mance lipscomb

Biography

Mance Lipscomb, born Beau De Glen Lipscomb on April 9, 1895, near Navasota, Texas, was the son of a father born into slavery and a mother of African American and Native American descent[1][2][6]. His early life was marked by hardship; after his father left, Lipscomb left school after third grade to work the fields with his mother. At age fourteen, his mother bought him a guitar, and he taught himself to play by watching and listening to others, developing a distinctive 'dead-thumb' fingerpicking style[1][3].

For decades, Lipscomb supported himself as a tenant farmer, playing music locally at 'Saturday night suppers' and community gatherings, rarely venturing beyond his 'precinct' in East Texas[1][2][3]. He considered himself a 'songster' rather than strictly a bluesman, with a repertoire spanning blues, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, folk, ballads, waltzes, polkas, and hymns—over 350 songs in total[3]. Lipscomb was discovered in 1960 by Mack McCormick and Chris Strachwitz during the folk-blues revival, leading to his first recordings for Arhoolie Records and national recognition[1][3].

Lipscomb became a celebrated figure in the American folk revival, performing at major festivals such as the Monterey Folk Festival and collaborating with artists like Willie Nelson, Pete Seeger, and the Grateful Dead[3]. His expressive voice, intricate guitar work, and storytelling made him a beloved performer and 'country sage.' His life and music are documented in his oral autobiography 'I Say Me for a Parable' and the documentary 'A Well Spent Life.' Lipscomb died in Navasota in 1976, leaving a legacy as a bridge between generations and cultures in American roots music[1][3][2].

Fun Facts

• Lipscomb took his nickname 'Mance' from a friend of his oldest brother, short for 'emancipation.'
• He declined an invitation from Jimmie Rodgers to tour in 1922, preferring to remain close to home and family[3].
• Lipscomb helped raise 23 children, though only one was his biological child[3].
• He demonstrated playing slide guitar with a pocketknife in the documentary 'A Well Spent Life.'

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Sam Rogers - Blind musician from Brenham, Texas, with whom Lipscomb honed his guitar skills by playing together. (Local performances, informal jams) [Early 20th century]

Key Collaborators

• Chris Strachwitz - Producer and founder of Arhoolie Records who recorded Lipscomb's debut album and subsequent works. (Texas Sharecropper and Songster (1960), other Arhoolie releases) [1960s-1970s]
• Mack McCormick - Musicologist who helped discover and record Lipscomb, facilitating his entry into the folk revival. (Field recordings, debut album sessions) [1960]
• Willie Nelson - Performed together during folk revival events. (Festival appearances) [1960s]
• Pete Seeger - Shared festival stages and folk revival circuits. (Festival appearances) [1960s]
• Grateful Dead - Worked with Lipscomb during folk revival events. (Festival appearances) [1960s]

Artists Influenced

• Bob Dylan - Inspired by Lipscomb's repertoire and storytelling style; performed at the same festivals. (Early folk recordings, festival performances) [1960s]
• Frank Sinatra - Admired Lipscomb and persuaded Reprise Records to record him. (Trouble in Mind (1961)) [1961]
• Texas blues artists (e.g., Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lightnin’ Hopkins) - Lipscomb's style and repertoire influenced subsequent generations of Texas blues musicians. (General influence on Texas blues recordings) [1970s-present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Cocaine Done Killed My Baby (You Got to Reap What You Sow)
2. When Death Come Creeping in Your Room (Run, Sinner, Run) - Take 1; Remastered Version (Trouble In Mind)
3. Sugar Babe
4. Cocaine Done Kill My Baby (Trouble In Mind)
5. Sugar Babe (Run Sinner, Run)
6. Buck Dance - Version; Instrumental; Remastered (Trouble In Mind)
7. Trouble in Mind - Version; Take 1; Remastered (Trouble In Mind)
8. Night Time Is the Right Time (Captain, Captain!)
9. Night Time Is the Right Time (Run Sinner, Run)
10. I Want to Do Something for You (Captain, Captain!)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #acoustic-texas-blues, #blues, #texas-blues