Rev. Edward W. Clayborn (Vocalion recordings 1926 – 1928)
Rev. Edward W. Clayborn (he is often listed as just Edward Clayborn, with the surname sometimes spelled Clayburn or Claeburn) billed himself as "the Guitar Evangelist," and indeed he was, singing a kind of blues gospel not unlike the work of the better known Blind Willie Johnson. A brilliant guitarist and slide player, Clayborn recorded some 20 tracks for Vocalion Records between 1926 and 1930.
If you've not come across Clayborn before, he is a legendary guitar evangelist preacher who in the market of the day was successful in what they called the "race" market.
Along with vaudeville, jazz and blues, there was an audience for sacred music including singing preachers recorded with their congregations and for a group of emerging singer/guitarists like Clayborn.
These sides, originally on 78s, were recorded between 1926 and 1928 and when heard altogether on a single CD, there is something very monotonous about his limited guitar playing since every song has exactly the same rhythm.
Having said that, Clayborn is responsible for two absolute classics that are featured here and have been covered by many other people. "Your Enemy Cannot Harm You" starts off describing the story of Judas but ends with Clayborn suggesting you can't trust anybody. Clearly he had been badly treated at some point!
Another classic is "The Gospel Train Is Coming" and somehow "The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas" seems thoroughly contemporary lyrically for the 21st century. Aside from his limited guitar playing, Clayborn was an excellent lyricist and the track "Let That Lie Alone" is the best example here to prove that point. Robert Johnson is much admired for his primitive blues recordings and Clayborn could be considered a gospel equivalent, writing songs that influenced all the gospel blues that followed.
In 1926, the upstart Vocalion label released a record, which, at least in its initial pressings, simply credited "The Guitar Evangelist." That 78 offered up a folksy, awesome and always timely spin on the story of Judas called "Your Enemy Cannot Harm You (But Watch Your Close Friend)," backed with a surprisingly subtle rendering of "The Gospel Train Is Coming." Many songs from the era basically quote clumsily from the Bible when it comes to retelling events, but not "Your Enemy," which has a vernacular style that's instantly accessible: "They planned to give him money/And for the garden they made a start/Judas would not bring the soldiers until the night/So he waited until it got dark." We do not have "charts" from back then, and no sales accountings exist either, but judging by the number of variations in the label artwork on the 78, indicating numerous pressings, it's safe to say this song was a hit.Other labels scrambled to find similar artists for their "race" label subsidiaries. Though not the first guitar evangelist to make a record (that would likely be Vocalion's Blind Joe Taggart), by having his first record issued under that savvy moniker, the Rev. Edward W. Clayborn gave this remarkable style its name.
Sanctified blues is more than a bridge from the blues to gospel; it has a power all its own that's vortex-like, insistent. It's got the sheer, driving power of Delta blues with all the intensity of the spiritual. The recordings of the guitar evangelists provide everything I love about gospel, and in the densest form imaginable. I resist using words like "pure," although they do spring to mind; anyway, it's really beautiful stuff. Thankfully, and unlike many of his contemporaries, Clayborn recorded some twenty 78s for Vocalion, the best of which are featured on this record.
Nothing about Clayborn is known for certain, not even the proper spelling of his surname, which was sometimes spelled Claeburn on the recordings.
We have just one photo of him, blown up from a Vocalion sleeve. He is not smiling. Some people believe he played slide guitar lap-style, but that's not for sure. We do know he used an open tuning of his own devising. Paul Oliver surmises the reverend came from Alabama in his great study Songsters and Saints, based on the fact that Clayborn shared a session with Charles Davenport, who was from there.
If you've not come across Clayborn before, he is a legendary guitar evangelist preacher who in the market of the day was successful in what they called the "race" market.
Along with vaudeville, jazz and blues, there was an audience for sacred music including singing preachers recorded with their congregations and for a group of emerging singer/guitarists like Clayborn.
These sides, originally on 78s, were recorded between 1926 and 1928 and when heard altogether on a single CD, there is something very monotonous about his limited guitar playing since every song has exactly the same rhythm.
Having said that, Clayborn is responsible for two absolute classics that are featured here and have been covered by many other people. "Your Enemy Cannot Harm You" starts off describing the story of Judas but ends with Clayborn suggesting you can't trust anybody. Clearly he had been badly treated at some point!
Another classic is "The Gospel Train Is Coming" and somehow "The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas" seems thoroughly contemporary lyrically for the 21st century. Aside from his limited guitar playing, Clayborn was an excellent lyricist and the track "Let That Lie Alone" is the best example here to prove that point. Robert Johnson is much admired for his primitive blues recordings and Clayborn could be considered a gospel equivalent, writing songs that influenced all the gospel blues that followed.
In 1926, the upstart Vocalion label released a record, which, at least in its initial pressings, simply credited "The Guitar Evangelist." That 78 offered up a folksy, awesome and always timely spin on the story of Judas called "Your Enemy Cannot Harm You (But Watch Your Close Friend)," backed with a surprisingly subtle rendering of "The Gospel Train Is Coming." Many songs from the era basically quote clumsily from the Bible when it comes to retelling events, but not "Your Enemy," which has a vernacular style that's instantly accessible: "They planned to give him money/And for the garden they made a start/Judas would not bring the soldiers until the night/So he waited until it got dark." We do not have "charts" from back then, and no sales accountings exist either, but judging by the number of variations in the label artwork on the 78, indicating numerous pressings, it's safe to say this song was a hit.Other labels scrambled to find similar artists for their "race" label subsidiaries. Though not the first guitar evangelist to make a record (that would likely be Vocalion's Blind Joe Taggart), by having his first record issued under that savvy moniker, the Rev. Edward W. Clayborn gave this remarkable style its name.
Sanctified blues is more than a bridge from the blues to gospel; it has a power all its own that's vortex-like, insistent. It's got the sheer, driving power of Delta blues with all the intensity of the spiritual. The recordings of the guitar evangelists provide everything I love about gospel, and in the densest form imaginable. I resist using words like "pure," although they do spring to mind; anyway, it's really beautiful stuff. Thankfully, and unlike many of his contemporaries, Clayborn recorded some twenty 78s for Vocalion, the best of which are featured on this record.
Nothing about Clayborn is known for certain, not even the proper spelling of his surname, which was sometimes spelled Claeburn on the recordings.
We have just one photo of him, blown up from a Vocalion sleeve. He is not smiling. Some people believe he played slide guitar lap-style, but that's not for sure. We do know he used an open tuning of his own devising. Paul Oliver surmises the reverend came from Alabama in his great study Songsters and Saints, based on the fact that Clayborn shared a session with Charles Davenport, who was from there.
"When you're having ups and downs,
tribulations anti trials
He will! never say goodbye. "
http://lix.in/-38ec8a
Amen
Thank you so much for this.
barak said...
February 10, 2009 3:29 PM
awesome! thanks
The Irate Pirate said...
February 12, 2009 12:04 AM
yeah, he is amazing. thanks!
The Irate Pirate said...
February 12, 2009 12:29 PM