Listen: Vellevina

I love this classic tune, almost more talking than singing, telling the story of, what else, a girl. It’s a simple tune, with Big Boy on the guitar and belting out lyrics. In between the chorus, he continues the story, and you can feel yourself transported to Big Boy’s complicated (to say the least) relationship with this woman from his hometown. It’s an easy song for someone like myself (ie “not musical”) to sing along to; it lightens my mood as my foot taps and my head sways.

Big Boy Henry was born in Beaufort, North Carolina in 1921 – pronounced “BO-furt,” and not to be confused with the city in South Carolina. I have a weakness for the town, it’s a favorite vacation spot for my husband and I, and we frequently dream of just running off to the coast and living the slow life in the small, seaside town. If we do ever go through with that dream, I hope we run into some musicians as talented as Big Boy, as I imagine a great way to end a day would be listening to a classic blues tune like this one, out on the porch with some sweet tea. Until then, I have the tracks from Big Boy’s album “Beaufort Blues” coming through my headphones as I deal with the decidedly not slow-paced life in the Triangle.

 — Corinne
Check out Beaufort Blues here!