Precious Bryant, RIP

[jeffcrom]

Georgia blueswoman Precious Bryant died this past Saturday, January 12 at the age of 71. She was from Talbot County, east of Columbus, one of the few places in the country where the African-American fife and drum band tradition survived into the 20th century. Talbot County was a hotbed of blues and related music until around the 1970s; with Precious' death, it's all gone now. Precious was first recorded by George Mitchell in the 1960s; she appeared on various blues anthologies, but her first full album, Fool Me Good, didn't appear until 2002. I was lucky enough to hear her perform at the Northside Tavern in Atlanta (long before Fool Me Good), and I've been a fan ever since. Her music was a mixture of traditional songs from the Talbot County area, originals, and cover tunes learned from records, all delivered with equal conviction. We've lost a treasure.