Perkins was born in Belzoni, Mississippi. He began his career as a guitarist, but then injured the tendons in his left arm in a fight with a chorus girl in Helena, Arkansas. Unable to play guitar, Perkins switched to the piano, and also switched from Robert Nighthawk's KFFA radio program to Sonny Boy Williamson's King Biscuit Time. He continued working with Nighthawk, however, accompanying him on 1950's "Jackson Town Gal".
In the 1950s, Perkins joined Earl Hooker and began touring. He recorded "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" (written by Pinetop Smith) at Sam Phillips' studio in Memphis, Tennessee. ("They used to call me Pinetop," he recalled, "because I played that song.") However, Perkins was only 15 years old in 1928, when Smith originally recorded "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie".
Perkins then relocated to Illinois and left the music business until Hooker convinced him to record again in 1968. Perkins replaced Otis Spann when he left the Muddy Waters band in 1969.[3] After ten years with that organization, he formed The Legendary Blues Band with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, recording through the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.
Perkins played a brief musical cameo on the street outside Aretha's Soul Food Cafe in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers, having an argument with John Lee Hooker over who wrote "Boom Boom." He also appeared in the 1987 movie Angel Heart as a member of guitarist Toots Sweet's band.
Although he appeared as a sideman on countless recordings, Perkins never had an album devoted solely to his artistry, until the release of After Hours on Blind Pig Records in 1988. The tour in support of the album also featured Jimmy Rogers and guitarist Hubert Sumlin. In 1998 Perkins released the album Legends featuring Sumlin.
Perkins was driving his automobile in 2004 in La Porte, Indiana when he was hit by a train. The car was wrecked but the 91-year-old driver was not seriously hurt. Until his death, Perkins lived in Austin, Texas. He usually performed a couple of nights a week at Nuno's on Sixth Street. In 2005, Perkins received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2008, Perkins received a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live In Dallas together with Henry James Townsend, Robert Lockwood, Jr. and David Honeyboy Edwards. He was also nominated in the same category for his solo album, Pinetop Perkins on the 88's: Live in Chicago.
The song "Hey Mr. Pinetop Perkins", performed by Perkins and Angela Strehli, played on the common misconception that Perkins wrote "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie":
Hey Mr. Pinetop Perkins
I got a question for you
How'd you write that first boogie woogie
The one they named after you
At the age of 97, he won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for Joined at the Hip, an album he recorded with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Perkins thus became the oldest-ever Grammy winner, edging out comedian George Burns who had won in the spoken word category 21 years earlier (Perkins had tied with Burns, at the age of 90, in 2004).
A little more than a month later, Perkins died on 21 March 2011 at his home in Austin. At the time of his death, the musician had more than 20 performances booked for 2011. Shortly before that, while discussing his late career resurgence with an interviewer, he conceded, "I can't play piano like I used to either. I used to have bass rolling like thunder. I can't do that no more. But I ask the Lord, please forgive me for the stuff I done trying to make a nickel." Along with David "Honeyboy" Edwards, he was one of the last two original Mississippi Delta blues musicians, and also one of the last to have a personal knowledge of, and friendship with, Robert Johnson.
Selected discography
1976: Boogie Woogie King (recorded 1976, released 1992)
1977: Hard Again (Muddy Waters)
1988: After Hours
1992: Pinetop Perkins with the Blue Ice Band
1992: On Top
1993: Portrait of a Delta Bluesman
1995: Live Top (with the Blue Flames)
1996: Eye to Eye (with Ronnie Earl, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and Calvin "Fuzz" Jones)[9]
1997: Born in the Delta
1998: Sweet Black Angel
1998: Legends (with Hubert Sumlin)
1998: Down In Mississippi
1999: Live at 85! (with George Kilby Jr)
2000: Back On Top
2003: Heritage of the Blues: The Complete Hightone Sessions
2003: All Star Blues Jam (with Bob Margolin et al.)
2003: 8 Hands on 88 Keys - Chicago Blues Piano Masters The Sirens Records
2004: Ladies Man
2007: 10 Days Out: Blues From The Backroads (with Kenny Wayne Shepherd and the Muddy Waters Band—Live)
2008: Pinetop Perkins and Friends
2010: Joined At the Hip (with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith)
2012: Heaven (with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith on one track and liner notes by Justin O'Brien)
How Long Blues
Pinetop Perkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down in my heart, I have an aching pain.
How long, how how long, baby how long? I feel disgusted, I feel so bad
Thinking 'bout the good time that I once have had.
How long, how how long, baby how long? I could see the green grass growing on the hill; I ain't seen no greenback on a dollar bill.
How long, how how long, baby how long? You're gonna be sorry, you'll feel so blue.
When you want me, baby, I declare I won't want you.
How long, how how long, baby how long? Don't have no money for to ride the train.
How long, how how long, baby how long? How long, baby how long
Must I keep my, my watch in pawn? How long, how how long, baby how long?
The lyrics to Pinetop Perkins's song "How Long Blues" portray the feeling of heartbreak and longing for a loved one. The singer is questioning how long they have to wait until their "evening train" comes back, symbolizing the return of their loved one. They describe going to the train station and not seeing any sign of the train, which creates a deep pain in their heart. The singer feels sad and disgusted, reminiscing about the good times they had with their loved one. However, they feel resentful because their loved one did not appreciate them during their relationship and may regret their actions later. Finally, they express their willingness to do anything to be with their loved one, even if it means riding the rods (the metal bars beneath train cars).
Line by Line Meaning
How long, baby how long, Has that evening train been gone?
How much time has passed since the evening train departed? When will it come back?
Went to the station, didn't see no train.
I went to the station, but the train was not there.
Down in my heart, I have an aching pain.
I have a deep feeling of pain in my heart.
I feel disgusted, I feel so bad Thinking 'bout the good time that I once have had.
I feel miserable and regretful when I remember how good things used to be.
I could see the green grass growing on the hill; I ain't seen no greenback on a dollar bill.
Although the grass is growing, I have no money in my pocket.
You're gonna be sorry, you'll feel so blue. When you want me, baby, I declare I won't want you.
You will regret your decision to leave me, and I will not take you back when you want me again.
Don't have no money for to ride the train. I would ride the rods, baby, to be with you again.
I don't have enough money to afford a train ticket, so I would be willing to ride on a freight train to be with you again.
How long, baby how long
Must I keep my, my watch in pawn?
I have had to pawn my watch. How much time must I wait to get it back?
Writer(s): Leroy Authur Carr Copyright: MCA Music Publishing A.D.O. Universal S
Contributed by Matthew W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@BluesPark59
i knew pinetop, he was my friend...cared for him and traveled with him...he had a heart of gold and i never heard him say a bad word about anyone. some of you could have learned a thing or two from the old man...god bless you Top!
@onpsxmember
I just found him mentioned by Daryl Davis. He taught Daryl how to play the piano.
You probably ran into him, he's hard to miss. What a great guy. I'm always happy to see comments like yours on Youtube.
@allenjackson9399
I met him in a cab in 2010 when times were hard here in Austin. I guess I am fortunate. Super nice guy, funny too.
@BluesPark59
@@allenjackson9399 Were you a cab driver? He knew a ton of them from getting rides home after his usual Antone's Gig/Hangout, I took him to the Grammy's when he won with Willie Big Eyes Smith...loved them both.
@allenjackson9399
mr.jimmiesboy Yes i was. Was working real estate and had troubles so i took a night job as a cab driver. You guessed it..Antones!!
@jonhorton6764
word..
@petewehle9485
I knew Pinetop Perkins personally. My partner Dante Kobek and I Pete Wehle formed a "Blues Inferno," promotion company when we both lived in South Bend, Indiana. We formed the company mainly because we got tired of going to Chicago and seeing our Blues buddies and coming back late in the AM back in South Bend from Chicago. Anyway, Pinetop was one of the very first acts that we promoted at the old Z.B. Falcons club in South Bend. I do remember Pinetop saying to me....."You find em' and I'll grind em"." Yep, that was old Pinetop what a guy and what a blues musician. I shall be forever grateful in knowing him here on planet Earth.
@bobsmyth1641
South Bend still plays/has a blues station- I look for it when I ' m in that area-
@Moe_Ron_
I met him. Listened to him play. And shook his hand. Pretty good day
@gallantguns
For years ? What kind of bluesman are you? Who hasn't heard of this man if your any kind of a blues fan.