(alternate titles: Frankie and Johnny; Frankie and Albert; Frankie Dean; Frankie Was a Good Girl; Leaving Home)
John Hurt (1894-1966) was from the small town of Avalon, Mississippi in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Hurt recorded twelve songs for Okeh records in 1928, but for most of his life he worked as a tenant farmer and played only for local gatherings and in family settings.
In 1960, music enthusiast Tom Hoskins went looking for Hurt on the basis of his Hurt's song "Avalon My Home Town." As Hurt was still living in Avalon, he was easy to find. "Mississippi" John Hurt soon found himself with a second career. He made a number of recordings and played numerous venues including the Friends of Old Time Music concerts and the Newport Folk Festival. Through his performances at Newport, Hurt became the darling of both the audience and the performers. Folk singer Tom Paxton penned a song "Did You Hear John Hurt" in honor of him. His song "Coffee Blues," with the chorus "just a lovin' spoonful," was the origin for the name of the very popular 1960s rock group. A quiet man, Hurt's understated style of guitar playing influenced many who heard him both in the blues and the folk music world.
"Frankie," a well-known American ballad, can be traced back to the 1899 murder of Al Britt by Frankie Baker in St. Louis (Paul Oliver, The Story of the Blues, pg. 23). It has been recorded frequently by musicians both in the black and white traditions.
FOR ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS OF HURT SEE:
For his early career: The 1928 Sessions (YZ 1065c); Mississippi John Hurt 1928 (BIO C4a); Avalon Blues: The Complete Okeh Recordings (COL 64986c); and for the later career, The Best of Mississippi John Hurt (VG 19/20c, VG 73103c); The Immortal John Hurt (VG 79248c); Last Sessions (VG 79327c); Today (VG 79220c); Folk Songs and Blues (PDM 13157a); Worried Blues (PDM 13161a, RNd 1082c); Memorial Anthology Vols. 1 and 2 (Genes 9906/7c) -- which includes a long spoken interview with Hurt by Pete Seeger; and the collections Legends of the Blues, Vol. 1 (COL 46215c); Roots 'n Blues (COL 47911c); Rural Blues (FW RF202c); Blues Rediscoveries (FW RF11c); Friends of Old Time Music (SFW CD 2390c); Mississippi Blues, 1927-1940 (OJL 5a); Folk Song America (SI 046c); Blues at Newport (VG 115/6c); The Great Bluesmen (VG 25/26a); Traditional Music at Newport, Pt. 2 (VG 9183a); Great Bluesmen/Newport (VG 77/78c); Blues at Newport (VG 115/6c); Newport Folk Festival: The Evening Concerts 1963 (VG 77002c); Blues with a Feeling (VG 77005c); Mississippi Moaners (YZ 1009c); Before the Blues, Vol. 1 (YZ 2015c); and Before the Blues, Vol. 3 (YZ 2017c).
OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS include:
Traditional American Folk: as Frankie and Johnny: Brownie Ford (FF 559c); Doc and Merle Watson (SGH 2205c); as Frankie and Albert: Lead Belly (ELK 301a, ST 51a); as Frankie Was a Good Girl: (Louise Foreacre (FW 2315c).
Folksong revival: as Frankie: Paul Clayton (FW 2110c); Mike Seeger (SFW CD 2325c); Cisco Houston (DSC 103a); Ed McCurdy (VG 2055a); Pete Seeger (SFW CD 2320c); as Frankie and Albert: Rory Block (RND 3073c); Rolf Cahn and Eric Von Schmidt (FW 2417c); Bob Dylan (COL 53200c); Alex Lukeman (Aravel 1007a); Patrick Sky (Leviathan 2006a); as Frankie and Johnny: The Tradewinds (Diplomat 2278c); Josh White, Jr. (Rykodisc 10033c); as Frankie's Blues: Dave Van Ronk (Alcazar 120c); as Leaving Home: The Southern Eagle String Band (String 901a).
Post revival: as Frankie and Johnny: Paula Lockheart (FF 451d).
