Rubin Lacey
Encyclopedia
Rubin "Rube" Lacey was an American
country blues
musician, who played guitar and was a singer and songwriter.
Lacey was born in Pelahatchie, Mississippi
, United States
, and learned guitar in his teens from an older performer, George Hendrix. Working out of the Jackson area
in the Mississippi Delta
, he became one of the state's most popular blues singers. His bottleneck
style inspired that of the better known performer Son House
. In 1927, he recorded four songs for Columbia Records
in Memphis, Tennessee
, though none were released and the masters do not survive.
In 1928, Lacey recorded two tunes, "Mississippi Jail House Groan" and "Ham Hound Cave", for Paramount Records
, which constitutes his recorded legacy. Four years later he became a minister, and was later found living in Lancaster, California
by blues researcher, David Evans. He died there in 1972.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country blues
Country blues
Country blues is a general term that refers to all the acoustic, mainly guitar-driven forms of the blues. It often incorporated elements of rural gospel, ragtime, hillbilly, and dixieland jazz...
musician, who played guitar and was a singer and songwriter.
Lacey was born in Pelahatchie, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and learned guitar in his teens from an older performer, George Hendrix. Working out of the Jackson area
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
in the Mississippi Delta
Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. The region has been called "The Most Southern Place on Earth" because of its unique racial, cultural, and economic history...
, he became one of the state's most popular blues singers. His bottleneck
Bottleneck
A bottleneck is a phenomenon where the performance or capacity of an entire system is limited by a single or limited number of components or resources. The term bottleneck is taken from the 'assets are water' metaphor. As water is poured out of a bottle, the rate of outflow is limited by the width...
style inspired that of the better known performer Son House
Son House
Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music...
. In 1927, he recorded four songs for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, though none were released and the masters do not survive.
In 1928, Lacey recorded two tunes, "Mississippi Jail House Groan" and "Ham Hound Cave", for Paramount Records
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
, which constitutes his recorded legacy. Four years later he became a minister, and was later found living in Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
by blues researcher, David Evans. He died there in 1972.