![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/593\/2017\/10\/3a51381r.jpg\")
<\/a>[Stavin’ Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad “Batson,” Lafayette, La.]<\/p><\/div>As African Americans tried to find their own individuality they needed to define their own culture. \u00a0The question often lies in where to look? In Blues People<\/em> Jones and Baraka comment that African American peoples often turned to their African rituals for their roots. However, as generations were born into slavery in the united states, these traditions were intrinsically mixed with the plantation life: brewing a new synthesis culture altogether.<\/p>\n Often times, stories that exemplify this mix come out in African American blues tunes. Coming from the African American work song tradition, a crucial part of these tunes is that they tell a story. One blues, in particular \u201cStavin\u2019 Chain\u201d tells the story of a train engineer. He was hailed as strong and powerful. This figure was so strong and unique that Wilson Jones, one of the artists who recorded a version of \u201cStavin\u2019 Chain\u201d also went by the nickname, \u201cStavin\u2019 Chain.\u201d<\/p>\n This begs the question for the story how Wilson Jones came to adopt \u201cStavin Chain.\u201d<\/p>\n [Stavin’ Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad “Batson,” Lafayette, La. (fiddler in the background)]<\/p><\/div>Unfortunately, historical documentation is sparse on Wilson. Nevertheless, one could speculate that such a name would give Wilson Jones a figure of prominence and strength in the African American community. When John Avery Lomax took a series of photographs of Wilson Jones, he simply labeled them all as photos of simply \u201cStavin Chain,\u201d and were later labeled fully as Wilson Jones. Perhaps this was also an attempt to preserve Wilson Jones\u2019 anonymity. Unfortunately, all too often in history, African American musicians were subject to terrible prejudice, especially if they became a well-known figure in society.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, Wilson Jones became \u201cStavin Chain,\u201d a figure of strength and prominence. This term may refer to the American tradition of arms manufactures in the late 19th<\/sup> century utilizing chains to hold barrel staves together, or perhaps it refers to chains used to bind ankles on chain work gangs (Americanbluesscene.com). I believe that this term could easily have come from a blend of the two stories, as African American folk so heavily relies upon cultural blending.<\/p>\n –Brock Carlson<\/p>\n [Portraits of Stavin’ Chain and Wayne Perry performing, Lafayette, La.]<\/p><\/div>\n Works cited<\/p>\n Lomax, A., photographer. (1934)\u00a0[Stavin’ Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad “Batson,” fiddler also in shot, Lafayette, La]<\/em>. Lafayette Louisiana United States, 1934. June. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2007660068\/.<\/p>\n Lomax, A., photographer. (1934)\u00a0[Stavin’ Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad “Batson,” Lafayette, La]<\/em>. Lafayette Louisiana United States, 1934. June. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2007660069\/.<\/p>\n Lomax, A., photographer. (1934)\u00a0[Stavin’ Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad “Batson,” Lafayette, La. fiddler in the background]<\/em>. Lafayette Louisiana United States, 1934. June. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2007660070\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n Baraka, A., & Harris, W. J. (2000).\u00a0The LeRoi Jones\/Amiri Baraka reader<\/em>. New York: Thunders Mouth Press.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As African Americans tried to find their own individuality they needed to define their own culture. \u00a0The question often lies in where to look? In Blues People Jones and Baraka comment that African American peoples often turned to their African … Continue reading <\/a><\/a>