Backalleyblues

Mississippi John Hurt 1892 - 1966 Mississippi John Hurt's father was Isom and his mother Mary Jan McCain. He was born in Teoc, MS on July 3, 1892 in the hill country not far from the tiny town of Avalon whose population was not even one hundred. He was one of three children who at the age of nine, began to teach himself how to play the guitar when his Mother had bought him his first, "Black Annie." She paid $1.50 for it. Hurt had soon developed a style like no other artist of his time or from the area Hurt was originally discovered in 1928 by Okeh recording director Tommy Rockwell when he had heard about John Hurt from two white country musicians he had recorded in the area, guitar player Shell Smith and fiddler Willie Narmour. After recording Narmour, Rockwell quickly auditioned Hurt. Hurt, who again had rarely left the Avalon area soon traveled to Memphis, TN where he recorded eight titles. It was at this time that "Frankie" and "Nobody's Dirty Business" were released. Hurt remembered being very ne