Scrapper Blackwell

Francis Hillman " Scrapper " Blackwell ( born February 21, 1903 in Syracuse, North Carolina, † October 7, 1962 in Indianapolis ) was an American blues guitarist who was best known as the partner of Leroy Carr.

By his own account had Scrapper Blackwell Cherokee ancestors. As a child he came with his family to Indianapolis, where he spent most of his life. He taught himself to play the guitar, even when influenced by blues recordings mainly by Blind Lemon Jefferson.

Blackwell was a recreational musician, an excellent guitarist, who had developed his own style. His living he earned mainly through alcohol smuggling. The pianist Leroy Carr went to great lengths to persuade Blackwell 1928 recording together. Among the first recordings of the duo was How Long How Long Blues, which was a hit. Up to Carr's death in 1935 was followed by many other recordings of the duo.

Scrapper Blackwell also played with other partners, such as Georgia Tom Dorsey or Black Bottom McPhail. He also made ​​solo recordings. His best known title is likely to be Kokomo Blues, which was processed by Kokomo Arnold to original Old Kokomo Blues, from which Robert Johnson, Sweet Home Chicago made ​​.

After Carr's death, Blackwell pulled completely back from the music scene. In 1959 he was re- discovered by Duncan Scheidt and persuaded to new recordings. Scrapper Blackwell died in 1962 in a shootout in Indianapolis.