James Brown Didn’t Invent Soul – 1929 Newspaper Champions Cigar Box Banjo

soul 1929

You never know what you’ll discover when tracing the history of cigar box guitars, banjos and other homemade instruments.  This little clipping comes from a parenting advice column from 1929 and when I found it, my smile was as wide as the Mississippi.

As modern musicians, we tend to ‘poo-poo’ yesteryear’s ways of teaching.  However, this little clip shows that our forefathers knew what real soul and real music was.

So here’s to the music and the passion behind it.  May we never lose sight of the true soul which is speaking.

Archived on February 19, 2016 by Shane Speal