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Jo Ann Kelly
Foto: Nxr-at (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Country Blues

Jo Ann Kelly

This artist is no longer with us.
Born: 5 January 1944 · Died: 21 October 1990• United Kingdom• Active: 1962-1990
Acoustic BluesCountry BluesTraditional Blues

An English country-blues singer and slide guitarist regarded as Britain's finest interpreter of Delta blues, who recorded and toured with Mississippi Fred McDowell, John Fahey and Son House.

Instruments
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bottleneck Guitar
Labels
Epic, Columbia, CBS, Blue Goose, Immediate, Red Rag, Appaloosa, Mooncrest
from
Streatham, South London, England
Born
5 January 1944
Jo Ann Kelly (5 January 1944 – 21 October 1990) was an English blues singer and guitarist widely regarded as the leading British interpreter of American country blues, specialising in Delta-style bottleneck and 6- and 12-string guitar (Source: Wikipedia). Born in Streatham, South London, she was taught basic guitar chords by her older brother Dave Kelly, later of the Blues Band, and grew up on Elvis Presley, Little Richard and the late-1950s skiffle boom before discovering Delta blues (Source: Wikipedia). By 1964 she was playing the London club circuit and cut her first limited-edition record with future Groundhogs guitarist Tony McPhee (Source: Wikipedia). Her self-titled debut album followed on Epic in 1969, and she performed at the first National Blues Federation Convention in 1968, launching a well-received run on the UK college circuit (Source: Wikipedia). In September 1968 she recorded a session for John Peel's Night Ride programme, having already been singled out by Peel earlier that year as an artist to watch (Source: Peel Wiki, Fandom). Kelly was a core member of the group Tramp alongside her brother Dave, and recorded and toured with visiting American blues figures including Mississippi Fred McDowell, John Fahey and Son House, while both Canned Heat and Johnny Winter tried unsuccessfully to recruit her to relocate to the United States — she chose to remain based in Britain throughout her career (Source: Wikipedia). Jo Ann and Dave Kelly organised benefit concerts to help cover Memphis Minnie's medical expenses after the pioneering blueswoman suffered a debilitating stroke in the 1960s (Source: Wikipedia). Kelly continued recording into the 1980s, including "Do It" with guitarist Pete Emery (Red Rag, 1976) and "Just Restless" (Appaloosa, 1984), and toured Europe's club and festival circuit with Emery (Source: Wikipedia; AllMusic). She began suffering persistent headaches in 1988 and underwent surgery in 1989 to remove a malignant brain tumour, but died in London on 21 October 1990 at the age of 46; obituaries in The Times, The Guardian and The Independent recognised her as Britain's foremost female interpreter of authentic American blues (Source: Wikipedia).

Musical Influence

Kelly is remembered as the definitive British female voice of authentic country blues in the 1960s and '70s, respected enough by American blues originators that Mississippi Fred McDowell, John Fahey and Son House all chose to record and perform alongside her, and both Canned Heat and Johnny Winter tried to recruit her to the US (Source: Wikipedia).

Formative experiences

  • •1944: Born 5 January in Streatham, South London, England (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •Late 1950s: Taught basic guitar chords by her older brother Dave Kelly; grows up on Elvis Presley, Little Richard and the skiffle boom before discovering Delta blues (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1964: Playing the London club circuit; cuts her first limited-edition record with future Groundhogs guitarist Tony McPhee (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1968: Performs at the first National Blues Federation Convention; records a session for John Peel's Night Ride programme in September, having already been named an artist to watch by Peel earlier that year (Source: Wikipedia; Peel Wiki).
  • •1969: Releases her self-titled debut album on Epic (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1976: Releases "Do It" with guitarist Pete Emery on Red Rag (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1984: Releases "Just Restless" on Appaloosa (Source: Wikipedia; AllMusic).
  • •1988-1989: Suffers persistent headaches, undergoes surgery for a malignant brain tumour (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1990: Dies in London on 21 October, aged 46 (Source: Wikipedia).

Instruments & Equipment

Stories & Anecdotes

"Kelly and her brother Dave organised benefit concerts in the 1960s to help cover Memphis Minnie's medical expenses after the pioneering blueswoman suffered a debilitating stroke (Source: Wikipedia)."
"Both Canned Heat and Johnny Winter separately tried to recruit Kelly to relocate to the United States and join their bands, but she chose to remain based in Britain throughout her career (Source: Wikipedia)."
"John Peel singled her out as an artist to watch in the Disc & Music Echo music paper's "ABC of Beauty" feature in 1968, and later had her record a session for his Night Ride radio programme (Source: Peel Wiki, Fandom)."

Collaborators

Dave Kelly
1960s-1990

Brother; taught her guitar and was a fellow member of the group Tramp; later a founding member of the Blues Band.

Mississippi Fred McDowell
n.d.

American Delta blues musician she recorded and performed with.

John Fahey
1972

Recorded together in New York, including "Stocking Feet Blues."

Tony McPhee
1964

Future Groundhogs guitarist; played on her first limited-edition record.

Pete Emery
1970s-1980s

Guitarist; recorded "Do It" (1976) with her and toured Europe's club circuit together.

Watch & Listen

Featured

Louisiana Blues - Jo Ann Kelly (1969)

minutegongcoughs

Jo-Ann Kelly & Backwards Sam Firk - Death Letter Blues (Live, 1969) [Son House cover]

Jo-Ann Kelly & Backwards Sam Firk - Death Letter Blues (Live, 1969) [Son House cover]

Jo Ann Kelly - Boyfriend Blues

Jo Ann Kelly - Boyfriend Blues

Jo Ann Kelly - Someday Baby Blues

Jo Ann Kelly - Someday Baby Blues

Jo Ann Kelly - Walking Blues

Jo Ann Kelly - Walking Blues

Jo Ann Kelly with John Fahey - Stocking Feet Blues

Jo Ann Kelly with John Fahey - Stocking Feet Blues

Jo Ann Kelly with John Miller - Arrangement For Me Blues

Jo Ann Kelly with John Miller - Arrangement For Me Blues

Jo Ann Kelly. Life and Music. Streatham Blues Festival

Jo Ann Kelly. Life and Music. Streatham Blues Festival

Watch & Listen

Henter videoer fra YouTube…

Discography

YearTitleProducerStudioLabelChartSalesMusiciansYouTubeNotes
1969Jo-Ann Kelly——Epic———Self-titled debut album (Source: Wikipedia).
1976Do It——Red Rag———Recorded with guitarist Pete Emery (Source: Wikipedia).
1984Just Restless——Appaloosa———Source: Wikipedia; AllMusic.
1990Retrospect 1964-72——————Posthumous compilation (Source: Wikipedia).
1999Key to the Highway——Mooncrest———Posthumous compilation (Source: Wikipedia).

Famous songs

01Louisiana Blues
02Death Letter Blues
03Walking Blues
04Boyfriend Blues

External links

en.wikipedia.org allmusic.com encyclopedia.com

Sources

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