Illustrated Hacksaw Harney discography

R I C H A R D 'H A C K S A W' H A R N E Y; source: Sing Out! vol. 23 # 4 (1974), p. 1; photographer: David Gahr
source: Sing Out! vol. 23 # 4 (1974); photographer: David Gahr Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney
b. July 16, 1902 in Money, Mississippi (where Emmett Till was murdered)
d. December 25, 1973 in Jackson, Mississippi
buried at the Hinds County Cemetary off Highway 18 West
(close to the Raymond Penal Farm) near Raymond, Mississippi
discography
Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney videos
at www.adelphirecords.com

Richard Harney ("Can") recorded with his brother Maylon ("Pet") for Columbia in 1927
accompanying vocalist Pearl Dickson and accordionist Walter Rhodes

LaVere liner notes to Adelphi AD 1010
source: Steve LaVere 1971 liner notes to Adelphi AD 1010

year
of release

title / label / notes

4/1928

PEARL DICKSON

- Twelve Pound Daddy (145370-3) @ youtube @ Spotify
- Little Rock Blues (145371-2) @ youtube @ Spotify

rec. December 12, 1927 in Memphis, TN; Pearl Dickson, voc; 'Pet' & 'Can' (Maylon & Richard Harney). g duet

Columbia 14286-D

- High Yellow Blues (145369-2)
- Guitar Rag (145372-2)

rec. December 12, 1927 in Memphis, TN; Pearl Dickson, voc; 'Pet' & 'Can' (Maylon & Richard Harney). g duet

Columbia unissued

4/1928

WALTER RHODES WITH "PET" AND "CAN"

- The Crowing Rooster (145358-2) # @ youtube @ Spotify
- Leaving Home Blues (145359-2) @ youtube @ Spotify

rec. December 10, 1927, Memphis, TN; Walter Rhodes, voc, accordion, # voc effects; 'Pet' & 'Can' (Maylon & Richard Harney), g, sp

Columbia 14289-D

- She's A Girl Of Mine (145357-2)
- Left My Baby Blues (145360-2)

rec. December 10, 1927, Memphis, TN; Walter Rhodes, voc, accordion; 'Pet' & 'Can' (Maylon & Richard Harney), g, sp

Columbia unissued

1964

The Country Girls! 1927 - 1935

Lottie Kimbrough
- Wayward Girl Blues
- Rolling Log Blues
Geeshie Wiley
- Pick Poor Robin Clean
Rosie Mae Moore
- Stranger Blues
Lulu Jackson
- Careless Love Blues
Lillian Miller
- Dead Drunk Blues
Lucille Bogan
- I Hate That Train Called The M & O
Elvie Thomas
- Motherless Child Blues

Nellie Florence
- Jacksonville Blues
- Midnight Weeping Blues
Pearl Dickson
- Little Rock Blues [Columbia 14286-D]
Memphis Minnie
- Where Is My Good Man
- Can't I Do It For You
Mae Glover
- Shake It Daddy
Lottie Kimbrough
- Going Away Blues
- Lost Lover Blues

the woman on the front cover of OJL 6 is not Geeshie Wiley !!! The photo depicts a Gullah woman; "photo by Doris Ulmann, from 'Roll, Jordan, Roll', by Julia Peterkin & Doris Ulmann (New York, Robert O. Ballou, 1934), p. 101." [Chris Smith] "A photo of a Gullah woman may have been chosen because the album included material by Geeshie, on the basis that the name 'Geeshie' was thought to indicate a GA/SC origin for her - whereas it turns out she came from Texas." [Bob Eagle]

notes by Nancy Grace Whelan
or
Origin Jazz Library OJL 6

OJL Records discography

1970

Country Blues Obscurities Vol. 1 (1926 - 1936)

Williams & Versey Smith
- When That Great Ship Went Down
'Big Boy' George Owens
- The Coon Crap Game
Smith And Harper
- Poor Girl
- Insurance Policy Blues
Big Boy Cleveland
- Quill Blues
John D. Fox & Sam Collins
- The Moanin' Blues
Johnnie Head
- Fare Thee Blues - pts. 1 & 2

