tom ball wrote:

 

 

 

John Kally asked:

Are there any recordings of Papa Lightfoot with Horace Heidt, who he

toured with in the 50s?  Also there is mention of a film short,
Spook

Loot, with Lightfoot: anybody seen this?  Does he play  harp
in the

film?  Also, any other Lightfoot collections out there?

___________

Athough the liner notes to the CD (a verbatim rip-off of the bio in

Blues Who's Who, BTW) do state that Lightfoot "won Horace Heidt

talent contest and then toured extensively w Horace Heidt Orch

working theater circuit 1954-1958," there appears to be no

confirmation of this...

I just went to a couple of Horace Heidt websights.  All Music Guide

says, "Heidt's recording career ended in the mid '40s after a dispute

with his management prevented him from working," and another bio

sight states, "(Heidt) gave up the orchestra in 1945 to concentrate

his attention on his real estate holdings but then formed a new band

in 1948, working for "The Youth Opportunity" radio program for 3

years. He also hosted or appeared regularly on radio's "Family Night

With Horace Heidt", "Welcome Home" and "Treasure Chest". In 1953 he

hosted "Horace Heidt For Lucky Strike" and toured Korea. In 1954 he

began a local television show which eventually went on a national

network as "The Swift Show Wagon". Heidt and his band also hosted the

"Pot Of Gold" show, the first TV show to 'give away money' as prizes."

Hmmm... could it be that Papa Lightfoot once won a prize on the "Pot

Of Gold" show?  (If so, perhaps there is a kinescope of it

somewhere?)  But I must admit that seems rather unlikely, and
on the

other hand the whole Heidt thing *may* have merely been a bit of

"promotional hype" by Lightfoot. (?)  The Heidt Orchestra was
among

the schmaltziest of the big bands, so it's difficult (if not

impossible) for me to picture Papa Lightfoot's gruff and overdriven

harp fitting in with that band...

In any event, Heidt and Lightfoot never recorded together, although

Lightfoot did accompany Jack Dupree sextet on one song ("Camille")
in

1953. (On another subject, Dupree used a rather impressive list of

harp players, including Lightfoot, Sonny Terry, George Smith, John

Mayall and Duster Bennett.)

As to the film you mention, the actual title appears to be "Spooky

Loot," but to my knowledge it has never surfaced.  Paul Vernon's
book

"African-American Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel and Zydeco on Film

and Video, 1926-1997" only states: ""Alexander (Papa) Lightfoot -

presumably vocal and harmonica, Location unknown (USA). c. 1956.

Titles performed: unknown. Source: Spooky Loot (unconfirmed.)"

So....  Yet more unanswered questions... <g>

As to other Lightfoot collections, the 1969 material on Vault has

been reissued on Ace (with 6 previously unissued tracks.)  See
this

link for details


http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/roots/BLUES%20&%20GOSPEL/blues_pq1.htm#PAPA


LIGHTFOOT   (no affiliation BTW.)

cheers,

Tom Ball

Santa BarbaraStreisand

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