1961 or '62 Victoria Spivey session (Len Kunstadt Interview)
Man of Peace
German 'Blues Forum' magazine, issue No. 13, 1st quarter of 1984,
carried excerpts from Norbert Hess' interview with Len Kunstadt of
'Record Research' and 'Spivey Records'. Kunstadt relates how he met
Victoria Spivey, became her agent and manager (and later her husband),
and how they founded their own labels (Queen Vee and Spivey Records).
These are the Dylan related excerpts from that interview translated
back into English:
"Victoria knew the musicians and scouted for new talent. This went on
for 16 years. In my opinion, from 1961 up to her death in 1976, she
was more creative than ever before. Her fantastic way of winning over
Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters for our company, and her concern for Bob
Dylan. Sometimes I thought she was crazy. I could tell a lot of
stories. The musicians would have killed for her. At first, they
didn't like her, but after a split second they became her fans up the
very end. She was sometimes a little difficult because she was a
genius." (p. 11)
NORBERT HESS: "On one of the Spivey albums (LP 1014, 'Kings and the
Queen') I saw a picture of Bob Dylan, who became the most famous of
your artists. Where did you find him?"
LEN KUNSTADT: "That was at Gerde's Folk City. He played his harmonica,
onstage with Big Joe Williams, and one day he approached Victoria: 'Do
you want a little white boy on your label?' Victoria replied: 'Why are
you saying this? I don't care about the color of your skin. Why don't
you come along with Big Joe Williams?' And so he carried Big Joe's
guitar case into the studio, took out his harmonica and played. Well,
Len Kunstadt did not want Bob Dylan. I wanted Sonny Boy Williamson. I
knew some of his recordings, 'Eyesight to the Blind' was one of
Victoria's favorite 45s. Dylan often joined Victoria, he sang with her
at the Bottom Line, Victoria sang 'Black Snake Blues' with the Muddy
Waters Blues Band and Dylan played harmonica. All those stories!" (p.
11)
The article also has a photograph of Victoria Spivey appearing as part
of the 1963 American Folk Blues Festival in Baden-Baden (southern
Germany), dated 'late September 1963' (re: '1963 American Folk Blues
Festival' posts)
Robert Ross in Robbie Wolifer's 'Hoot! A 25-Year History of the
Greenwich Village Music Scene' about Victoria Spivey:
'She was kind to everybody. Not just those who played the blues. She
helped with encouragement, gigs, and her record company... What she
did for Dylan, she did for so many others. She saw something in him.
She had an eye for talent... It was a great loss when she died. Even
Dylan sent a wreath to the funeral home when she died.' (pp. 108-110)
On a related note: Blues Forum No. 17/18 (Jun 1985), in its section
"Anything (Im)Possible," states that Len Kunstadt is going through
Spivey Records' tapes and plans to issue an album of 'live recordings
by Victoria Spivey and Lonnie Johnson, recorded at Gerde's Folk City
in 1961.'
Has this album ever been released? Dick Waterman, can you possibly
shed some light on this?
Thanks in advance
- Man of Peace
Man of Peace
Note: Somehow this post (originally sent on May 2, 1996) does not show
up in either hwy61-l or r.m.d., so I decided to repost it. Sorry if it
gets duplicated.
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In memoriam Rev. Gary Davis (Apr 30, 1896-May 5, 1972)