Lightnin' Hopkins_ His Life and Blues - Alan Govenar [164]
55. John Jackson and John Dee Holeman, interview by Alan Govenar, 1992 and Ed Pearl, interview by Alan Govenar, July 17, 2008.
56. Mack McCormick liner notes to the LP Country Blues, Tradition LP 1035.
57. For more information on the Leadbelly release legend, see Charles Wolfe and Kip Lornell, The Life and Legend of Leadbelly (New York: HarperCollins, 1992), pp. 85–87.
58. According to Anna Mae Box, Sam and Lightnin’ had a second child who was stillborn.
59. Anna Mae Box, interview by Alan Govenar, January 29, 2002. Census records spell Elamer as Almer but this is incorrect, as evidenced by the marriage license in the possession of Anna Mae Box. The census also recorded another child, Maxine, born to Sam Hopkins and Diamond Lacy on June 5, 1934. Some researchers have mistakenly maintained that Almer (sic) and Diamond Lacy were the same person, when in fact they were not. There was a Sam Hopkins listed in the Houston city directory from 1943 onward. However, this Sam Hopkins was living with Diaman (sic) and working as a “helper Mosher Steel Co—r. 1308 Bailey [4th Ward],” By 1949, Sam and Diamond had apparently separated as only Sam Hopkins “(no wife) driver Universal Term Warehouse—r. 3417 Live Oak [3rd Ward]” appears in the city directory. In 1951 this Sam Hopkins had the same listing and there was a separate one for “Hopkins, Mrs. Diamond—waiter Simon Ice House—r. 1308 Bailey.” In 1953, there were listings for Sam Hopkins (no wife), “Mrs. Diamond Hopkins—Paramount Laundry & Dry Cleaners—r. 1506 Victor,” and “Saml Hopkins (Gloria) musician—r. 2703 Gray Ave. [3rd Ward].” So, in what appears to be a bizarre coincidence, a black man named Sam Hopkins in Houston County (next to Leon County) married a woman named Diamond Lacy, had a child named Maxine in 1934, and moved to Houston’s Fourth Ward by 1943. By 1949, they were separated and this Sam Hopkins was living in the Third Ward, a couple of miles from the other Sam Hopkins. He had a steady job with the Universal Term Warehouse throughout the 1950s.
60. Sam Hopkins, interview by Sam Charters, “They was Hard Times,” track from My Life in the Blues, Prestige LP 7370, 1965.
61. Interview outtakes from The Blues According to Sam Hopkins, 1969.
62. Anna Mae Box, interview by Alan Govenar, January 29, 2002.
63. Ray Dawkins, interview by Alan Govenar, March 14, 2008 and July 17, 2008.
64. Ibid.
65. “Ida Mae,” Gold Star 613, recorded at Quinn Studio, Houston, 1947
66. Interview outtakes from The Blues According to Lightnin’ Hopkins, 1969.
67. Mack McCormick liner notes to the LP Smokes Like Lightning, Bluesville LP 1070.
68. Mack McCormick liner notes to the LP Country Blues, Tradition LP 1035.
2. Travels with Texas Alexander
1. For more information, see http://blog.negroleaguebaseball.com/negro_league_blog/2006/08/negro_league_or.html#more.
2. For more information, see Alan B. Govenar and Jay F. Brakefield, Deep Ellum and Central Track: Where the Black and White Worlds of Dallas Converged (Denton: University of North Texas Press, 1998).
3. Paul Oliver, liner notes to “Texas Alexander, 11 August 1927 to 15 November 1928,” Document MBCD-2001.
4. Oliver, Document MBCD-2001.
5. For more information, see Paul Oliver, Blues Off the Record (Kent, England: Baton Press, 1984); Texas Alexander, “Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order,” Volumes 1, 2, and 3, Document MDCD-2001, MDCD-2002, and MDCD-2003.
6. Sam Hopkins, interview by Sam Charters, “I Meet Texas Alexander,” track from My Life in the Blues, Prestige LP 7370.
7. Sam Hopkins, interview by Sam Charters, My Life in the Blues, Prestige LP 7370.
8. Hopkins, My Life in the Blues, Prestige LP 7370.
9. Hopkins, Prestige LP 7370.
10. Paul Oliver, liner notes to “Texas Alexander, 9 June 1930 to 1950,” Document MBCD-2003.
11. Mack McCormick, “A Conversation with Lightnin’ Hopkins,” Jazz Journal 13, no. 11 (November 1960), p. 23.
12. Hopkins, Prestige LP 7370.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. Frank Robinson,