JOE CALLICOTT

Biography

Joe Callicott, often known as 'Mississippi Joe Callicott,' was born and spent his entire life in Nesbit, Mississippi, a small town at the heart of the Delta blues tradition. He began playing guitar as a teenager, developing a delicate fingerpicking style and rich vocal delivery that would become his hallmark. In the late 1920s, Callicott formed a close musical partnership with fellow bluesman Garfield Akers, performing at local gatherings and house parties throughout the region. Their collaboration led to Callicott's first recording sessions in Memphis in 1929 and 1930, where he contributed to Akers' classic 'Cottonfield Blues' and recorded his own tracks, 'Fare Thee Well Blues' and 'Traveling Mama Blues.'

Despite his early promise, Callicott's recording career was brief, with only two songs issued in 1930. He largely withdrew from performing by the 1940s, working for decades at PEMCO Aviation and living in poverty with his wife, Sue, and their son. However, the blues revival of the 1960s brought renewed interest in his music. In 1967, folklorist George Mitchell recorded a series of sessions with Callicott, capturing his mature artistry and preserving his legacy for future generations. These recordings, along with his mentorship of young guitarist Kenny Brown shortly before his death in 1969, cemented Callicott's place as one of the most respected yet underrecognized figures in Delta blues history.

Fun Facts

• Callicott worked at PEMCO Aviation for 38 years, likely in a custodial or freight-handling role, while living in poverty with his family.
• He was so underrecorded that only two tracks were issued during his early career, making his later rediscovery by folklorists especially significant.
• Callicott mentored a young Kenny Brown, who would skip school to learn guitar from him; Brown later became a well-known blues artist.
• His grave in Nesbit, Mississippi, was unmarked until 1995, when a memorial headstone was placed with support from Kenny Brown, Chris Strachwitz, and John Fogerty.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jim Jackson - Neighbor and established blues musician who facilitated Callicott's first recording sessions in Memphis. (Arranged 1929 and 1930 Memphis recording sessions; recorded 'Traveling Mama Blues' and 'Fare Thee Well Blues' with Callicott.) [Late 1920s–1930]

Key Collaborators

• Garfield Akers - Longtime musical partner; performed together at local events and recorded as a duo. ('Cottonfield Blues' (1929), 'Dough Roller Blues,' 'Jumpin’ and Shoutin’ Blues' (1930), live performances.) [1920s–1959]
• George Mitchell - Folklorist and documentarian who recorded Callicott during the blues revival. (1967 field recordings, later released as 'Ain’t A Gonna Lie To You.') [1967]

Artists Influenced

• Kenny Brown - Mentored by Callicott as a young guitarist; Brown became a prominent blues musician in his own right. (Brown’s later solo and collaborative works in the North Mississippi blues tradition.) [1960s–present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Maybe It’s Time (feat. Corey Taylor, Joe Elliott, Brantley Gilbert, Ivan Moody, Slash, AWOLNATION, Tommy Vext)
2. Spillways [Feat. Joe Elliott]
3. I Hate How Much I Want You (with Phil Collen & Joe Elliott of Def Leppard) (Strange Days)
4. Spillways [Feat. Joe Elliott]
5. Better Than Saturday Night (Wrong Side of Paradise)
6. People (Defiance Part 2: Fiction (Deluxe Edition))
7. Precious (Defiance Part 2: Fiction (Deluxe Edition))
8. Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits (Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits)
9. How'd Ya Like To Meet Henry (Defiance Part 2: Fiction (Deluxe Edition))
10. You're the Voice

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia