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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
old school: Louis McTizic from Waterloo, Iowa
old school: Louis McTizic from Waterloo, Iowa
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kudzurunner
5157 posts
Nov 26, 2014
7:50 AM
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I must admit to never, ever, EVER having heard of this guy, but for those who pride themselves on compendious knowledge of old school blues harmonica guys--well, here's somebody you should know about.
Apparently he was born in Bolivar, Tennessee.
Located in the north-central section of a state not known for its blues tradition, Waterloo is the home of the masterful bluesman, Louis McTizic. By hosting regular blues jams on a stage he built in his back yard, Louis has created a popular venue for hearing live blues in the state. Louis and the Blues Review play in a style that shows direct connections to the Memphis urban blues scene, and his band is an important force for preserving and perpetuating one of America's unique contributions to the world of music.
Born in 1936 in Bolivar, Tennessee, Louis McTizic grew up forty miles east of Memphis. His family worked as cotton farmers, cultivating a portion of their own land as well as working as sharecroppers. Louis grew up within the African-American gospel tradition as his father was a minister at a small rural church. Although he also plays guitar and piano, Louis began playing his main instrument, the harmonica—or "harp" in blues parlance—while growing up in his musical family. Although his interest in blues was not encouraged in his parents' home, Louis listened to blues radio stations from Memphis and credits Muddy Waters and Little Walter as his major influences. Louis moved to Waterloo in 1957, and he believes that there was little or no live blues music in the area before he arrived. Nevertheless, he found that the city supported an active music community, and Louis played with numerous musicians before forming his own blues band.
One prominent member of Louis and the Blues Review is the vocalist and guitarist Etheleen Wright. She was born in Waterloo soon after her father and mother had migrated to the area from Mississippi and Alabama in the 1940s. Hers was a musical family, and Etheleen grew up playing music and singing in the Church of God in Christ. As she grew older, she pursued her interest in jazz, blues, and R & B and played in numerous clubs with a group she called Etheleen Wright and the Mixers. By the mid-1970s, she had joined Louis McTizic's band, and she has played rhythm guitar and sung vocals with the band during the past twenty years.
Louis learned "Old Fishing Hole" from an Artie White recording. Eddie Culpepper's lead guitar kicks off the tune and provides riveting fills and smooth solos to complement Louis' powerful vocals. "Scared of Your Love" is an original tune written by Etheleen Wright. In addition to writing and singing this slow-tempo blues tune, Etheleen opens the song with a sample of her lead guitar playing. Louis' harp fills in and complements Etheleen's vocals.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Nov 26, 2014 7:52 AM
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Rhartt1234
157 posts
Nov 27, 2014
6:21 PM
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He was featured in the September/October 1992 issue of Living Blues that had a few articles on the Waterloo blues scene. If I remember correctly for few Issues thereafter he ran an ad advertising a cassette, but until now I had never heard him play.
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jimr
74 posts
Nov 29, 2014
2:28 PM
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i saw Louis and band in Iowa a couple of times. Cool traditional electric band, energetically led, with elderly band members in Sunday attire.
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The Gloth
705 posts
Dec 02, 2014
1:45 PM
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First time I see a guy playing the harp upside down. Do you know other examples of this ?
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2chops
306 posts
Dec 02, 2014
1:55 PM
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@Gloth; Sonny Terry played upside down. There are plenty others too. But he's the first one to pop into my mind.
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Goldbrick
786 posts
Dec 02, 2014
5:24 PM
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Buterfield I believe played that way too
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ridge
571 posts
Dec 02, 2014
5:31 PM
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Plays upside down and Golden Melody harmonicas. We could be kindred spirits!
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