Big Maceo Merriweather

By: Greg Johnson

Article Reprint from the January 2000 BluesNotes
Blues in History Index Related Links

When looking back at the Blues musicians of the pre-war era and the years immediately following, it is spellbinding to realize what a strong impact some of these musicians had on future players. Yet, for many, their recorded output consists of next to nothing. For example, the collected solo works of guitarist Willie Brown, who, along with Son House was one of the prime influences on a young Robert Johnson, amounts to only three sides. Delta guitar master, Tommy Johnson cut just 12 songs; Frank Stokes, 38; Ishman Bracey, 23; and Robert Johnson himself changed the sound of the world drastically with only 29 legendary recordings. Big Maceo Merriweather belongs in this elite company. Though his recording career only spanned the years 1941-1946, he produced 28 numbers that would forever change the way that the piano would be played by Blues artists.

Major (Maceo is a derision of the name) Merriweather was born on the outskirts of Atlanta on March 31, 1905 on his family's farm, one of 11 children. As he grew older he would eventually stand well over six-feet and weigh more than 250 pounds, which garnered his nickname "Big." In 1920, the family moved to the College Park section of town and the young Major developed an affinity for the piano. He began working the cafes and honky tonks located on Harvard Street, as well as playing at house rent parties and fish fries throughout the city. In 1924, at the age of 19, Merriweather's family relocated once again. This time to Detroit where an older brother was living and the promise of better jobs was more affluent. Merriweather took a job with Ford, but still made time to play the occasional house party, as well as the clubs along Hastings Street.

Hattie Spruel was an ambitious woman and first met Maceo when she hired him to play for parties in her home. They were soon married and Hattie went to work to make a name for her new husband. The couple moved to Chicago in 1941, where she made the acquaintance of prominent guitarists Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red. She introduced them to Maceo and the two were impressed with his skills. They brought him to the attention of RCA's master producer, Lester Melrose, and within just a few weeks Maceo was recording for the famed Bluebird label.

The first session would prove to be extremely fruitful for Merriweather. He recorded a total of 14 sides, with the first single becoming the most important of his career: "Worried Life Blues". Like many other songs of the day, "Worried Life Blues" was borrowed from an earlier recording by Sleepy John Estes titled "Someday Baby". The practice of using established musical patterns and even lyrics was fairly common. Perhaps to easily stress this point, look no further than the repertoire of Robert Johnson. Many of his compositions were reworkings of songs by artists like Kokomo Arnold, Son House and Tommy Johnson, among others. "Worried Life Blues" would itself also be modified by Little Walter and Muddy Waters as both "County Jail Blues" and "Trouble No More" a decade later.

Most of the recordings that Maceo made for Bluebird paired him with Tampa Red (including "Worried Life Blues"). Pairing piano players with guitarists had been a successful formula since the early 1930s, when Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell found fame with recordings like "How Long, How Long Blues". Tampa Red also had previously scored repute playing hokum numbers and dozens with keyboardist Thomas A. Dorsey. (Upon the death of his wife, Dorsey turned away from the Blues and went on to become perhaps the greatest of all Gospel composers.) Tampa Red and Big Maceo formed a small group along with a drummer and a bassist, creating a unique new sound that was referred to as "The Bluebird Beat". It would prove to be the first real Chicago-style Blue's combo and a design for most musical groupings of the future, regardless of the genre.

Along with Tampa Red, they would record 16 sides together before the outbreak of World War II. At that time, materials used for making records became scarce and a ban was enacted prohibiting most recording. During these years, Maceo moved back to Detroit, but made frequent return trips to Chicago where he would perform with both Tampa Red and Big Bill Broonzy on the city's South Side.

Maceo Merriweather had developed his musical style by listening to players like Roosevelt Sykes, Albert Ammons, Meade "Lux " Lewis and especially, Leroy Carr. It was Carr's restrained approach and casual vocals that most impressed him. He took the sounds of the barrelhouse and boogie pianists and added heavier bass patterns with his right hand, often with complete bass flourishes finishing a song. It was a method that proved quite innovative and successful. With this style Merriweather produced a string of popular releases that included numbers like "Chicago Breakdown", "Texas Stomp" and "Rambling Mind Blues."

At the conclusion of the war, Melrose immediately brought his stable of Blues artists back to the studio. Maceo resumed his work with Tampa Red, but would also record four songs with Big Bill Broonzy in 1945. Unfortunately, Big Maceo's career was cut short after he suffered a stroke in 1946 that left him almost completely paralyzed on his right side. Over the next few years, he would attempt to record several more times despite his handicap, but these pieces were only a poor image of his former talent. Occasionally other pianists would play while he sang, and other pursuits found him sharing the keyboards with a second performer working the right side of the piano for him. Among the artists who filled this role would be Eddie Boyd in 1947 for sides done for Victor and Johnny Jones in 1949 for Specialty. Another pianist to occupy this spot would be Otis Spann, who idolized Big Maceo. He would also sometimes fill in for the elder musician for gigs whenever Maceo was unable to perform. All three of these musicians went on to become headliners on the Chicago Blues scene, incorporating their lessons learned at the side of Big Maceo. Spann would become the most prominent of all the Chicago Blues pianists identified by the influence of Merriweather.

Big Maceo retired from playing in 1949 following yet another stroke. Poor health and a lifetime of heavy drinking eventually led to a fatal heart attack. He died on February 23, 1953 in Chicago. His body was returned to his home in Detroit for burial five days later.

Big Maceo Merriweather was a rising star whose time was dramatically taken from him much too early. His legacy continues though and may be heard in the playing of most Blues pianists today. "Worried Life Blues" also keeps his flame alive; artists such as Eric Clapton, have made the song a staple of their live repertoires. It as become one of those standards that almost every band worth a lick must know, and has been forever immortalized by The Blues Foundation as an entry within its Hall of Fame.

Big Maceo Merriweather

Related Links: