Steven Hale
Jan 20, 2024

I had no idea. But I challenge anyone to find a performance by white musicians that featured the equivalent of Louis, Gregory (a fascinating speaker--I heard him in college in the late 60's), and Baldwin.

Here's an interesting integration (that I discovered in researching early NW Ga music). The white string band Georgia Yellow Hammers integrated (briefly in 1927) for a 78 record with Andrew Baxter (fiddle) and Jim Baxter (guitar). Here's the highlight (and imo one of the great string band performances from anyone / anywhere / any time), "G Rag." The fiddling is especially spirited.

https://youtu.be/TV57ZMG8I-0?si=u_cwZwqUNcuur37v

The Baxter brothers (from Calhoun GA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_and_Jim_Baxter ) released a number of songs on their own. The Baxters were often popular at white barn dances that were de facto (if not de jure) segregated.

Steven Hale
Steven Hale

Written by Steven Hale

Music: Discovering the lost and forgotten. Politics: Exposing injustice. Screenwriting: Emotional storytelling.

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