Christopher Wyze And The Tellers shine a light on two Indianapolis blues musicians, the “city blues” pioneers Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, with their cover of the duo’s 1928 song, ‘I’m Going Back To Tennessee’. The tribute is part of Wyze’s greater effort to keep their music circulating, and give listeners the opportunity to learn about these once-famed musicians.
For Christopher Wyze, Leroy and Scrapper have a deep connection, given that they come from his hometown, and he was struck by how unknown they were these days – despite their role in Blues nearly a century ago – even among musicians in their shared hometown of Indianapolis. Two years in the making, and recorded in Indianapolis at the historic Postal Recording studios, Wyze set out on a project to rectify this, and allow more people to hear the music of Carr and Blackwell and know something of the artists.
Researching into their lives and music, Wyze pulled up new leads, uncovering information about Carr and Blackwell’s initial introduction in 1928, as well as the rumour of telegrams belonging to Carr that could provide another glimpse into his life. This has further spurred on Wyze’s passion to learn more about Leroy and Scrapper as he continues to uncover whatever pieces of the story remain.
In the song, ‘I’m Going Back To Tennessee’, Carr’s writing is direct, as he tells the story of a man, who when rejected and alone, decides it is time to go. The central tenet of the song is the line, “Gonna pack my trunk and go back to Tennessee”, while the verses pivot through heartbreak, distance, hard travel and the determination to keep moving. The lines are repeated, giving the lyric a persistence, which, although hurt runs throughout the song, gives it a sense of determination and persistence.
Over an eight year career, encompassing 1928 to 1935, Carr and Blackwell recorded nearly 200 songs, and with their cover, Christopher Wyze & The Tellers don’t merely revisit the old blues number, but rather they use the band’s recording and distinctive sound to point listeners back to those musicians who created it.
The song is accompanied by a lyric video, created by HIP Video Productions, which keeps the period feel intact with its use of footage from the 1920s and 1930s, given an additional aged appearance as it plays through a fuzzy tube television. Carr’s words, and Wyze’s vocals are front and centre, complementing the latter’s interest in history, while not crowding out the song itself. It’s a trip down memory lane that few of us knew existed, but all of us are the better for the new knowledge.
Watch the lyric video for ‘I’m Going Back To Tennessee’ below, and find out more about Christopher Wyze And The Tellers online on their official website, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
