jeffcrom Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Mississippi bluesman James Lewis Carter Ford, better known as T-Model Ford, died today at his home in Greenville, Mississippi. Ford didn't know exactly when he was born, but he was apparently in his early nineties. Ford, who took up the guitar when his fifth wife (!) left him, had a violent, abusive father, and violence was always part of his life; he couldn't remember how many times he had been in jail or prison. His music, as one might expect, was raw and powerful. He continued to play on Nelson Street in Greenville long after the crack dealers had driven everyone else away. On his first album, Pee-Wee Get My Gun, from 1997, he is accompanied on most tracks by his drumming partner Spam. But the great Delta keyboard/drums team of Frank Frost and Sam Carr (of the Jelly Roll Kings) accompany T-Model on two tunes, and apparently Ford's trash-talking in the studio led the mild-mannered Frost to proclaim, "I want everyone to know that I'm now playing against my will." T-Model Ford was the real deal. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 The real deal he sure was. "Pee Wee Get My Gun" was an ear-opener for quite a few fans of boppin blues sounds around here. Hard to imagine something like this could be committed NEW to wax and wasn't a reissue/rediscovery of electric blues of the late 50s or early 60s. At times he even made Elmore James or Hound Dog Taylor sound almost mild and restrainted compared to him. Tuff stuff ... RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 great player; I believe he's also in that film they made about the label. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 Wow. 93. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 Liked his music, but really enjoyed his advice column. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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