Red Nelson (musician)
| Red Nelson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Nelson Wilborn |
| Also known as | Dirty Red |
| Born |
August 31, 1907 Sumner, Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | March 1970 (aged 62) Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, guitarist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1935–1960s |
| Labels | Decca, Aladdin |
| Associated acts | Cripple Clarence Lofton |
Nelson Wilborn (August 31, 1907 – March 1970), better known as Red Nelson or Dirty Red, was an American blues singer and occasional guitarist. His recording career lasted well over a decade, with "Crying Mother Blues" and "Streamline Train" (both 1936), two of his stand-out songs. His accompanists on record variously included Cripple Clarence Lofton, Blind John Davis, Black Bob, Kansas Joe McCoy, Papa Charlie McCoy, Big Bill Broonzy and Lonnie Johnson.
His 1947 release, "Mother Fuyer", managed to escaped censorship.
Nelson Wilborn was born in Sumner, Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, United States. He relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in the early 1930s, where he regularly performed in their nightclubs. Nelson's recording career began in 1935 and lasted until 1947. He was noted as "a fine vocalist with a telling falsetto", and was fortunate to be accompanied in his recordings with some of the best musicians available at that time. These included the pianist Cripple Clarence Lofton, with whom Nelson recorded several sides for Decca Records during 1935 and 1936. "Crying Mother Blues" and "Streamline Train" (both 1936), are two of the tracks from the period that music journalists have described as the best of his career. The two tracks were also issued on the same shellac disc by Brunswick Records in their 'Sepia Series'. Others who accompanied Nelson on record were Charles Avery, Blind John Davis and Black Bob (piano), with alternatively Kansas Joe McCoy, Papa Charlie McCoy plus Big Bill Broonzy (guitar). His vocals were often held back from emotional extremes, to serve the passing fashion of the age.
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