"Bill" Wilber with Willie Lofton
- Greyhound Blues
Alfred Lewis
- Friday Moan Blues
Walter Rhodes
- Leaving Home Blues [Columbia 14289-D]
Will Bennett
- Real Estate Blues
Whistlin' Rufus
- (Who's Gonna Do Your) Sweet Jelly Rollin'
Archie Lewis
- Miss Handy Hanks
Shreveport Home Wreckers with Ed Schaffer & Oscar Woods
- Fence Breakin' Blues

Roots RL-334 (Austria 1970)

Roots Records discography

1971

The Memphis Blues Again Vol. 1

Nathan Beauregard
- Nobody's Business But My Own
- Lonesome To Myself
Sam Clark & Dewey Corley and Richard Harney
- Sunnyland Train Blues @ youtube
Earl Bell & Marshall "Memphis Sonny Boy" Jones
- Catfish Blues
Mose Vinson & Backwards Sam Firk and Dewey Corley
- You Ain't Too Old
Mose Vinson & Backwards Sam Firk
- Bullfrog Blues
Sweet Charlene Peeples & Mose Vinson
- Tin Pan Alley
- Scood Up Be Doop Day

Furry Lewis
- Natural Born Eastman No. 2
Furry Lewis & Willie Morris and Dewey Corley
- New Turn Your Money Green
Joe Dobbins & Backwards Sam Firk
- Basin Street Blues
- Sweet Patricia
Gus Cannon
- Mule Gallop
Dewey Corley & Willie Morris and Furry Lewis
- Dewey's Walkin' Blues
Dewey Corley & Walter Miller
- Step It Up And Go

rec. October 1969 in Memphis, TN and June 1970 at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN; prod. by Gene Rosenthal
Adelphi AD 1009 cover drawing by Dick Bangham

notes by Stephan Michaelson and Steve LaVere with assistance by Nick Perls and Michael Stewart

Adelphi AD 1009 (US 1971)

notes by Stephan Michaelson

= Echo Music 801 (UK 1985) "Blues Anthology Vol. 1" "Memphis Blues"

Adelphi Records discography

1971

The Memphis Blues Again Vol. 2

Bukka White
- Fried Chicken
Willie Morris, g, voc & Dewey Corley, b
- New Stop And Listen Blues
Willie Morris
- My Good Woman Has Quit Me
- Tell Me Mama, Babe, On You
Hacksaw Harney & Dewey Corley
- Hacksaw's Down South Blues # @ youtube
- Can Can * @ youtube

Walter Miller, voc & Willie Morris, g and Mose Vinson, p
- I Don't Care What You Do
Memphis Piano Red John Williams
- Me And My Pal
Sleepy John Estes & Tom Gary, harm
- Drop Down Mama
Van Hunt & Mose Vinson, p
- Jelly Selling Woman
Van Hunt & Mose Vinson, p and Dewey Corley, b
- Lonesome Road Blues

rec. October 1969 in Memphis, TN and June 1970 at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN; prod. by Gene Rosenthal
# Hacksaw Harney, g; Dewey Corley, b
* Hacksaw Harney, p; Dewey Corley, b
Adelphi AD 1010 cover drawing by Dick Bangham

notes by Steve LaVere with assistance by Nick Perls & Michael Stewart

Adelphi AD 1010 (US 1971)

= Echo Music 802 (UK 1985) "Blues Anthology Vol. 2" "More Memphis Blues"

Adelphi Records discography

1987

Memphis Blues (1927 - 1937)

Ollie Rupert
- I Raised My Window ...
- Ain't Goin' To Be Your Low Down Dog
Big Boy Cleveland
- Quill Blues
- Goin' To Leave You Blues
Walter Rhodes
- The Crowing Rooster [Columbia 14289-D]
- Leaving Home Blues [Columbia 14289-D]
Frank Stokes
- Downtown Blues (tk 1)
Tom Dickson
- Death Bell Blues
- Worry Blues

Tom Dickson
- Happy Blues
- Labor Blues
Robert Wilkins
- Rolling Stone - Part 2 (tk 1)
Sam Townsend
- I'm Missing That
- Lily Kimball Blues
Allen Shaw
- I Couldn't Help It
- Moanin' The Blues
George Torey
- Married Woman Blues
- Lonesome Man Blues

