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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

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.
• Lipscomb helped raise 23 children, though only one was his biological child.
• 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)
• 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))
• 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