Blind Boy Paxton

Paxton and Fairfield in the NY Times

1 Comment


[Paxton and Fairfield perform “Poor Little Bennie.”]

Down Home Radio favorites and past guests on the program Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton and Frank Fairfield have recently been featured in the New York Times, following their appearance last Tuesday at the Jalopy Theater.  CLICK HERE to read the NY Times piece by Ben Ratliff.

CLICK HERE for the Down Home Radio interview with Frank Fairfield, and HERE for the interview with Blind Boy Paxton.

Here’s some more footage I shot at the Jalopy show:

Blind Boy Paxton on Down Home TV

1 Comment

Here’s the 2nd installment of our new venture into Down Home TV.  That same night after speaking with Mamie Minch, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton stopped by and I was able to film a segment with him.  If you’ve heard the interview from a year and a half ago that I did with him (when he was only 19) then you know that he is a truly amazing guitarist, banjoist and stride-piano player as well as an excellent singer.  On today’s show Blind Boy plays a few guitar and banjo pieces for us on camera and talks a little bit about his background.  For more information, be sure to check out the extended audio interview with him from back in the DHR Archives.

Thanks go once again to filmmaker Chris Low and his crew for shooting and editing this footage.

Interview with Blind Boy Paxton

6 Comments

Blind Boy Paxton by you.
(Blind Boy Paxton at the Jalopy Theater, Roots n Ruckus show, Sept. ’08.  Photo by Eli Smith)

On today’s show I speak with blues musician Blind Boy Paxton.  Paxton is a 19 year old musician and singer who plays the guitar, banjo and piano and is a walking encyclopedia of early blues and jazz.  He hails from the Watts section of Los Angeles, but we are lucky enough to have him here on the East Coast during the school year.  I visited him where he goes to college a couple of hours north of New York City and we recorded this interview.  Paxton is very influenced by the music and culture carried in his family, and grandmother in particular, who are from Louisiana.  Blind Boy plays plays live on the air, spins some of his favorite records and recounts some interesting stories!

See below for links, etc.