HK Records HK 4002 (Austria 1987)

HK Records discography

1994

Memphis Blues 1927 - 1938

Ollie Rupert (1927)
- I Raised My Window And Looked At The Risin' Sun
- Ain't Goin' To Be Your Low Down Dog
Walter Rhodes (1927)
- The Crowing Rooster [Columbia 14289-D]
- Leaving Home Blues [Columbia 14289-D]
Pearl Dickson (1927)
- Twelve Pound Daddy [Columbia 14286-D]
- Little Rock Blues [Columbia 14286-D]
Madelyn James (1930)
- Stinging Snake Blues
- Long Time Blues
Charlie Bozo Nickerson (1930)
- What's The Matter Now? - Part 1
- What's The Matter Now? - Part 2
- Bozo's Blues - Part 1
- Bozo's Blues - Part 2
Sam Townsend (1930)
- I'm Missing That
- Lily Kimball Blues
Hattie Hart (1934)
- I'm Missing That Thing
- I Let My Daddy Do That
- Coldest Stuff In Town (Duet w. Allen Shaw)
- Happy-Go-Lucky Blues
George Torey (1937)
- Married Woman Blues
- Lonesome Man Blues
John Henry Barbee (1938)
- Six Weeks Old Blues (take 1)
- Six Weeks Old Blues (take 2)
- God Knows I Can't Help It
- You'll Work Down To Me Someday
- Against My Will

Document DOCD 5159 (Austria 1994)

1994

Houston Stackhouse: Cryin' Won't Help You @ Spotify (full album)

- Kind Hearted Woman Blues
- Bricks In My Pillow
- Bye Bye Blues
- My Babe
- Sweet Black Angel Blues
- Pony Blues # @ Spotify
- Cry On! Cry On!
- Sweet Home Chicago
- Cryin' Won't Help You
- I Got Something
- Maggie Campbell Blues # @ Spotify
- I'm Gettin' Tired # @ Spotify
- Big Road Blues

rec. February 1972 at Adelphi Studios in Silver Spring, MD; Houston Stackhouse, voc, g; # poss. Richard Harney, 2nd g; ; prod. & engineered by Gene Rosenthal; photographer: David Gahr

notes by Stephen C. LaVere

Genes GCD 9904 (US 1994)

notes by Stephen C. LaVere

= Edsel EDCD 383 (UK 1994)

Fat Possum/Amazon Music CD/LP FP1601 (US 2017) "Worried Blues"

1995

Memphis Masters
Early American Blues Classics 1927-1934

- Country Woman - Will Batts
- Death Bell Blues - Tom Dickson
- Billy Lyons and Stackolee - Furry Lewis
- Pile Driver Blues - Joe McCoy
- I'm Going Away Blues - Frank Stokes
- Little Rock Blues - Pearl Dickson
- Beale Street Breakdown - Jed Davenport
- Where Is My Good Man At? - Memphis Minnie
- Doctor Medicine - South Memphis Jug Band
- Poor Boy A Long Way From Home - Gus Cannon
- Red Ripe Tomatoes - Jack Kelly
- Downtown Blues - Frank Stokes
- Last Chance Blues - Cannon's Jug Stompers
- Better Leave That Stuff Alone - Will Shade
- Won't You Be Kind? - Hattie Hart
- Cadillac Baby - Will Batts
- Bob Lee Junior Blues - Memphis Jug Band
- T And T Blues - Mooch Richardson
- I Let My Daddy Do That - Hattie Hart
- Old Sometime Blues - Frank Stokes

remastered by Richard Nevins

notes by Don Kent

Yazoo CD 2008 (US 1994)

Yazoo Records discography

1996

Richard "Hacksaw" Harney: Sweet Man @ Spotify (full album)

- Ragtime Blues @ youtube @ Spotify
- 12 Pound Rag no. 2 @ Spotify
- Five Foot Two # @ Spotify
- Adelphi Ramble @ Spotify
- Laughing Pallet @ youtube @ Spotify
- Little Rock Blues II @ Spotify
- Home Skeen Ball @ Spotify
- Sweet Man @ Spotify
- Oh Red # @ youtube @ Spotify
- The Delta Eagle @ Spotify

rec. February 1972 at Adelphi Studios in Silver Spring, MD; Richard Harney, g, # voc; prod. & engineered by Gene Rosenthal; photographer: David Gahr

