Smoky Babe

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Smoky Babe

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Robert Brown

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|7|31}}

| birth_place = Itta Bena, Mississippi, United States

| death_date = May 1973 (age 45) (probable)

| death_place = Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States

| instrument = Guitar, vocals

| genre = Louisiana blues, Piedmont blues

| occupation = Guitarist, singer, songwriter

| years_active = 1960s

| label =

| associated_acts =

| website =

}}

Robert Brown (July 31, 1927 – May 1973),{{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues: A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger | location= Santa Barbara, California| pages=198 | isbn= 978-0313344237}}{{cite web|author=Doc Rock |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1970.html |title=The 1970s |website=TheDeadRockStarsClub.com |date= |access-date=2014-01-29}} who performed as Smoky Babe, was an American acoustic blues guitarist and singer, whose recording career was restricted to a couple of recording sessions in the early 1960s. He has been variously described as a Louisiana blues, Piedmont blues and blues revival musician.{{cite web|author=Koda, Cub|author-link=Cub Koda|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/smoky-babe-mn0000032645/biography |title=Smoky Babe: Biography |website=AllMusic |date= |access-date=2014-01-29}} His most noteworthy recordings are "Going Downtown Boogie" and "Ain't Got No Rabbit Dog".

Career

Brown was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He was recorded by Harry Oster of Louisiana State University in 1960 and 1961,{{cite book

| first= John

| last= Broven

| year= 1992

| title= South to Louisiana

| edition= 3rd

| publisher= Pelican Publishing

| location=

| isbn= 1-55553-355-8

| page= [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781555533540/page/117 117]

| url-access= registration

| url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781555533540/page/117

}}{{cite web|url=http://sundayblues.org/page/2 |title=Big Road Blues – Part 2 |website=Sundayblues.org |date= |access-date=2014-01-29}} and the results were released by the Folk Lyric, Bluesville and Storyville labels.{{cite web|author=Wirz, Stefan |url=https://www.wirz.de/music/smokybab.htm |title=Illustrated Smoky Babe Discography |website=Wirz.de |date= |access-date=2014-01-29}}

Other than his recordings, little is known of his life. The circumstances of his death are unclear. Some sources report that he died in June 1975, but the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc have stated that he probably died in May 1973 in Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

His song, "Boogy", is included on the compilation album Blues Roots: Give Me the Blues (1979),{{cite web|url=https://www.wirz.de/music/brewefrm.htm |author=Wirz, Stefan |title=Illustrated Jim Brewer Discography |website=Wirz.de |access-date=2014-01-29}} and "Hottest Brand Goin'" and "Locomotive Blues" are included in the collection The Bluesville Years, Vol. 9: Down the Country Way (1998).{{cite web|url=https://www.wirz.de/music/blackfrm.htm |author=Wirz, Stefan |title=Illustrated Scrapper Blackwell Discography |website=Wirz.de |access-date=2014-01-29}}

Discography

Smoky Babe and His Friends: Hot Blues (1961), Folk-Lyric,{{Cite web|url=http://www.45worlds.com/vinyl/artist/smoky-babe-and-his-friends|title=Smoky Babe And His Friends Discography - Vinyl Albums - USA - Vinyl Albums|website=45worlds.com|access-date=May 5, 2021}} 77 Records, Arhoolie
Hottest Brand Goin' (1961), Bluesville (Reissued on CD as The Blues of Smokey Babe){{cite book |last1=Russell |first1=Tony |last2=Smith |first2=Chris |title=The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings |year=2006 |edition=|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-140-51384-4|page=598}}
Smoky Babe, Herman E. Johnson, Louisiana Country Blues (1997), Arhoolie
Smoky Babe: Way Back in the Country Blues (2014), Arhoolie{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/way-back-in-the-country-blues-mw0002771306|title=Way Back in the Country Blues - Smoky Babe | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|access-date=May 5, 2021|website=AllMusic}}