Sleepy John Estes

Sleepy John Estes

Source: American Music

Born in Ripley, Tennessee, on 25 January 1899, Sleepy John Estes wasn't all that good with a guitar, but he was a popular singer when not taking a nap somewhere, thus his name. John was blind in one eye since childhood due to getting hit with a rock during a ballgame. He would gradually lose sight in his other, making him completely blind into his fifties, his condition said to make him look sleepy as well. John moved to Brownsville in 1915 where he began to perform in that vicinity with mandolin player, Yank (James) Rachell, in 1919. Estes' debut recording arrived ten years later with Rachell in Memphis per an unissued track for Victor titled 'Broken Hearted, Ragged and Dirty Too' on September 17, 1929 (eventually issued in 1975 by RCA). That was in the Three J's Jug Band with pianist, Jab Jones. That same configuration recorded Estes' first name issue a week later on the 24th: 'The Girl I Love She Got Long Curly Hair'. American Music has 'Diving Duck Blues' during the same session with Rachell and Johnny Hardge on piano. Both were Estes' compositions and issued on  Victor V38549. Next come another version of 'Broken Hearted' on 26 September toward issue on Victor V38582. Though versions of 'Broken Hearted' exist at YouTube, curators haven't provided enough information to distinguish them. What can't be correctly identified can't be included herein.

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Estes was best known for his long musical relationship with harmonica player, Hammie Nixon. They had traveled Arkansas and Missouri together from 1924 to 1927, though didn't record together until 1935. Stefan Wirz (American Music) has them on four tracks for Decca on July 9 that year: 'Down South Blues', 'Stop That Thing' (Nixon / Estes), 'Someday Baby Blues' (Nixon / Estes) and 'Who's Been Tellin' You Buddy Brown Blues' (Nixon / Estes).

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Hammie Nixon / Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Among others with whom Estes recorded was Robert Nighthawk as Robert McCoy in June of 1940 for Decca including Estes' compositions, 'Drop Down Mama' and 'Jailhouse Blues'. Estes was an early blues artist in whom the Library of Congress had no later interest, sending no Lomax to hunt him down and revive his career, for he was active and recorded on occasion to as late as December of 1976 in Tokyo.

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

See Delmark LP DS-613 / CD DD-613 / P-Vine PCD-20305

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Mandolin: Yank Rachell   Guitar: Michael Bloomfield

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: Sleepy John Estes

Composition: ?

Estes died of stroke on June 5, 1977. Among other of his numerous compositions were 'Lawyer Clark' and 'Little Laura Blues' which had gone down on 24 September 1941 in Chicago toward Bluebird B-8871.

Further Reading: Weenie Campbell Forum

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