We haven’t had any Playing For Change for a while and here is a GEM!
If you play one thing today
Sunday, March 01, 2026
Lonzie Thomas of Lee County, Alabama | Better Every Day
Lonzie Thomas of Lee County, Alabama, who was blind and played the streets.
Photo: Frances Benjamin Johnston; Lonzie Thomas outside his home, Lee County, Alabama, 1980, by George Mitchell
From The George Mitchell Collection...
Recorded in Lee County, Alabama, early 1980s; Lonzie Thomas, vocal and guitar
Born in Lee County, Alabama, in 1921, Lonzie Thomas learned guitar from watching his father. Thomas was shot in the face at the age of 22, after which he became more interested in playing and singing. "It was something to keep my mind off worrying," Thomas told Mitchell. He began playing parties, and on the streets of Opelika and Columbus for tips. Being a musician was one of the few ways a blind man could earn money in Thomas' time, although by the time Mitchell recorded him, Thomas was playing mostly for the occasional friend or house guest. Thomas was extremely poor even by the standards of the Deep South. The trailer park he lived in had a fountain in the middle that all the tenants shared and Thomas and his longtime musical partner, Eddie B. Hodge, who lived up the road, would play together for visitors, although no one has been able to locate Hodge since Mitchell recorded him. Thomas remained a well-known player in the Chattahoochee Valley area, mentioned in interviews with Robert Thomas and George Daniel, and appeared at the Chattahoochee Folk Festival at its early years. ~ Sam Sweet
He lived in what was basically a utility shack, in the yard of his daughter's house. His daughter was his caretaker and was very protective of him. George wanted to take Lonzie to record with Albert Macon and Robert Thomas, and the daughter was hesitant to let Lonzie got in a car with George, or with anybody, but George reassured her. So George helped him in the car, and put the car in reverse and drove directly into a nearby ditch. Lonzie turned and said, "Man, George, you well may as well let me drive!" ~ Fred Fussel (from the liner notes)
we don’t often post music links from @1264doghouse but here’s an unusual and very special choice
CLASSIC SONGS revisited ‘MORNING DEW’ by Bonnie Dobson
Robert Plant tells the story of how he first met the Canadian folk singer Bonnie Dobson: “A few years ago I bumped into Bert Jansch – I dared to knock on his dressing room door. Anyway, it was fine, and we found amazing similarities in roots and influences from the places we’d been. It was a beautiful thing. It reminded me that in the 60s I used to sing this song, with Band Of Joy, that was immortalised by Tim Rose and the Grateful Dead.
"Later I recorded it [with Strange Sensation on 2002’s Dreamland]. And now there’s a knock on my door, and there’s this lady standing there who says: ‘Hello, Robert. You’re singing my song.’ That was the great Bonnie Dobson, and the song is called Morning Dew.”
Plant wasn’t the first to record Morning Dew. The song has a colourful history, not least because Tim Rose usurped the credits and some publishing royalties in 1967 – and Dobson wouldn’t be recognised as the sole writer for more than 30 years.
Read on:
Morning Dew by Tim Rose I first heard by Tim . . . . .great version
Here’s the original - Bonnie Dobson
The Grateful Dead - best live
Jeff Beck - from the Truth album which we still thought was him covering the Tim Rose ‘original’!
sorry Bonnie!
Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation Isle Of Wight - 2002
Photo of The Day : New Orleans, Mardi Gras 1985
New Orleans, Mardi Gras 1985
Guess I’d like to go to Sassy Bert’s but heck it don’t look THAT much fun!
It made me smile as it seemed to reflect the weather here , if it ain’t raining its windy and cold (today!) Hey Pockie Way Mardi Gras day!
[sorry couldn’t find the photographer]
Picture of the Day - The Doors
The Doors enjoying an art class . . . . .
Jim, Ray and unknown but bottom right I imagine Robbie judging by the hair!?
Art of The Day :Trevor Grimshaw
Trevor Grimshaw
Industrial North
I always fancied owning a Grimshaw and some are still to be found in the North carboot sales and cheap(ish) in auctions. If you see one, buy it!
Birthdays: Harry Belafonte - Day-O (Banana Boat Song) (1956) | Route
Not only a beautiful voice but a handsome man to boot . . .we all grew up singing the Banana Boat Song and it has leant itself to parody and jest and many many comic variations but at heart it is a fine fine song about the working man of The West Indies (so called). Being a New Yorker there was always a slightly uncomfortable notion of ‘Uncle Tom’ about his performance and it being less than authentic but he was such a fine fine man I think it belies any such notions and despite the hilarious parody in ‘Beetle Juice’ and others it still manages to move me . . .the choral arrangement alone is worthy of our attention . . . IMHO
Harry Belafonte was born in New York City on this day in 1927.
Daylight come and me wan' go home.
"Day-O (Banana Boat Song)," performed by Harry Belafonte in the 1950s, is a vivid portrayal of Caribbean life and culture. This traditional Jamaican folk song, with its infectious rhythm and memorable chorus, quickly resonated with audiences globally, becoming an emblem of the era's musical landscape.Belafonte's rendition tells the story of Jamaican dock workers loading bananas at night, longing for the dawn to mark the end of their shift. The chorus "Day-O, Day-O, daylight come and me wan' go home" echoes their desire to return home after a long night's work. Belafonte's voice, rich and emotive, transports listeners to the docks, immersing them in the workers' experience.The song's universal theme of hard work and yearning for rest, combined with its catchy melody, made it relatable and beloved. Belafonte, of Jamaican descent, introduced global audiences to the rich tapestry of Caribbean sounds, stories, and traditions through "Day-O.""Day-O (Banana Boat Song)" has been covered and adapted by numerous artists, featured in films, and sung in concert halls, yet Belafonte's version remains iconic. It serves as a testament to his ability to capture the spirit and essence of a song, making it timeless.Today, "Day-O" remains a classic, a reminder of the power of music to transport listeners to different places and times, and of Harry Belafonte's enduring impact on music and culture. It's a celebration of life, love, and the joy of living in the moment, continuing to inspire and entertain across generations.
