21
Historical Blues: Tampa, Florida
Gambling, Murder, Prostitution, and Blues All in Tampa
The Scrub, Tampa, Florida
It all started with research into Tampa Red.
Tampa Red, born in Georgia, was sent to live with his grand parents in Tampa Florida as a young man. He eventually moved to Chicago, playing blues all along the way. This is public knowledge. However, no one ever mentions – or talks about – where in Tampa he lived.
Where did he play? What section of town? A simple mention of Tampa is never really enough, is it? After striving to find out addresses of his grand parents, where the “bustling” section of Tampa was that he may have played, and other unknown facts, what was uncovered was unreal.
Tampa, in the 1920′s and 1930s was actually a stop on the Chitlin’ Circuit. But there was more. Murder, prostitution, gambling, blues, Jim Crow Laws, shootings, “all black” business districts, historical recordings, and more.
9
The Story of Stagger Lee
There were 6 Murders in St. Louis on December 24, 1895. Only One Counted.
Stagger Lee Portrait
It all went down on December 25th, 1895. Stagger lee Shelton was an African American cab driver and pimp convicted of murdering William “Billy” Lyons on Christmas Eve, 1895 in St. Louis,Missouri. The crime was immortalized in a popular song that has been recorded by numerous artists.Lee Shelton was not a common pimp, but as described by Cecil Brown, “Lee Shelton belonged to a group of pimps known in St. Louis as the ‘Macks’. The macks were not just ‘urban strollers’; they presented themselves as objects to be observed.”
Though there were 5 other murders that night, this would be the one remembered, as folk songs about the murder began to arise almost immediately. Why is this story so important to the Delta Blues? Because Good old Stagger Lee had many a song written about the incident…
7
Robert Johnson Estate Court Testimony
The Appeal of ROBERT M. HARRIS AND ANNYE C. ANDERSON For RJ’s Estate Was Denied – By This Testimony
Claud Johnson
So we all know that after a lengthy court battle, Claud Johnson was found to be the illegitimate son of Robert Johnson, and was therefore awarded all rights to his estate.
So, as with any court case, appeals are certainly going to be filed. In this case, the appeal was filed by Robert M. Harris, the grandson of Robert’s half sister, and Annye Anderson.
After the courts awarded Claud the estate, after he was found to be the biological son of Robert Johnson, Harris and Anderson decided to appeal. Citing the fact that there is no DNA evidence, etc, to prove Claud was the heir, they thought the estate shoud stay with them.
However, Claud had a surpirce witness who could prove – literally – he was Robert’s long lost son.
