September 14th, 2009
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Interview with Mr. Bill Perry
Click here to download the transcript of this interview.
General Topic of Interview: Blues music
Date: 11 November, 2008
Location: Delta Blues Museum, Clarkesdale, Mississippi, USA
Narrator: Mr. Bill Perry
Interviewer: Atandi Anyona
Transcriber: Ryan Koons
*Transcript edited by narrator
Biographical Information:
Blues guitarist Bill “Howlin’ Mad” Perry was born in Lafayette County, Mississippi. He sharecropped with his parents, and eventually started playing gospel and then blues music. He now performs regularly and also teaches at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarkesdale, Mississippi.
Interview Information:
Mr. Perry discusses the relationship and similarities and differences between blues and gospel music. He sings a blues song of his own composition, then contextualizes it into his experience. He details some of the stigmas attached to blues musicians, and draws out a musical family tree, including country music, blues, gospel, jazz, and so on.