Dooner’s World – Episode 76 – Dick Waterman – Blues Photographer, Author, and Legend
Dooner’s World – Episode 76 – Dick Waterman – Blues Photographer, Author, and Legend
Introduction
· Sport writer from Massachusetts
· Started Avalon Productions in Mississippi representing older Blues artists in 1964
· Author and Photographer:
o Between Midnight and day
o B.B. King – Treasures – written with B.B.
· Managed: Son House, Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, Lightning Hopkins, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Bonnie Raitt
· Collaborated with Bonnie on the Mt Zion Foundation to raise a headstone for Mississippi Fred McDowell
Early Influences:
· Louis Armstrong, Doc Watson, Tom Rush, Calypso
· Worked at Club 47
Son House:
· Early recording for Paramount
· Move to Rochester 1943
· Finding Son in Rochester, NY and his first show back in August 1964
· There are recordings of these 64 shows that may be released soon!
· Dick shares stories about Robert Johnson that Son told him!!!
o Robert used to break strings when playing Son’s guitar during set breaks
o He went away in 33 or 34 and came back much improved
o These stories are so cool!
Skip James:
· Great Eric Clapton story, Skip plays I’m so Glad and then asks Eric to play a song – NYC 1969 at Vanguard Records offices
Mississippi John Hurt – Dick remembers John, his sweet nature, and sweet blues
Howling Wolf
· Story when Eric Clapton tried to play Howlin’s guitar to show him a song
· Wolf ever left Chess and how this hurt his success
Muddy Waters
· Leaving Chess Records, Touring with Eric Clapton, and working with the Rolling stones
Avalon Productions:
· Junior Wells – Dick tells the story of signing Junior to Avalon with no paper
· Buddy Guy
· Luther Allison
· Magic Sam