Johnny Barfield

John Alexander " Johnny" Barfield ( born March 3, 1909 in Tifton, Georgia; † 16 January 1974) was an American old-time and country musician. Barfield, in 1939 the first Country Boogie with his version of the song Boogie Woogie on.

Life

Johnny Barfield was born in 1909 in Georgia. In his youth he often played as a guitarist with his brother Coot, fiddle playing, on street corners, in order to earn money.

1927 Barfield made ​​together with his brother in the studio by Columbia Records in Atlanta his first recordings that were not released by the label. He made ​​the acquaintance of Clayton McMichen, who was at that time at the Skillet Lickers Fiddler. This band from Atlanta was the mid and late 1920s, one of the most successful Old-time groups and soon belonged Barfield the immediate environment of the band and toured with them for example.

End of the 1920s and early 1930s Barfield made ​​together with Bert Layne, also a member of the Skillet Lickers, recordings for the American Record Corporation, and from 1931 was a member of Clayton McMichens band, the Georgia Wildcats. With them he toured, played radio appearances and worked as a guitarist on recordings with. In 1932 he left the group again, however, and embarked on a solo career. In the 1930s, he was to listen to different radio stations, such as WGST in Atlanta, and played in Bert Layne's band.

However, only in 1939 Barfield could get a record deal as a solo artist at Bluebird Records. He recorded his first success equal to his first plate at Bluebird, cover versions of the song Boogie Woogie and Everybody's Tryin 'to Be My Baby. Boogie Woogie was originally recorded in 1928 by pianist Pinetop Smith and is considered the first boogie-woogie song in music history. Similar to Smith Barfield played in a eight-bar chord scheme, but changed from the text and accompanied himself on the guitar only. His version is considered the first Country Boogie and quickly became a hit on the jukeboxes.

Barfield's success prompted Bluebird to get Barfield 1940 again in her studio, where at other sessions, among others, the sequel, The New 'Boogie Woogie ' originated. However, the long term Barfield could not be established in national, newly created country music scene as a successful musician himself. He took in the following years further plates, among others, Bullet Records, but did not hit.

Barfield died in 1974.

Discography

Bluebird recordings were also published at Montgomery Ward.