"Errata: In the liner notes, we mistakenly attribute the nickname 'Hacksaw' as originating during the artist's brief career in boxing. Pinetop Perkins set the record straight by reminding us that this outstanding musician (equally stunning as a piano player) supported himself by tuning and repairing pianos. 'He always carried a little hacksaw with him, and he could grab a piece of anything and make a new key with that hacksaw. He taught me how to repair a piano'." (from Adelphi Records site)

notes by Larry Hoffman and Denise Tapp

Genes/Adelphi GCD 9909 (US 1996)

= Edsel EDCD 483 (UK)

= ??? GES 9909 (Jp 2011)

2001

Screamin' and Hollerin' The Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton

disc 6: Charley's Orbit - Songs
Walter Rhodes
- The Crowing Rooster [Columbia 14289-D]

7-CD album

Revenant RVN-CD-212

Other CD compilations containing one or both of the two issued Pearl Dickson recordings

Additional information appreciated !!!

Sources / Further reading:
- own record collection
- Robert M.W. Dixon & John Godrich: Blues & Gospel Records 1902 - 1943, 3rd ed. 1982, p. 201 (Pearl Dickson) & p. 617 (Walter Rhodes)
- Robert Ford: A Blues Bibliography.- Bromley 1999, pp. 76-77
- Robert Ford & Bob McGrath: The Blues Discography 1971 - 2000 [the later years].- Vancouver 2011, pp. 182, 424
- Steve LaVere: Hacksaw Harney.- Living Blues # 18 (1974), p. 7
- Pete Lowry: Holy Blues.- Blues Unlimited # 95 (1972), p. 18
- Richard Hacksaw Harney - Adelphi Records
- Richard "Hacksaw" Harney - The Blues Trail
- Remembering Richard "Hacksaw" Harney
- Early blues guitar great Richard "Hacksaw" Harney to get grave marker
- Putting Right an Injustice: Obtaining a gravestone for Richard "Hacksaw" Harney
- eBay auctions
- diverse internet resources
thanks to Harry Scurfield, Steve LaVere, Chris Smith, Denise Tapp and Tony Russell for additional info / scans

Houston Stackhouse and Hacksaw Harney at Memphis Diner in '69. Hacksaw never left home without his repair kit (at left); source: http://www.adelphirecords.com/blues/9909.html; photographer's name not given, actually Gayle / G.L. Moore

"Houston Stackhouse and Hacksaw Harney at Memphis Diner in '69.
Hacksaw never left home without his repair kit (at left)"
source: www.adelphirecords.com/blues/9909.html
photographer's name not given, actually Gayle / G.L. Moore

Earl Bell and Mose Vinson on the grounds of the 33rd National Folk Festival 1971<br>source: Sing Out! vol. 20 # 6 (1971), p. 7; photographer: Herbert Wise
"~~Richard Harney~~ * and Mose Vinson on the grounds of the 33rd National Folk Festival 1971"
source: Sing Out! vol. 20 # 6 (1971), p. 7; photographer: Herbert Wise
* Steve LaVere informed me that this is - opposite to the claim in the Sing Out! caption -
not Richard Harney but Earl Bell

Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney at the River City Blues Festival (produced by Steve LaVere),
Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, TN, December 3, 1971
source: Living Blues 7 (Winter 1971-72), p. 8; photographer: Amy O'Neal

Hacksaw Harney at his home in Jackson, Mississippi, February 1972
source: Postcard from postcard book by Stephen C. LaVere (Pomegranate Artbooks 1989, revised 1993)
photographer: Stephen LaVere

Willie Morris, Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney, Sam Chatmon & Eugene Powell, Washington, D.C., 1972
source of right part of the photo: Living Blues 43 (summer 1979), p. 22 ("Copyright by Diana Davies, courtesy Smithsonian Institution");
source of left part of the photo: Internet; photomontage by Stefan Wirz