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Blind Alfred ReedBlind Alfred Reed-How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live (December 4, 1929)

Recorded on December 4, 1929 in New York City With Blind Alfred Reed on fiddle and vocals and Arville Reed on guitar. Arville was Alfred's son. Blind Alfred was something of a protest singer, as one can gather from this selection recorded while the Wall Street crash was still fresh. However, he also had a conservative bent. In "Why Do You Bob Your Hair Girls?" he scolded flappers in light of biblical prohibitions.


This audio is part of the collection: 78 RPMs & Cylinder Recordings

Artist/Composer: Blind Alfred Reed
Date: 1929-12-04 00:00:00
Source: 78rpm>CD>MP3
Keywords: Music; Acoustic; Country; Folk; 78rpm

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Reviewer: Journey - - May 20, 2005
Subject: Blind Alfred Reed
Blind Alfred Reed, my great-great grandfather, was considered a protest singer for songs such as Why Do You Bob Your Hair Girls? interesting considering that his daughter was a flapper. His music is an interesting blend of fiddle and voice. Sadly I inherited the bad eyes instead of talent. Alfred was later joined by his son, Arville, who played the guitar.

Reviewer: Fiddlinshim - - February 27, 2004
Subject: Alf Reed -- how Can a Poor Man Stand It?
It is very difficult to fiddle and sing at the same time, Reed was one of three old-timers who were recorded doing it well. (Leonard Rutherford, the master, and G.B. Grayson were the others.)His audience had a conservative bent, but Reed had a sense of humor -- Bobtail Number Two made fun of this song. Great stuff.