Tony Joe White

[jojokeo]

This area is becoming kind of an obituary of sorts. Alas we lost another good ol’ boy from “Luzeanna” about 4 days ago at 75 years old and it’s is a damn shame. I’ve heard it was natural causes and died in his sleep then also that it was a heart attack? We all celebrate the day our first breath was taken yet never know when we’ll take our last? RIP Tony Joe White and may you frolic in that great polk salad field with your six string in one hand and harmonica in the other?

https://youtu.be/MCSsVvlj6YA

[Willabe]

 

[Ed_Chambley]

You know Tony Joe White is known mainly for Poke Salad, and yes folks here call it Poke.  And yes, I have eaten greens which this is.  Anyone's song Elvis recorded generally became a smash.  Say what you want about all your heros, but remember no one would dare to schedule a concert on the same night in the same state as Elvis.  I am not a big fan of his, but it is a fact.


What is sad is not Tony Joe passed, he earned it.  What is sad is the day he died I took all his albums I have out of the collection I have of Vinyl.  I have 28 and there are a few I do not have.  His last recording was an album called Bad Mouthin' he recorded this year.  The sad part is I never hear him referred to his craft.


Polk Salad is on the Album Black and White if you wondered.  Give a listen to his album Homemaid Ice Cream.  He was an excellent in the craft of songwriting.

[shooter]

yes folks here call it Poke

growin up, we lived in a shotgun 400sqft house in a wooded "lowland" black peat area, Poke grew all over.  you were always runnin into a neighbor fillin grocery bags.
that music style "called" me, still does.  Someone once said; "It ain't bragging IF you did it", I have no doubt He lived it

[jojokeo]

Wow Ed I have nowhere near your albums and historical knowledge on him but agree with his song writing skills. But that song has endured in my mind over the years since I was a little sand between the toes grommet. There’s no singular great thing about it but combined all together it just grooves and is so subtly kewl on many levels.

[Ed_Chambley]

Wow Ed I have nowhere near your albums and historical knowledge on him but agree with his song writing skills. But that song has endured in my mind over the years since I was a little sand between the toes grommet. There’s no singular great thing about it but combined all together it just grooves and is so subtly kewl on many levels.

That is cool, he was more of a regional dude and played a lot in Amsterdam too.  Just goes to show what can happen if Elvis recorded one of your songs.  Polk Salad is a great tune and I am sure he was thrilled by it.  I wish I had written it.


Keep in mind I love Jim Lauderdale too.

[Willabe]

The sad part is I never hear him referred to his craft.

He was an excellent in the craft of songwriting.

Yep, he was a great song writer.

When I 1st started out playing, I was young and young horses want to run. I loved all the lead players.

But as the years went by I really fell more and more in love with songs and song writers.

You can serve the song or the lead player uses the song to serve them self.

[PRR]

> I’ve heard it was natural causes and died in his sleep then also that it was a heart attack?

I don't see a contradiction here. Heart attack at 75 is a "natural death" on the face of it. The initial report may not have given this detail, the NY Times has it.

OK, maybe next year his lover is arrested for poisoning him, a non-natural death. One in a million chance of that.

But a lot of older guys just have a heart attack and in many cases just die. The folks who find him just know he died in bed, not the "why" which should come from a medic. To hear my grandmother tell it, my grandfather "just died", skipping over all details.

[DummyLoad]

RIP.

my fav. tune by tony.

--pete

[Platefire]

How about this un???

[Willabe]

Yep, he was a very good song writer. 

[Platefire]

Fond memory related---back in the 70's when Poke Salad Anne came out I had the record learning the song for the club band I was playing with at the time. Some folks came by the house visiting about that time and ask me what I was up to and I said "Working on Poke Salad Anne". They took it the wrong way--so I had to explain my way out of that! We all had a good laugh. Thanks Tony Joe

[Willabe]

 

[Ed_Chambley]

Thanks for the indulgence.  Tony was one of my favorites I guess because I have been writing for many years.  But also, there is something about the tembre of his vocals.  His voice is very smooth but still has an authortative presentation.


Yes, Ain't going down this time.

[Ed_Chambley]

Before the Strat tone.

[Platefire]

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! My first recollection of seeing a video of Tony Joe was him playing a 335. I personally like his sound better with his style. Thanks for sharing that. Platefire