PEG LEG HOWELL

Biography

Joshua Barnes Howell, known as Peg Leg Howell (March 5, 1888 – August 11, 1966), was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist who served as a crucial bridge between early country blues and the later 12-bar blues style. Born on a farm in Eatonton, Georgia, Howell taught himself guitar at age 21 and developed expertise in pre-Piedmont fingerpicking and slide guitar techniques. His life took a dramatic turn when he was shot in a fight and lost his right leg, an injury that earned him his enduring stage name and prompted him to pursue music full-time. After moving to Atlanta in 1923, he became a street performer and was discovered by Columbia Records in 1926, becoming one of the first blues musicians to make a race record and the first country blues artist released by the label.

Howell's recording career spanned from 1926 to 1929, during which he recorded 28 sides for Columbia Records across multiple sessions and configurations. His recorded repertoire encompassed ballads, ragtime, jazz, and blues, showcasing his virtuosic fingerpicking style and showmanship honed through years of street busking. He performed both as a solo artist and with backing groups, most notably 'Peg Leg Howell and His Gang,' which featured guitarist Henry Williams and fiddler Eddie Anthony. His debut single, 'New Prison Blues' (recorded November 8, 1926), sold nearly 10,000 copies and became a regional hit. Howell ceased recording in 1934 following the death of collaborator Eddie Anthony and returned to bootlegging liquor, a pursuit that had previously landed him in prison.

Howell's later life was marked by hardship and eventual rediscovery. In 1952, he lost his remaining leg to diabetes. In 1963, folklorist George Mitchell and researcher Roger Brown located him in Atlanta living in dire poverty and convinced him to record again. At age 75, Howell recorded ten final sides for Testament Records in 1964, including re-recordings of his 1920s material, though these later recordings reflected a more life-weary style than his energetic prime. He died in Atlanta on August 11, 1966, at age 78, leaving behind a legacy as one of the unsung heroes of country blues and a pioneering figure in early blues recording history.

Fun Facts

• Howell's first recorded single, 'New Prison Blues,' was literally written while he was imprisoned for bootlegging liquor, and it became the first country blues record issued by Columbia Records.
• Howell lost both legs in separate incidents: his right leg was shot off by his disgruntled brother-in-law in a fight, and his left leg was lost to diabetes in 1952—yet he continued to perform and was rediscovered at age 75 in a wheelchair.
• His debut recording session on November 8, 1926, yielded four sides (two records), and he earned $50 plus biannual royalties—a significant sum for the era—with his first single selling nearly 10,000 copies as a regional hit.
• After ceasing to record in 1934, Howell spent nearly 30 years away from the recording studio before being rediscovered by folklorist George Mitchell in 1963, making him one of the first blues players to be rediscovered during the 1960s blues revival.

Associated Acts

• Peg Leg Howell and His Gang - original (1927-04-08–1927-11-01)

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Field recordings and early blues songsters - Howell's style represented a link from field recordings he heard as a young farmhand to the early blues of the 1920s, synthesizing the lyrics and melodies of traditional music into more formal song structures (His entire recorded repertoire reflects this synthesis) [1880s-1920s (formative period)]

Key Collaborators

• Henry Williams - Guitarist who frequently accompanied Howell in 'Peg Leg Howell and His Gang' (Multiple Columbia Records sessions including 'New Jelly Roll Blues,' 'Beaver Slide Rag,' 'Sadie Lee Blues,' 'Papa Stobb Blues') [1927-1929]
• Eddie Anthony - Fiddler and close musical collaborator; his death in 1934 prompted Howell to stop recording (Multiple Columbia Records sessions; also recorded as duo with Howell) [1927-1934]
• Jim Hill - Mandolin player who recorded with Howell ('Ball and Chain Blues,' 'Away From Home,' 'Monkey Man Blues,' 'Chittlin' Supper') [April 13, 1929]
• George Mitchell - Folklorist and field researcher who rediscovered Howell in 1963 and facilitated his final recordings (Testament Records LP (1964) with ten final sides) [1963-1964]
• Roger Brown - Blues enthusiast and researcher who worked with George Mitchell to rediscover and record Howell (Testament Records LP (1964)) [1963-1964]

Artists Influenced

• R. Crumb - Cartoonist and blues enthusiast who included Howell among his 'Heroes of the Blues' (Heroes of the Blues (visual/written work)) [Late 20th century]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #blues, #country-blues