Charlie Patton (born around April 1891 – died April 28, 1934), often spelled Charley Patton, was an American Delta blues musician and songwriter. Many people call him the "Father of the Delta Blues" because he created a long-lasting collection of American music and influenced most Delta blues musicians. A music expert named Robert Palmer believed Patton was one of the most important American musicians of the twentieth century.

Patton was educated for his time, but he spelled his name Charlie. However, many records, such as those from record labels and his gravestone, use the spelling Charley.

Biography

Patton was born in Hinds County, Mississippi, near the town of Edwards. He lived most of his life in Sunflower County, in the Mississippi Delta. Most sources say he was born in April 1891, but some also suggest the years 1881, 1885, and 1887. Patton’s parentage and race are not fully known. His parents were Bill and Annie Patton, but some people believed he was fathered by a former slave named Henderson Chatmon. Several of Chatmon’s children became famous Delta musicians, performing as solo artists and in groups like the Mississippi Sheiks. A biographer named John Fahey described Patton as having "light skin and Caucasian features."

Patton was considered African-American, but because of his light skin, people have often guessed about his family background. One idea, supported by blues musician Howlin’ Wolf, was that Patton had Mexican or Cherokee ancestry. Most historians agree that Patton had Black, White, and Native American heritage. Some believe he had a Cherokee grandmother, while others say he was one-quarter to one-half Choctaw. In 1897, his family moved 100 miles (160 km) north to the Dockery Plantation, a large cotton farm and sawmill near Ruleville, Mississippi. There, Patton developed his musical style, influenced by Henry Sloan, whose unique playing style is now seen as an early form of the blues. Patton performed at Dockery and nearby plantations and worked with a musician named Willie Brown. Other musicians who lived and played in the area included Tommy Johnson, Fiddlin’ Joe Martin, Robert Johnson, and Chester Burnett (who later became famous as Howlin’ Wolf). Patton helped teach these younger musicians.

Robert Palmer described Patton as a "jack-of-all-trades bluesman" who could play many types of music, including deep blues, white hillbilly songs, 19th-century ballads, and other kinds of black and white country dance music. He was popular across the southern United States and performed yearly in Chicago. In 1934, he performed in New York City. Unlike many blues musicians who traveled from place to place, Patton played at set times at plantations and taverns. He became famous for his exciting performances, sometimes playing his guitar in unusual ways, like holding it on his knees, behind his head, or behind his back.

Patton was about 5 feet 5 inches tall (1.65 meters), but his deep, rough voice was said to be loud enough to be heard 500 yards away without amplification. This singing style greatly influenced Howlin’ Wolf, although Jimmie Rodgers, the "singing brakeman," is also credited with this influence. In 1933, Patton settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi, with his common-law wife and recording partner, Bertha Lee. Their relationship was difficult. In early 1934, both were put in jail in Belzoni, Mississippi, after a serious fight. A man named W. R. Calaway from Vocalion Records paid their bail and took them to New York City for Patton’s final recording sessions on January 30 and February 1. They later returned to Holly Ridge, and Bertha Lee was with Patton during his final days.

Patton died on April 28, 1934, at the Heathman-Dedham plantation near Indianola, Mississippi. He is buried in Holly Ridge, which is in Sunflower County. His death certificate lists the cause of death as a mitral valve disorder. The certificate does not mention Bertha Lee; the only person listed as an informant is Willie Calvin. Patton’s death was not reported in newspapers. A memorial headstone was placed on his grave in 1990, paid for by musician John Fogerty through the Mount Zion Memorial Fund. The spelling of Patton’s name was decided by Jim O’Neal, who wrote the epitaph on the headstone. The location of the grave was identified by the cemetery caretaker, C. Howard, who said he was present at the burial.

Recognitions

In 2001, a boxed set called Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton was released. It includes many of Patton's recorded songs, as well as recordings by his friends and colleagues. The set received three Grammy Awards in 2003 for Best Historical Album, Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, and Best Album Notes. Another collection of Patton's recordings, The Definitive Charley Patton, was also released in 2001 by Catfish Records.

Patton's song "Pony Blues" (1929) was added to the National Recording Registry by the National Recording Preservation Board in 2006. The board chooses recordings each year that are important for their cultural, historical, or artistic value.

In 2017, a documentary series called American Epic told the story of Patton. The film included rare film footage of his contemporaries and improved versions of his 1920s and 1930s recordings. Director Bernard MacMahon noted that Patton's music was closely connected to the geography of the Mississippi Delta, a place known for musical innovation. Interviews with H. C. Speir, who helped record early Delta blues, supported this connection. Patton's story was also featured in the book American Epic: The First Time America Heard Itself.

In May 2021, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honored Patton posthumously as an Early Influence in its 2021 class.

The Mississippi Blues Trail placed its first historical marker at the cemetery in Holly Ridge, Mississippi, where Patton is buried. This recognizes his legendary status as a blues musician and his role in developing the blues in Mississippi. A second marker was placed at the intersection of the Peavine Railroad and Highway 446 in Boyle, Mississippi. This site is linked to Patton because his song "Peavine Blues" references the railroad. The marker explains that railroads were a common theme in blues songs, often symbolizing travel and escape.

Discography

• 1929 – Complete Recorded Works in Order of Time Volume 1 (Document Recs, 1990)
• 1929 – Complete Recorded Works in Order of Time Volume 2 (Document Recs, 1990)
• 1929–34 – Complete Recorded Works in Order of Time Volume 3 (Document Recs, 1990)
• 1929–34 – Complete Recording 1929–34 (5xCD) (JSP, 2002) an alternative version featuring Patton on second guitar and other musicians

≠ Vocals and guitar performed by Patton, with Henry "Son" Sims on fiddle. (Only one copy of Paramount 13040 is believed to exist, and it is in very poor condition).

Willie Brown plays accompanying guitar

‡ Vocal duet with Bertha Lee

Relevant literature

Sacré, Robert, editor. Charley Patton: Voice of the Mississippi Delta. 2018. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.