Son Bonds

Abraham John Bond Jr.,[2] known as Son Bonds (March 16, 1909 – August 31, 1947),[3] was an American country blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a working associate of Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon. He was similar to Estes in his guitar-playing style. According to the music journalist Jim O'Neal, "the music to one of Bonds's songs, 'Back and Side Blues' (1934), became a standard blues melody when Sonny Boy Williamson I, from nearby Jackson, Tennessee, used it in his classic "Good Morning, School Girl".[1] The best-known of Bonds's other works are "A Hard Pill to Swallow" and "Come Back Home."[3]

Son Bonds
Birth nameAbraham John Bond Jr.
Also known as"Brownsville" Son Bonds, Brother Son Bonds
Born(1909-03-16)March 16, 1909
Brownsville, Tennessee, United States
DiedAugust 31, 1947(1947-08-31) (aged 38)
Dyersburg, Tennessee, United States
GenresCountry blues[1]
Occupation(s)Singer, guitarist, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, kazoo

Biography

Bonds was born in Brownsville, Tennessee.[1] He was also billed on records as "Brownsville" Son Bonds and Brother Son Bonds.[4][5]

Sleepy John Estes, in his earlier recordings, was backed by Yank Rachell (mandolin) or Hammie Nixon (harmonica), but by the late 1930s he was accompanied in the recording studio by either Bonds or Charlie Pickett (guitar).[6] Bonds also backed Estes on a couple of recording sessions in 1941.[7] In return, either Estes or Nixon played on every one of Bonds's own recordings.[1] In the latter part of his career, Bonds played the kazoo as well as the guitar on several tracks.[8]

According to Nixon's later accounts of the event, Bonds suffered an accidental death in August 1947. While sitting on his front porch late one evening in Dyersburg, Tennessee, Bonds was shot to death by his nearsighted neighbor, who mistook him for another man, with whom the neighbor was having a protracted disagreement.[9]

Discography
  • Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order (1991), Wolf Records

This compilation album contains all known recordings by Bonds, made between September 1934 and September 1941.[8]

See also

References
  1. O'Neal, Jim. "Son Bonds". Allmusic.com. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  2. Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 242. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  3. Doc Rock. "The 50s and Earlier". TheDeadRockStarsClub.com. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  4. "BluesCat.com". BluesCat.com. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  5. Oliver, Paul (1970). Aspects of the Blues Tradition. ISBN 9780825600128. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  6. Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 110. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  7. "Son Bonds: Big Road Blues". Sundayblues.org. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  8. Eder, Bruce. "Son Bonds, Brownsville Son Bonds, Charlie Pickett, Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order 1934–41: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  9. Hay, Frederick J. (2001). Goin' Back to Sweet Memphis. Athens: University of Georgia Press. p. 69. ISBN 0-8203-2301-2.
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