b. October 11, 1900 near Nesbit, DeSoto County, MS, d. May 1969 at home, possibly in Hernando, DeSoto County, MS. Joe Callicott spent his whole life in the area south of Memphis, and his music has affinities with that of his neighbour Jim Jackson and especially Frank Stokes, with whom he sometimes worked in Memphis. His chief musical associate, however, was Garfield Akers, and it was as Akers’ second guitarist that he first recorded in 1929. Callicott’s solitary 78 rpm single was recorded the following year, pairing ‘Fare Thee Well Blues’, from the songster tradition, with ‘Travelling Mama Blues’, an amalgam of contemporary verses, both sung in a high, forceful voice to a rhythmic accompaniment. Callicott virtually ceased playing in 1959 when Akers died; although he had slowed down somewhat, his guitar rhythms were still metronomic. His voice became gentler, making the sound of his music more akin to that of Frank Stokes (minus the melodic embellishments usually provided by Stokes’ second guitar or violin accompanists). He recorded some final sessions for the blues documentarian George Mitchell in the late 60s. Callicott favoured extended performances, but his ability to play in a variety of keys and tunings saves his work from the monotony that might be expected from the steady rhythmic tread, so that the overall effect is gently hypnotic.
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By Daphne Carr
Bluesman Joe Calicott was born and lived his whole life in the small town of Nesbit, Mississippi, and is one of the most underrecorded legends of the Mississippi delta solo acoustic blues tradition. He first picked up the guitar at the age of 15 and, in 1929, first appeared on 78s as the second guitarist to Garfield Akers. A year later he recorded two tracks with Jim Jackson, "Traveling Mama Blues" and "Fare Thee Well Blues," which have since appeared on many compilations including Blow My Blues Away," Vol. 2. His playing on these tracks is marked by an aggressive vocal that would mellow throughout the years.
Callicott almost completely gave up the guitar in 1959, the year of Akers death, but picked up again in the mid-60s for his own personal enjoyment. In 1967, blues documentarianGeorge Mitchell sought out the artist and recorded eleven tracks with the then slowed down but still magnificent musician. These tracks would later surface as part of Fat Possum's George Mitchell Archive and the 2003 album Ain't A Gonna Lie To You. Just before he died, in 1969, Callicott mentored Kenny Brown, a then 10-year-old boy who skipped school to learn guitar from this unassuming master who lived just down the street.