My very good friend and South Florida Blues legend, Washboard Bill Cooke, passed away on a warm day in 2003. I lit candles and set up a small shrine on the sun baked sidewalk and held a vigil for 24 hours until I was sure his soul had been safely delivered to the Washboard clubhouse in the sky. He would have wanted it that way.
And I know he would have loved the attention (and new fans) his work has accumulated since his passing. I built this site as a memorial to the man, his music, and his memory.



Feel free to post your thoughts and for anyone who remembers Bill and has stories to add, please feel free to post and share.
I have an extensive archive collection surrounding Bill (he was family to me) and I hope to get more Washboard Bill Cooke projects (like a more complete story, bigger photo gallery as well as scanning all the WB newspaper clippings) online sometime in the near future. There is also a new CD (THE FLORIDA SESSIONS) as well as finishing up a book on Hobo adventures that Bill had started - all in the works.
Meantime, enjoy the site and feel free to email.
-Kalynn Campbell
washboardbillcooke@yahoo.com

Be sure to check Bill's VIDEO section (under his sig picture) for new rare uploads from the video archives!

©copyright 2007 Kalynn Campbell/Roulette Studios - Images and designs on this site may NOT to be reproduced in any form without written approval. Thank you!

I've had a few people email and ask if any of Washboard Bill's music is currently in print. The answer is YES, three Cd compilations that I know of:



HONKY TONK! The King & Federal R&B Instrumentals (various)
Includes: IN THE MORNING, WASHBOARD STORY, POT LIKKER & RIVERBOAT DOCK
The best bet for a quick Washboard Bill collection!
ACE #CDCHD 761 (AMAZON.CO.UK has it)



BLUES N' FOLK reissue of the LP (various)
Has IN THE MORNING
Bethlehem # 20-3500-2 (I saw some on eBay recently)

AFTER HOURS reissue of the LP (various)
OP CD? has IN THE MORNING

STILL IN PRINT! The FolkWays recording with Washboard Bill, Pete Seeger, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry (!) is now available as a CD (AND STILL AVAILABLE AS A COOL MINI LP RECORD!!!!) from the Smithsonian's FolkWays archival series titled "WASHBOARD BAND - COUNTRY DANCE MUSIC" 1956.
Buy it then Download the cool liner notes (with drawings by Pete Seeger) here:

http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/containerdetail.aspx?itemid=171



Bill's rare KING records singles show up every now and then on eBay, just bookmark a search for 'Washboard Bill'. There are also some long out-of-print vinyl compilations (like the LP version of BLUES N' FOLK) that make rare appearances as well.
I found this cool rare PROMO copy of RIVER BOAT DOCK / IN THE MORNING on eBay recently....

Spivey Records will have their Catalog online by Summer, I know of at least 2 Spivey compliation LPs that contain Washboard Bill tunes:

Spivey's Blues Parade
#1012 (various)
Has Bill doing YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE

Spivey's Blues Cavalcade
#1015
Has the great Washboard Bill Signature tune ALL ASK FOR ME!
Catalog watch:

http://www.spiveyrecords.com/catalog.htm


If you come across anything else, PLEASE drop me a line and let me know, I'd love a copy for my personal collection (the Harry Belafonte sessions spring to mind). There are a few 'lost' recordings I'm trying to track down as well, perhaps recorded with Sticks McGhee?

I'll try to get a complete discography up soon.

Many Thanks,
Kalynn Campbell
Keeper of the WB Vaults

In 1982 Bill wrote me this letter after I tracked down and sent him a copy of the King Records single IN THE MORNING, recorded with his good friend Mickey Baker. It is a fascinating (and sadly typical) story of a blues artist ripped off not once but twice. Note Bill's unusual use of 'dash' punctuation!

Scans of the actual letter:




more letters soon.....
As Always, Comments welcome.

-Kalynn Campbell
Keeper of the WB archives.