leon pinson

the-mississippi-blues-trail

• https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/CrescentCityLivingLegends.pdf
• https://sundayblues.org/?tag=leon-pinson
• https://store.greennoiserecords.com/products/pinson-rev-leon-hush-somebody-is-calling-me-new-7
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRGGwDe-E7M
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2NnI7yLGoU spotify_data: followers: 201 id: 03rmjZ5WbES5vTpfjziOtB popularity: 1 url: https://open.spotify.com/artist/03rmjZ5WbES5vTpfjziOtB status: active title: leon pinson

Biography

Leon Pinson, born January 11, 1919, in Union County, Mississippi, faced significant challenges early in life when a case of meningitis left him partially crippled and almost blind. Despite these disabilities, his musical talent shone through as a guitarist and pianist, enabling him to pursue music in rural Mississippi. Beginning in 1929, he traveled northern Mississippi alongside harmonica player Elder Roma Wilson, building a reputation performing down-home gospel music.[1][2][3][4]

Pinson's career centered on gospel performances, often in partnership with Wilson, whom he met as a musical companion in the late 1920s. The duo's collaboration extended into later decades, reactivating in 1989 after a chance reunion, showcasing their enduring musical bond rooted in Mississippi's Delta traditions. His style blended country blues and ragtime elements with gospel, reflecting the raw, spiritual sounds of the region, though he remained largely obscure outside niche folk and blues circles.[2][3][5][6]

Pinson lived much of his life in the Mississippi Delta and passed away on October 10, 1998. His legacy endures through preserved recordings and interviews, such as those from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, highlighting his resilience and contributions to down-home gospel amid personal hardships.[1][2][5]

Fun Facts

• A severe case of meningitis in childhood left Leon Pinson partially crippled and almost blind, yet he mastered guitar and piano to build a musical career.
• Pinson and Elder Roma Wilson began traveling and performing together in northern Mississippi as early as 1929, forming a decades-long duo.
• Their partnership was rekindled in 1989 via a chance telephone call, leading to renewed performances in their later years.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Elder Roma Wilson - Longtime musical partner and harmonica player (Duet performances including 'Bye And Bye I Will Meet You' and 'Hush Somebody is Calling Me') [1929 onward, reactivated 1989]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. What God Can Do (The George Mitchell Collection)
2. Motherless Child (The George Mitchell Collection Vol. 1)
3. Hush, Somebody Is Calling My Name (The George Mitchell Collection Vol. 1)
4. What God Can Do (The George Mitchell Collection Vol. 1)
5. He'll Understand and Say Well Done (The George Mitchell Collection Vol. 1)
6. Only Believe (The George Mitchell Collection)
7. Blessed Questions (The George Mitchell Collection)
8. I Have a Saviour I Can Depend On (The George Mitchell Collection)
9. Motherless Child (The George Mitchell Collection)
10. Hush (Somebody Is Calling Me) (The George Mitchell Collection)

External Links

• Spotify