Ishman Bracey

One of the best, if lesser known Delta bluesmen of the 1920s, singer and guitarist ISHMAN BRACEY (1901-1970), along with his good friend TOMMY JOHNSON, began playing juke joints first in Jackson, and then all over Mississippi around 1917, but did not make his first recordings until 1928. He recorded his first sessions for the Victor label with CHARLIE MCCOY on second guitar, but by 1930 his recording career was over…likely due to the onset of the Great Depression which made recording industry dry up for the next decade. Bracey eventually left the blues scene for the church, and his blues output is therefore rather slim. He recorded a total of just sixteen tracks in all and original 78s fetch high sums.