⬇️ OSCAR 'HARPO' DAVIS ⬇️
(Oscar D. Davis)
(3CD)
(3CD)
BIOGRAPHY
Born October 10, 1943 in Baton Rouge .... Family background; recalls music being played in his home as a child; brother [John Davis] teaches him how to play harmonica; begins playing drums in 1970; decides to concentrate on harmonica.
Davis plays with wide variety of local blues musicians; Raful Neal’s influence on his music; Tabby Thomas’ influence on his career and music.
Davis does not think Tabby Thomas treats musicians fairly; CD recorded in Baton Rouge; reflects on pleasure derived from entertaining people; differences between playing for a black audience and a white audience.
Davis’ mother died when he was five years old; lives with grandmother; stopped attending school at an early age; begins working to help support family; marries wife, Barbara, at the age of twenty-one; Barbara dies of heart failure in 1992; remarries twice; discusses current wife Rena; discusses impacts of playing music on social life; dislikes prevalent drug and alcohol abuse among many blues musicians.
Refrains from drug and alcohol use while playing; recalls tour in Colorado with Larry Garner; reveals method used to get a very distinctive sound on the harmonica; discusses guitar players in his band, Alfred Jackson and Wil Jackson; problems with other guitar players in the past.
Problems financing CD; lack of profits from CD sales; recognizes Troy Turner and Chris Thomas as possible future blues stars in Baton Rouge; discusses difference in styles of black and white musicians; joins first band at the age of seventeen; discusses Ronnie Houston’s drumming style; Tabby Thomas gives Davis the nickname of “Oscar Harpo.”