Saturday, February 11, 2012

Fiddlin' Joe Martin was recorded in 1941 by Alan Lomax at the commissary at Clack, just North of Robinsonville, Mississippi; he played mandolin on the Son House recording of "Walkin' Blues". He also accompanied Willie Brown on several numbers from that era, including "Future Blues". In August, 1967, he played drums on the recording of "How Long" made at Robinsonville by Woodrow Adams. (info from the Internet)
Fiddlin Joe is documented on Son House's Blues Trail Marker at Clack, MS. Here is the link: http://www.msbluestrail.org/_webapp_1300060/Son_House
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July 16, 2011
Tom Sanders grew up in Robinsonville, Mississippi; he told me, "I saved Fiddlin' Joe's life!" Here is Tom’s story:
Fiddlin Joe's wife Rosie was our cook. She and Fiddlin' Joe lived out back of our house probably 25 yards, in our garage which had been converted into a two room tenant house to accommodate them. I never knew of him playing the fiddle. I think his nickname was acquired by the many instruments he fooled around with. He was a great guitar player, but his left hand was burned, therefore, he played the guitar in open tunings so as not to have to make chords.
Willie Shaw was out of (the penetentiary at) Parchman and he was notorious for being there; he had been there and out a couple of times already and had come back to work for Mr. B. F. Harbert. Fiddlin' Joe, being a guitar picker, enjoyed a special status, and, as you can imagine, stood out from the rest - and just naturally liked women. Apparently, upon arriving home from Parchman Farm, Willie learned that Fiddlin' Joe had been messin’ with his woman.
The fight started in Rosie's and Fiddlin' Joe's house one morning about 8:00 in about June of 1959 when I was 15 years old. I was asleep but was awakened by the noise. Fiddlin' Joe had run to our house - he was on the back porch. Willie Shaw had a switch blade knife and Fiddlin' Joe didn't have anything.
At that time we did not have a clothes dryer and just hung everything on the back porch to dry. Willie and Fiddlin' Joe were slowed somewhat by the hanging clothes and I heard my grandmother screaming, so I got my shotgun and went to the back porch and stopped the fight. I told Willie Shaw to go home and wait for the law, and called the ambulance for Fiddlin' Joe.
I called my mother and father's store and told them what had happened and they called the sheriff. Sure enough, Willie Shaw was waiting at home when the sheriff got there. Joe required stitches in many places; I'd estimate he probably had 7 or 8 cuts on his upper body.
If I had not stopped the fight, Willie Shaw would have killed Fiddlin' Joe with that switchblade knife!