The Music

Songs

NEW 11May18 Down the Mississippi, Vic Chevillon, vocals, Minstrel Banjo. In the mid 1800's a banjo generally played the Blues. Fretless, gourd, 1 to 6 string instruments from Africa were transformed into Minstrel Banjos. 1840's Traveling Minstrel shows were popular and fret banjos started and lead immediately to the guitar taking over the Blues. (copyright, all rights reserved).
NEW 11May18 Saturday Mornin Front Yard Blues. Stopped by to see Walter Cooper in Sallis, Mississippi and we played a few hours in his front yard. This is the first tune just after I got there. Walter Cooper on Fender Strat, electric and vocals, Vic Chevillon on Stella 12 twelve string. Field recording 10Mar18 (copyright, all rights reserved).

Howlin at the MoonTake 1, Vic Chevillon, guitar and vocals, recorded in Reno 13Dec17. (copyright, all rights reserved).
Went Past That Graveyard, Vic Chevillon, slide guitar and vocals, recorded on the front porch of the Blue Front Cafe juke joint, Bentonia, Mississippi, 24Apr17 (copyright, all rights reserved).
Waiting for a train and those Easter bells. laid back instrumental, Vic Chevillon, slide guitar, recorded on the front porch of the Blue Front Cafe juke joint, Bentonia, Mississippi, 24Apr17. The train is the northbound to Chicago. The bells are from the Baptist church across the tracks. (copyright, all rights reserved).
Mississippi Missin BB, by Mr Walter Cooper (guitar), accompanied by Vic Chevillon (12 string guitar). Recorded in Wlalter's front yard, Sallis Mississippi, 10Mar18, (copyright, all rights reserved)
Howlin at the Moon Take 2, Vic Chevillon 1970 12 string Stella Guitar from Oklahoma, maiden voyage, vocals. Recorded in Reno 20Jan18. (copyright, all rights reserved)

Videos

NEW 11May18 Howlin at the Moon, Vic Chevillon, Vocals and Stella 12 String Guitar in a cotton field at sunrised near Yazoo City, Mississippi along Highway 49 0Apr18. (copyright, all rights reserved)
Hold On Vic Chevillon, minstrel banjo, vocals. My variation on the old black spiritual, painting some of what Mississippi share croppers faced. After the Civil War when the Mississippi Delta was cleared and cotton plantations and plantation stores set in, life in the fields, under that sun was hard. It started a big change in 1935 when the Rust cotton picking machine was invented and people lost their jobs. Before the guitar took over the Blues, the banjo was early on. This is a gut stringed, fret-less minstrel banjo designed after the early instruments. Recorded just east of Arcola, Mississippi, 31Mar18. (copyright, all rights reserved).
Where I'm Going, Vic Chevillon, slide guitar and vocals, recorded in the mountains west of the Black Rock Desert 25May17. (copyright, all rights reserved).

NEW 11May18 Catfish Blues by Muddy Waters, Vic Chevillon vocals, 12 String Stella Guitar, field recording, 9Apri18, on the River near Tunica, Mississippi
NEW 11May18, Long Distance Call, by Muddy Waters, Vic Chevillon vocals and 12 String Stella Guitar. Field recording, 9Apr18 on the Mississippi River near Tunica, Mississippi. "Telephone ringin, sounds like a long distance call" got me into Muddy Waters and the Blues in the late 1950's. Mississippi Delta Porch Blues has always been where it's at.
NEW 2May18 Love In Vain, by Robert Johnson. Vic Chevillon lap slide guitar and vocals. Recorded Easter morning 2018 on old highway 61 north of Chactaw, Mississippi.
Little Red Rooster, by Willie Dixon, Vic Chevillon lap slide guitar and vocals, accompanied by Mr. Walter Cooper, guitar, recorded on his lawn in Sallis, ississippi,10Apr17. Howlin Wolf howled this out, many others and then the Stones did their howlin early on.
Graveyard Letter, by Son House. Vic Chevillon, slide guitar and vocals. Recorded in Reno, 16Dec17. Could not get it out of my mind.
Crossroads, by Robert Johnson. My friend Mr. Walter Cooper, slide guitar and vocals. Recorded in his yard in Sallis, Mississippi, 9Apr17.

Video

You Got To Move , Traditional African/American spiritual recorded in 1965 by Mississippi Fred McDowell and later by the Stones. Vic Chevillon, harmonica and vocals. Recorded at sunrise in the Black Rock Desert, north of Gerlach, Nevada, 25Map17.

Cuts from an epic House Party in Goodman, Mississippi 9Apr18. Back in the day is now.

NEW 11May8 Mule sings Little Red Rooster by Willie Dixon. as it should be sung. "Mule" JC Stevenson, vocals, Vic Chevillon, Stella 12 String Guitar, Jo Jo and Flat Broke, howls. Field recording at Mule's House Party in Goodman, Mississippi 9Apr18.
Back Door Friend "Mule" Stevenson, Vocals, Vic Chevillon, Stella 12 String, Jo Jo and Dead Broke Background Vocals; Mule's House Party, Goodman, Mississippi, 9 Apr18; all night long.