James (Yank) Rachell

(Mar. 16, 1910-Apr. 9, 1997). James (Yank) Rachell was born in Brownsville, Tennessee. He spent his youth on a farm where at the age of 8 years old he traded his pig for a mandolin. This exchange would lead to the start of a nearly 70-year career as a blues musician.

Rachell began learning the mandolin on his own but eventually had some mentoring from blues guitarist “Hambone” Willie Newbern. Looking to embark on his blues career, Rachell moved to Memphis and joined his first band in the 1920s. He, along with guitarist Sleepy John Estes and pianist Jab Jones, made up the “J’s” of the Three J’s Jug Band. It was with this band that Rachell had his first opportunity to record in a studio on September 17, 1929. The band made 14 recordings for the Victor record label by 1930.

The Depression was hard on the record industry and marked the end of the Three J’s Jug Band. Rachell moved back to Brownsville where he farmed and worked on the L&N Railroad. While working for the railroad, Rachell had a stop in New York. He took this opportunity to record with blues harmonica player and vocalist Dan Smith. The pair recorded several songs for the ARC record label, six of which were issued.

In 1933, Rachell began working with harmonica player John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson at the Blue Flame Club in Jacksonville. Williamson then left Tennessee for Chicago in 1933. Five years later, Rachell joined him to make several recordings for Bluebird Records. That same year, Rachell also traveled to St. Louis to work with blues singer and pianist Peetie Wheatstraw.

Rachell moved to Indianapolis in 1958 with his wife, Ella Mae, and their children. During this time period, he stopped playing and focused on working his day job. It was not until after his wife died in 1961 that he began performing again. Rachell took up playing the folk and festival circuit with Estes in 1962. Later, the pair, along with harmonica player Hammie Nixon, recorded for the Delmark record label under the name Yank Rachell’s Tennessee Jug Busters. After Estes died in 1977, Rachell focused on his solo act, performing in places such as Indianapolis’s Slippery Noodle Inn.

In his older years, Rachell suffered from arthritis which affected his ability to play for longer lengths of time. Despite this, he continued recording music. His last album, Too Hot for the Devil (1998), was recorded right before he died.

Over his blues career, Rachell was dubbed the “elder statesman of the blues.” He not only mastered the blues mandolin in his own unique style but was also a proficient guitarist, violinist, harpist, singer, and composer. Several of his compositions became blues standards such as ”Divin’ Duck Blues” and “She Caught the Katy.”

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