Cannon's Jug Stompers were one of the best known of the many jug and skiffle bands that existed in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1920s-1930s. The jug band craze had originally started in Louisville, Kentucky, with the Louisville Jug Band, but certainly had its biggest impact in Memphis. These bands "busked" on the streets and provided the entertainment for dances. This group consisted of Gus Cannon (1883-1979), Ashley Thompson, and Noah Lewis (1895-1937). Both Cannon and Lewis had been performing professionally since the early years of the 20th century. Cannon (also known as "Banjo Joe") was from Red Bank, Mississippi, and was a product of the minstrel show era (notes to Yazoo 1021). His parents were born into slavery on Henderson Newell's plantation and his first banjo was made from a bread pan his mother used to make biscuits and had a raccoon skin head (Paul Oliver, The Story of the Blues, pg. 54). He started playing music early in life. Cannon had a brief tenure working as a roustabout on the Mississippi River boat, The Big Kate Adams. Harmonica player Noah Lewis was from Henning, Tennessee. Of all the members of the group who were showman, Lewis was perhaps the best. Cannon recalled that Lewis could play two harmonicas at once, one through the mouth and one through the nose (Bengt Olsson, notes to Herwin 208). He was stabbed to death in 1937. Ashley Thompson started playing with Cannon and Lewis as a teenager and played with the group on their early recordings.
After his early recording career ended, Cannon continued to play dances, and busked the Memphis streets and in Handy park, at least until his music became totally unfashionable. He then worked as a manual laborer for years, receiving some renewed attention during the skiffle and jug band revivals of the 1950s and 1960s. He recorded again for music scholar Sam Charters in 1956. In 1963, the folk revival group The Rooftop Singers had a number one hit with Gus's song "Walk Right In." After some argument, he was able to collect a considerable sum in royalties. He lived out the rest of his life in far more ease than he had been accustomed to during the lean years, passing away in 1979.
Minglewood (Menglewood) was a lumber camp a few miles east of the Mississippi River near Dyersburg, Tennessee.
Many of the Southern plantations and work camps featured entertainment and music on weekends and Menglewood was a place for musicians to find work. Noah Lewis had worked there and composed this song, which he recorded for Victor under his own name as "New Minglewood Blues."
FOR ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS of Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers see: Cannon's Jug Stompers 1927-1930 (HER 208a); The Complete Works 1927-1930 (YZ 1082c); and the collections On the Road Again (ADE 1007a); Memphis Blues Again (ADE 1009a); The Great Jug Bands, 1927-1934, Vol. 4 (OJL 5a); Blues: Music from the Film (FW ASCH101c); The Country Blues (FW RF1c); The Jug Bands (FW RF6c); Skiffle Bands (FW 2610c); Great Jug Band (HIS 66a); That Jug Band Sound (OJL a); Wild About My Loving (RCA 2461c); Blues: The 1920s-1940s (RCA 9052c); Blues Masters, Vol. 12 (RH 71129c); The Music Never Stopped (SH 6014c); Frank Stokes' Dream, 1927-31 (YZ 1008c); Memphis Jambore, 1927-1936 (YZ 1021c); Roots of Rock (YZ 1063c); Memphis Masters (YZ 2008c); and Before the Blues, Vol. 3 (YZ 2017c).
For additional information we recommend the notes to Herwin 208 and Yazoo 1082.
OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS include:
Traditional American Folk: as Minglewood: Doc and Merle Watson (UA 725a).
Blues: as Minglewood Blues: Cannon's Jug Stompers (YZ 1082c); and a later version as The New Minglewood Blues: Noah Lewis Jug Band (OJL 5a).
Rock: as Minglewwod Blues: The Decals (Creative Artistry 2525c); Jane's Addiction (Groove JANAD01c); PH Phactor (Piccadilly 3343c); a 1960s adaptation is The New New Minglewood Blues: The Grateful Dead (WB 1689c, Arista 8321a).
