Where Are They Now?: Ram Jam
Ram Jam's "Black Betty" became an instant success upon its release and the song still lives on today as an undeniable rock and roll hit.
Source: americansongwriter.com
Jeffry Katz News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana
Stay updated with breaking news from Jeffry Katz. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Top News In Jeffry Katz Today - Breaking & Trending Today
From prison to the world: the improbable story of Ram Jam's anthem Black Betty
Rock fans of the late 70s might have claimed her as their own, but in fact Black Betty was older than she seemed. In December 1933, the noted American ethnomusicologists John and Alan Lomax set up at Central State Farm in Texas – actually a prison where convicts produced sugar cane and cotton – to record an a-capella take by career criminal James ‘Iron Head’ Baker, which is believed to be the song’s first rendering. The 63-year-old couldn’t claim authorship of Black Betty, which had likely been hollered under the burnin...
Source: loudersound.com