Charles Caldwell (1943-2003)
Charles "Cadillac" Caldwell, a Water Valley native, was born in May 1943. By the age of twelve, his life centered around working a one-row hoe from behind a mule, as did his father before him -- school had never been an option for farm kids in the area at that time. At fourteen, Caldwell bought a Gibson ES 125, which, incredibly, he plays to this day. He found his way on its strings "like everybody else, mockin."
Photo by David Raccuglia
At seventeen, he moved to Coffeeville and met the woman he would eventually marry. He started out there planting trees for the government, with as much 'coon hunting on the side as he could fit in, but after nearly hacking himself in two with a chainsaw on more than one occasion, Charles gave up government work and took a new job at a local Heathcraft factory, where he has now worked for 28 years.
Charles Caldwell had just completed his debut record on Fat Possum Records when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Listen to two tracks from Caldwell's album:
I Done You Wrong.
Sample Life Doesn't Rhyme:
2. Gypsy Babe
Preorder by clicking here
Eleven days before his high-school graduation, Judah Bauer boarded a bus to New York and left the first seventeen years of his life in Appleton, Wisconsin behind him forever. As the guitar player for the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, he first met R. L. Burnside when they were on tour together prior to the recording of A Ass Pocket of Whiskey. Whenever R. L. played, Judah would be standing on one side of the stage or the other, watching every move Burnside made. During the recording of Whiskey in Holly Springs (an old railroad town in the hill country), Judah was instrumental in making the sessions happen and in handling all the details of mixing and production.
Judah returned to Holly Springs a year later to record his first solo project as 20 Miles. (Available now for only $5.00. Order Here.) Judah played guitar and harp and wrote everything. His brother Donovan played the drums. The result was an amazing, intensely raw self titled debut. Following this first experiment, Judah pushed the envelope further with I'm a Lucky Guy. A record focused on showing the skills and power of Judah's imagination. CMJ said, "When Twenty Miles are on, they get a groove going that could set any Delta dive on fire in a matter of moments."
Keep it Coming, the third record from 20 Miles, was recorded almost entirely in Judah's New York City apartment with a collection of friends, neighbors and assorted folks sitting in from time to time, Keep It Coming is a big, tough, loud and other times sneaks up on you quietly when you're looking the other way. One of the best albums ever released on Fat Possum records and further showcased the songwriting ability of Judah.
Life Doesn't Rhyme the newest album from 20 Miles continues this trend. Recorded at the legendary Toe Rag Studios with Liam Watson (The White Stripes, The Kill) and mixed by Chris Shaw (Bob Dylan, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), the newest 20 Miles is one of their best and is available for preorder now for only $13.00. Preorder now and get a free 20 Miles poster.
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Grandpaboy
Sample Dead Man's Shake:
"I heard him play in an empty room once...it was like a knife fight in a phone booth.
The man scares me!"
-Paul Westerberg
On October 21st, Grandpaboy issues a new album of blues-country-rock-n-roll. Dead Man Shake is good, sloppy, heart-felt music which is excellent to listen to while having a drink or two or three.
Elmo Williams and Hezekiah Early's It Takes One to Know One
Another great record that fell through the cracks.
Order by clicking here"Puts angry young punk bands to utter shame," raves CMJ. It Takes One to Know One is the debut album from Elmo and Hezekiah. Now available for only $9.00.
Sample It Takes One to Know One:
3. Blue Jumped the Rabbit