BABE STOVALL

Biography

Jewell "Babe" Stovall (October 14, 1907 – September 21, 1974) was an influential Delta blues singer and guitarist, born in Tylertown, Mississippi, as the youngest of eleven children. He began playing guitar at the age of eight and was deeply shaped by the rural musical traditions of his family and community. By his early twenties, Stovall had developed a distinctive style, influenced by blues legend Tommy Johnson, whom he met around 1930. Stovall spent much of the 1930s and 1940s moving between Mississippi and Louisiana, performing at local gatherings and working as a farmhand.

In 1964, Stovall relocated to New Orleans, where he became a fixture in the French Quarter, known for his powerful voice and crowd-pleasing showmanship, such as playing his National Steel guitar behind his head. He recorded his debut album for Verve in 1964, followed by further sessions in 1966 and 1968, which were later released as 'The Babe Stovall Story' and 'The Old Ace: Mississippi Blues & Religious Songs.' Stovall was a regular performer at the Dream Palace Bar and The Quarum club, and he played at the first five New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals. He was also known for mentoring young musicians, passing on traditional country blues techniques and songs. Stovall died of natural causes in New Orleans in 1974, leaving behind a legacy as a bridge between the original Delta blues era and the 1960s folk revival.

Fun Facts

• Stovall was famous for playing his guitar behind his head and projecting his voice so loudly that it could be heard blocks away.
• He was known for his legendary drinking exploits, which sometimes impacted his career opportunities during the blues revival.
• Stovall's first album, 'Babe Stovall,' was recorded in 1964 for Verve and later re-released on CD in 1990.
• He is buried at Holt Cemetery in New Orleans, a resting place for many of the city's musicians.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Tommy Johnson - Met in Mississippi around 1930; Johnson's guitar style and repertoire, including 'Big Road Blues,' influenced Stovall's playing. (Learned 'Big Road Blues' and other licks directly from Johnson.) [circa 1930]

Key Collaborators

• Bob West - Recorded sessions together in 1968, resulting in posthumous album release. ('The Old Ace: Mississippi Blues & Religious Songs' (released 2003)) [1968]

Artists Influenced

• Young white musicians in New Orleans - Stovall mentored and taught traditional country blues guitar and songs to a generation of local musicians, many of whom became part of the New Orleans folk and blues revival scene. (Apprentices performed traditional blues in New Orleans venues and on the college circuit.) [1960s–1970s]
• Jerry Jeff Walker (indirectly) - Stovall is credited by some as the inspiration for the character in Walker's song 'Mr. Bojangles.' ('Mr. Bojangles' (song)) [1968]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. When the Circle Be Unbroken (Sorrow Come Pass Me Around: A Survey of Rural Religious Black Music)
2. The Ship Is at the Landing (Sorrow Come Pass Me Around: A Survey of Rural Religious Black Music)
3. Going Away to Wear You off My Mind - Live (Babe Stovall 1958-1964)
4. Big Road Blues (2) (Matchbox Bluesmaster Series, Vol. 8: Big Road Blues)
5. Big Road Blues (2) (Matchbox Bluesmaster Series, Vol. 8: Big Road Blues)
6. Do Lord - Live (Babe Stovall 1958-1964)
7. Big Road Blues - Live (Babe Stovall 1958-1964)
8. CC Rider - Live (Babe Stovall 1958-1964)
9. I Ain't Gonna Be Your Do No More - Live (Babe Stovall 1958-1964)
10. Trouble in Mind - Live (Babe Stovall 1958-1964)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz