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Goin' Back to Georgia

Neal "Big Daddy" Pattman, 1926—2005

originally published May 18, 2005


Athens' Neal Pattman, a revered harmonica player and vocalist who specialized in the countrier side of blues music, passed away on Thursday, May 5. Pattman had long struggled with cancer which, following recent hip replacement surgery, doctors discovered had reemerged. He was 79 years old.

A long-time fixture of the Athens music community, Neal Pattman grew up near Athens in neighboring Madison County. It was there that a young Neal learned to handle adversity early on. At age nine, his right arm was mangled by a wagon wheel and had to be amputated. Never did this handicap sway Pattman's interest in music, performing or much of anything else for that matter.

Chris McKay

Neal Pattman

"Neal had the aspect of an iron wall and was as solid and strong a man as one might ever meet," remembers Tim Duffy, head of the Music Maker Relief Fund. Music Maker is a North Carolina grassroots organization which released Pattman's recorded work and booked many of his live appearances. "Having one arm did not slow Neal down. He was proud to tell you that he could chop more wood, fight more men and pick more cotton than most men with two arms. And you knew he was not lying."

Pattman learned about the blues from his father on a Georgia cotton farm and began playing harmonica as a youngster. He would go on to develop a powerful playing style and a singing voice which, though booming and upfront, usually came across tender and clear rather than raspy and menacing. In return, Pattman passed his love of the blues down a generation to nephew Jackie Payne. Payne later became known on the Texas and California blues circuits and toured for many years as R&B great Johnny Otis' guitarist.

"Neal's blues harp style was very unique and directly related to the era he came up in," notes Vibratones guitarist Jim Kautz, who played for 25 years alongside Pattman. "You might even call it 'the Piedmont Style,' as Neal frequently referenced 'the Piedmont Blues.' He could be anywhere, pull out that harp and people would gather 'round. He had such huge charisma. At a lot of shows we did, people would arrive early and start gathering around just to see Neal. He definitely had a great spirit. Muddy Waters had that too and that was a big part of his success. I think Neal had that same sort of charisma - the ability to just draw people into what he was doing."

As was the case with Muddy Waters and so many other elder bluesmen, Neal Pattman experienced a real career upswing in his later years. During this time, he maintained a consistent performance schedule throughout the Southeast and abroad. Pattman's brand of footstompin' blues was also well-received in the U.K. where his Jay Hawkins-style pompadour, steely glare and down-home showmanship earned him the lasting nickname "Big Daddy."

"I've got this message on my answering machine that's been there for a number of months," says Kautz. "Neal would oftentimes call me and I knew he wasn't much of a conversationalist over the phone because when he would leave a message, he'd just say 'Big Daddy,' that's all, and I'd know to call him back. Well, on this particular message, the machine picks up, then there's about three minutes worth of harp playing and singing. It really touched my heart that someone would take the time to sit there and sing me a song over the answering machine. Then he just said 'Big Daddy' and hung up."

Pattman's affiliation with the Music Maker organization led to a string of memorable late '90s performances alongside blues legend Taj Mahal. The Taj & the Music Makers project featured a revolving cast of regional greats including South Carolina gospel blues singer Cootie Stark (who passed away earlier this April, three weeks before his dear friend Pattman), Atlanta's Beverly "Guitar" Watkins and fingerpicker Guitar Gabriel. The flattering press generated by the tour exposed Pattman to a whole generation of blues fans who'd never have heard his music otherwise.

"I traveled a great deal with Neal and Cootie Stark throughout the United States and Europe," says Duffy. "I'll never forget the day Neal saved Cootie's life. The train we were riding had stopped in Paris and the doors opened, but not in front of a platform. Cootie, who was blind, just walked out the door and started to fall underneath the train. Neal instinctively jumped down and caught Cootie's hand in his as Cootie was disappearing under the train. It was an unbelievable sight. As I joined them, a guy ran into me. He proceeded to rifle through my pockets, grab my camera and then began to shake down Cootie. Neal raised his one hand and the thief ran away. You could not travel with a better man."

Pattman also released several fine CDs during this period, including 1999's Prison Blues (featuring Mahal and Stark) and the import-only It Seemed Like a Dream, an intimate collaboration with Australian guitarist Peter Gelling. Though new to the element of recording, Pattman's album tracks, like his exhilarating live shows, demonstrated a natural versatility with most any type of blues: be it the sparse, haunting variety, gospel testimonials or hot ensemble playing.

Pattman continued to perform well into his 70s despite declining health. In 2001, he won the Flagpole Athens Music Award for Best Blues Artist and graciously accepted with wife Deborah at his side. In 2004, thanks to a Peter Jennings newsbyte on Music Maker, Pattman and Stark were invited to join young blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, as well as members of Stevie Ray Vaughan's band Double Trouble, in North Carolina to record the upcoming CD and DVD 10 Days Out: Blues From the Backroads. The project also paired Shepherd with Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Lazy Lester and Jimmie D. Lane, among many other elder blues statesmen. These rousing cross-generational performances were the last to feature Pattman and Stark together. Fortunately, they were recorded for posterity and the finished product is scheduled for release later this year.

When all's said and done, it doesn't matter that "Big Daddy" never reached the iconic status of Muddy, Wolf or the Hook. Neal Pattman's contribution to Southern blues, fiery charisma and good-natured personality will be long remembered by those who knew him and enjoyed his music. Wherever he is right now, you can bet there's some good old-fashioned shakin' going on.
Michael Andrews

Michael Andrews

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