Charley (charlie) Patton Biography
Charlie Patton, better known as Charley Patton (May 1,
1891 - April 28, 1934) is best known as an American Delta
blues musician. He is considered by many to be the "Father
of Delta Blues" and therefore one of the oldest known
figures of American popular music. He is credited with creating
an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring
just about every Delta blues man (Robert Palmer, 1995).
Palmer considers him among the most important musicians
that America produced in the twentieth century. Many sources,
including some musical releases and even his gravestone,
misspell his name “Charley” even though the
musician himself spelled his name “Charlie.”
Charlie Patton was one of the first mainstream stars of
the Delta blues genre. Patton, who was born in Hinds County,
Mississippi near Edwards, lived most of his life in Sunflower
County, in the Mississippi Delta. Most sources say he was
born in 1891, but there is still some debate about this.
In 1900, however, his family moved 100 miles north to the
legendary 10,000-acre Dockery Plantation sawmill and cotton
farm near Ruleville, Mississippi. It was here that both
John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf fell under the Patton spell.
It was also here that Robert Johnson played his first guitar.
At Dockery, Charlie fell under the tutelage of Henry Sloan,
who had a new, unusual style of playing music which today
would be considered very early blues. Charlie followed Henry
Sloan around and by the time he was about 19 he was an accomplished
performer and composer, having already written "Pony
Blues" - a song that would become iconic of the era.
He was extremely popular across the U.S. South, and - in
contrast to the itinerant wandering of most blues musicians
of his time - was invited to perform at plantations and
taverns. Long before Jimi Hendrix impressed audiences with
stylish guitar playing, Patton gained noteriety through
his showmanship, often playing guitar on his knees, behind
his head, and behind his back. Although Patton was a small
man at about 5 foot 5 and 135 pounds, the sound of his whiskey-
and cigarette-scarred voice was rumored to have carried
for over 500 yards without amplification. This gritty voice
was a major influence in the singing style of one of his
students, Howlin' Wolf.
Patton settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi with his common-law
wife and recording partner Bertha Lee in 1933. He died on
the Heathman-Dedham plantation near Indianola from heart
disease on April 28, 1934 and is buried in Holly Ridge (both
towns are located in Sunflower County).
There apparently exists only one photograph of Charlie Patton,
although its authenticity is disputed. Rights to it are
owned by a collector named John Tefteller.
The question of Patton's ethnicity is of minor debate. Though
he was most likely African-American, because of his light
complexion there have been rumors that he was Mexican, full-blood
Cherokee (Howlin' Wolf endorsed this theory) or some other
race.
Patton's historical Timeline
* (1891) - Charlie Patton born in Hinds County, Mississippi
near Edwards or Bolton
* (1895) (4) - The Patton family moves near Edwards Depot
* (1900) (9) - Patton moves to the Dockery Plantation in
Sunflower County, Mississippi
* (1905/1907) (14-16)- Gets guitar lessons from Earl Harris
of Cleveland, and learns "You Take My Woman" and
"Maggie"
* (1908) (17) - Lives with Millie Barnes, and has a baby
girl named Willie Mae
* (1910) (19) - Writes songs including Pony Blues, Banty
Rooster Blues, Mississippi BoWeavil, and Down The Dirt Road
* (1916) (25) - Offered a position in W.C. Handy's band
* (1922) (31) - Marries Mandy France on Oss Pepper's plantation
* (1926) (35) - Willie Brown becomes his duet partner
* (1929) (38) - Records fourteen titles for Paramount Records
at Richmond, Indiana
* (1932) (41) - Final Paramount recording is released
* (1932) (41) - Marries an overseer's daughter in Morgan
City, Mississippi
* (1933) (42) - Almost killed when his throat is slit near
Holly Ridge
* (1934) (43) - (January 30 - February 1) - Records twenty-six
titles for ARC in New York
* (1934) (43) - Dies of heart failure on the Heathman-Dedham
plantation
