Calvin Frazier
b. 16 February 1915, Osceola, Arkansas, USA, d. 23 September 1972, Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Frazier family was large and musical, and used their skill to praise God; father Van played fiddle, guitar and banjo, mother Bell played bass, Lonnie, Rebecca and Johnny all played guitar and mandolin, as did Calvin. By 1922, they lived in South Hobart Place in Memphis, along with cousin J ohnny Shines. Nine years later, Shines linked up with Calvin and Johnny, and played for handouts on the Memphis streets. During the early '30s, Calvin also worked with Robert Johnsonand James ‘Peck’ Curtis. In April 1935, Frazier was involved in a shooting incident that forced him to leave town, in company with Johnson and Shines. The trio fled to Canada and found work in religious broadcasting, playing on THE ELDER MOTEN HOUR. Shortly after returning to Detroit, Shines and Johnson moved on, but Frazier stayed, teaming up with guitarist, Sampson Pittman. They were recorded in October 1938 for the Library of Congress by Alan Lomax Frazier revealing a guitar style whose boogie patterns and falsetto vocals echoed Johnson's. During the '40s, he played with Big Maceo Baby Boy Warren and Eddie Kirklandbut didn't record again until 1952 for Savoy, with pianist T.J. Fowler's band. He also played on sessions by Baby Boy Warren and Washboard Willie. He recorded infrequently during the '50s; Lilly Mae, first cut for the Library of Congress, and Have Blues, Must Travel were recorded for Fortune and JVB, the latter also issued by Checker.