the piano comes to america -part 9

the piano comes to america -part 9

fiction
edward w pritchard

Beckley Post Register
November 6th 1942
by John Pritchett

The Blue Bird Sound invaded rural West Virginia last night and us country folk surrendered without a fight.

At Willow's out on 19 South Chicago musician Little Brother Montgomery wooed us rednecks with two sets of his "blue's". Montgomery a negro piano player reads no music and has no formal training. However, those of us there last Saturday night will never forget the electricity that filled that small room as Little Brother hammered the broken slumping ancient piano.

Electric is the key word for Montgomery is a representative artist of the Bluebird sound a modern style combining spiritual, traditional and Mississippi blues. Whatever he played he swung the crowd with his renditions of Vicksburg Blues and No special rider, songs that he wrote and composed.

Mr Montgomery was here for just the one night. He is back to Chicago where he plays regularly at various clubs.

It was nice to forget the War for a few minutes. That music is going somewhere. Look for more on the Bluebird sound and the blues from us here at the music page at the Post Register soon. Maybe a trip up to Chicago. I'll talk to my editor.

end