John Henry Barbee on vinyl LP. 1989 East German Amiga reissue, Chicago blues, American Folk Blues Festival. Ships from Germany.
About John Henry Barbee
An East German Amiga reissue vinyl pressing documenting the remarkable rediscovery of Chicago blues singer John Henry Barbee, found working as an ice cream server before joining the celebrated American Folk Blues Festival tour of Europe.
John Henry Barbee is a self-titled compilation album released via Amiga, the state record label of East Germany, gathering recordings from Chicago blues guitarist and singer John Henry Barbee. Barbee’s career included an extraordinary rediscovery by blues historian Willie Dixon in the early 1960s and a celebrated tour of Europe alongside Howlin’ Wolf and Lightnin’ Hopkins. This listing is a reissue vinyl pressing from a Berlin based eBay seller.
- Who was John Henry Barbee
- His remarkable rediscovery
- About this Amiga release
- Pressing details and buying advice
In Brief
- Artist John Henry Barbee (1905-1964) was an American blues singer and slide guitarist born in Henning, Tennessee.
- Early career Toured the American South in the 1930s, playing with Big Joe Williams, Sunnyland Slim and Sonny Boy Williamson, recording for Vocalion in 1938.
- Rediscovery After years away from music, blues historian Willie Dixon found Barbee working as an ice cream server in Chicago in the early 1960s.
- European tour In 1964, Barbee joined the American Folk Blues Festival European tour alongside Howlin’ Wolf and Lightnin’ Hopkins.
- Release Released via Amiga, the state record label of East Germany, catalogue 856281.
John Henry Barbee – John Henry Barbee (LP, RE)
Vinyl LP, Amiga Records
Reissue vinyl LP pressing of John Henry Barbee, sold by a Berlin based eBay seller with 100% positive feedback.
Pressing Specifications
Who Was John Henry Barbee?
Born in Henning, Tennessee in 1905, John Henry Barbee toured the American South throughout the 1930s as a singer and slide guitarist, teaming up along the way with Big Joe Williams and later Sunnyland Slim in Memphis. Travelling down to Mississippi, he met and played on and off with Sonny Boy Williamson for several years, eventually recording two sides for Vocalion Records in 1938, God Knows I Can't Help It and Six Weeks Old Blues, which sold well enough that the label sought him out for further recordings, only to find he had vanished from his last known Arkansas whereabouts.
His Remarkable Rediscovery And European Tour
Barbee did not resurface in the music industry until the early 1960s, during the height of a renewed popular interest in the blues. Blues historian and musician Willie Dixon tracked him down, finding him working as an ice cream server in Chicago, and helped bring him back into the recording and performing world. Barbee went on to record for Spivey and Storyville labels in the mid-1960s, and in 1964 joined the celebrated American Folk Blues Festival tour of Europe, sharing the bill with legendary artists including Howlin' Wolf and Lightnin' Hopkins. A portion of the tour's Hamburg concert was later issued by Fontana Records. Tragically, Barbee was involved in a car accident later in 1964 and suffered a fatal heart attack while in jail awaiting the case to come to court, bringing a poignant end to his remarkable late-career revival. This Amiga pressing, released via East Germany's state record label, reflects the deep and lasting appreciation for American blues within the former GDR's music scene, offering listeners access to Barbee's storytelling guitar work decades after his passing.
- A genuinely remarkable and historically significant blues rediscovery story
- Features material from Barbee’s celebrated American Folk Blues Festival period
- An interesting East German Amiga label reissue, reflecting the GDR’s own blues appreciation
- Authentic Chicago and country blues storytelling and slide guitar work
- A used, vintage reissue; condition should be checked in the listing
- Niche appeal outside Chicago blues history and East German reissue collectors
- Barbee’s recorded output remains relatively limited given his career interruptions
What is John Henry Barbee by John Henry Barbee?
It is a compilation album gathering recordings from Chicago blues singer John Henry Barbee, released as an East German Amiga reissue.
Who was John Henry Barbee?
An American blues singer and slide guitarist, rediscovered by Willie Dixon working as an ice cream server before touring Europe with Howlin’ Wolf and Lightnin’ Hopkins.
What is Amiga Records?
The state record label of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
What happened to Barbee after his European tour?
He was involved in a car accident later in 1964 and suffered a fatal heart attack while in jail awaiting the case to come to court.
Does this listing ship outside Germany?
The seller is based in Berlin and lists a fixed shipping cost; check the current listing for up to date international shipping options and rates.
Where To Buy This Pressing
Worth The Spin?
- A historically poignant document of a remarkable blues rediscovery story
- Features material from Barbee's celebrated American Folk Blues Festival period
- Best suited to collectors of Chicago blues history and Amiga label reissues
John Henry Barbee preserves the recorded legacy of a genuinely remarkable, tragically short-lived blues comeback, and this listing offers a reissue pressing from a highly rated German seller.