Country/String Band: as Frankie: Dyke's Magic City Trio (OH 191a); Buddy Thomas (RND 0032a); as Frankie and Johnny: Chet Atkins (RCA 1090a); Gene Autry (COL 64987c); The Carter Family (OH 112a); David Alan Coe (Tee Vee 6010c, KNG 482c); Merle Haggard (CAP 223a); Roscoe Holcomb (SFW CD 2374c); Snuffy Jenkins and Pappy Sherill (RND 0059a); Riley Puckett (OH 114a); Jimmie Rodgers (RCA 6091a, RND 1058c); Hank Snow (BF 15488c); as Frankie Dean: Darby and Tarlton (COL9660a, OT 102a); as Frankie's Man Johnny: Johnny Cash (COL 29a, HMY 11342a); as Leaving Home: The New Lost City Ramblers (SF 40036c, FW 2397c); Charlie Poole (COL 47466c).
Bluegrass: as Frankie and Johnny: The Country Gentlemen (REB 1699c).
Blues/Rhythm and Blues: as Frankie: a later version by John Hurt (VG 9145a, Genes 9906c); as Frankie and Johnny: Brook Benton (Pair 1269a, Deluxe 7861c); Big Bill Broonzy (SFW CD 31005c); Gatemouth Brown (RND 2054c); Sam Cooke (RCA 6027a, RCA 1054a); Tiny Grimes (OJC 1796c, PRS 1796a); Corey Harris (ALL 4850c); Wee Willie Harris (Ace 178a); Furry Lewis (FTY 24703c, PRS 1037a); Memphis Slim (Storyville 118a, OBC 507c); Moses Rascoe (FF 454c); Jerry Ricks (Mediaphon a); Taj Mahal (COL 52465c); Joe Turner (RCA 68210c); Tuts Washington (RND 11501c); Bill Williams (BG 2004a); Stevie Wonder (Motown 232a); as Frankie and Albert: Rory Block (RND 3073c); Sam Cooke (Abkco 2970a); Charlie Patton (OJL 1a, YZ 2010c); Taj Mahal (COL 31844c); as Frankie and Johnny Boogie: Tiny Grimes (Collectables 5317a); as a tribute to Hurt, Mississippi John: Roy Bookbinder (RND 3121c).
Rock: as Frankie and Albert: Jesse Colin Young (Ridgetop 55553c); as Frankie and Johnny: The Champs (Music Club 50018a); Lonnie Donegan (UA 827a); The Idlers (Grand Prix 414c); Robert John (HMY 31353a); Jerry Lee Lewis (Sun 102a, Sun 1045a, RH 70657c); Elvis Presley (RCA 89388c, RCA 3553a); The Ventures (One Way 18933c); Gene Vincent (Charly).
Jazz: as Frankie and Johnny: Louis Armstrong (ADF 1930a, MCA 538a); Pearl Bailey (COL 40782c); Count Basie (VV 8687a); Bunny Berigan (Jass 638c); Bob Cooper (OJC 161c); Duke Ellington (COL 33291a, PRS 24073a, RCA 2178c); Francis Faye (BET 6017a); Bobby Gordon (Arbors 19112c); Gigi Gryce (OJC 1868a); Lena Horne (Laserlight 15379c); Milt Jackson (MCA 33112c); J.J. Johnson (Concord Jazz 4523c); Spike Jones (LIB 3338a); Lewis Keel (Muse 5438c); Les McCann (Pacific Jazz 63a); Thelonious Monk and Joe Turner (Vogue 68210c); Anita O'Day (VV 2050a); King Oliver (JSP 348a, RCA 90410c); The Society Syncopaters (FW RBF 203c); Sonny Stitt (VV 8374a); Fats Waller (RVR 12-109a); George Wallington (Blue Note 5045a); as Frankie: Edith Wilson (Fountain 302a); as Frankie and Albert: (Discovery 74203c).
American Popular: as Frankie and Johnny: Ace Cannon (Power Pak 10520a); Sammy Davis Jr. (MCA 10101c, MCA 20188c); The Happy Organ (GNP 2135a).
