44 Blues

In 1929, an incredibly prolific, boisterous pianist named Roosevelt Sykes (often billed as "The Honeydripper") made his debut recording in Cincinnati for Okeh Records. "44 Blues" became an absolute standard of the barrelhouse repertoire. Based on a traditional piano theme that mimicked the heavy, rolling wheels of a locomotive, Sykes played a pounding, heavily percussive rhythm with his left hand while hammering out incredibly complex, cascading melodies with his right. He sang a menacing, boasting narrative about carrying a.44 caliber pistol, perfectly capturing the rough, dangerous atmosphere of the Southern turpentine camps and lumber towns.