Cannon, Thompson and Lewis

Gus Cannon Born: 1883 Died: 1979

Gus Cannon, best known as the leader of "Cannon's Jug Stompers" was born in Red Banks, Mississippi in 1883.  Cannon claimed to have to learn to play on his own utilizing a skillet and a racoon pelt.  He spent a good deal of his earlier life living in the incredibly rich musical atmosphere of Clarksdale, Mississippi before moving to Memphis in 1916.

Having become very proficient on the banjo Cannon, who sometimes billed himself as "Banjo Joe" only needed to tie a jug around his neck to join in the jug band craze of the late 1920s to early 30s.  Cannon's friend Will Shade had begun the craze with the Memphis Jug Band, but soon there was plenty of work to go around.  Cannon brought in Noah Lewis, a seasoned blues harmonica player and also Ashley Thompson on the guitar.  Although the lineup changed from time to time it was Cannon and Lewis that formed the mainstays of the Jug Stomper sound.

The depression pretty much ended the salad days of Memphis blues and Cannon was a casualty.  He sometimes worked the downtown area for loose change between 1935 and 1955, but the good paydays were scarce.  In 1956 he got into the earliest part of the folk / blues revival and recorded some songs on the Folkways label.  He continued to work some after that, sometimes along with Furry Lewis.  He is best remembered for his song "Walk Right In" that was covered by white artists during his lifetime.

Gus Cannon died in Memphis in 1979.  He was 96 years old.