues
- Dry Bone Shuffle
- Up Country Blues
- Dead Drunk Blues
- Original Stack O'Lee Blues
- Easy Rider Don't You Deny My Name
- Bo-Lita
- Everybody Help the Boys Come Home
- Church Bells Blues
- Two Ways to Texas
- It Won't Be Long Now
- Bottleneck Blues
- Rock Island Blues
- Midnight Blues
- Fare Thee Blues, Part 1
- My Monday Woman Blues
- What's the Matter Blues
- School Girl Blues
- Cool Drink of Water Blues
- Left Alone Blues
- T and T Blues
- T.C. Johnson Blues
Dust My Broom: The Essential Recordings of Mississippi Delta Blues
Released 1995- Mississippi Bo Weavil Blues
- Pony Blues
- Pea Vine Blues
- Cool Drink of Water Blues
- Big Road Blues
- Big Fat Mama Blues
- Trouble Hearted Blues
- Bullfrog Blues
- My Black Mama, Part 1
- Preachin' the Blues, Part 1
- Walking Blues
- Future Blues
- The Panama Limited
- Devil Got My Woman
- Baby Please Don't Go
- I Believe I'll Dust My Broom
- Shake 'em on Down
- Bottle It Up and Go
- Catfish Blues
- Crawlin' King Snake
- Country Blues
- Take a Little Walk With Me
When the Sun Goes Down, Volume 2: The First Time I Met the Blues
- Telephoning the Blues
- Viola Lee Blues
- Haven't Got a Dollar to Pay Your House Rentman
- Saturday Blues
- When I Woke Up This Morning She Was Gone
- Canned Heat Blues
- Statesboro Blues
- Stealin', Stealin'
- Judge Harsh Blues
- Rent Man Blues
- I Don't Care What You Say
- I Hate a Man Like You
- Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do, Part 1
- I'm a Mighty Tight Woman
- Blue Yodel #9
- The Girl I Love, She Got Long, Curly Hair
- Don't Want No Woman
- Cocaine Habit Blues
- Married Woman Blues
- Red Nightgown Blues
- Hardworking Woman
- Doubled Up in a Knot
- If You Want Me, Baby
- The First Time I Met the Blues
- Sales Tax
Masters of the Delta Blues: The Friends of Charlie Patton
- Rowdy Blues
- Big Fat Mama Blues
- I Am In The Heavenly Way
- Future Blues
- Brown Mama Blues
- On the Wall
- Walking Blues (Unissued Test)
- Canned Heat Blues
- Promise True and Grand
- Mississippi Bottom Blues
- Maggie Campbell Blues
- My Black Mama, Part 1
- My Black Mama, Part 2
- Yellow Bee
- Long Way From Home
- M And O Blues
- Button Up Shoes (Take 1, Unissued Test)
- Mind Reader Blues
- Lonesome Home Blues (Take 1, Unissued Test)
- Dry Spell Blues, Part 1
- Dry Spell Blues, Part 2
- Preachin' The Blues, Part 1
- Preachin' The Blues, Part 2
Born: 1901-01-09
Died: 1970-02-12
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
-
by Ishman Bracey
Suitcase Full of Blues 1928-1929
by: Ishman BraceyJake liquor, Jake liquor, what in the world you tryin' to
do? (2)
Everybody in the city messed up on account of drinkin'
you
I drank so much Jake, it settled all in my head
I've drank so much Jake, until it settled all in my head
I rushed for my lovin', my baby turned her back to me
That's the doggoned diseases, ever heard since I been
born (2)
You have numbiness [sic] in front of your body, you can't
carry any lovin' on
Aunt Jane she come a-runnin', tellin' everybody in the
neighborhood
Aunt Jane, she come runnin' and screamin', tellin'
everybody in the neighborhood
That man of mine got the limber trouble, and his lovin'
can't do me any good
The doctor told me to tell you somethin', for your own
cravin' on this Jake (2)
If you don't quit drinkin' that poison Jake you're
drinkin', it's gon' leave you with the limber leg