Bull City Red
Bull City Red was born on 19/02/1917 in Indiantown, South Carolina, though some sources state Durham, North Carolina. His birth name was George Washington. He was a partial albino. He was given the nickname Bull City Red as he grew up in the "Bull City" town of Durham. He was also sometimes called Oh Red. As well as being a guitar player he was a talented washboard player and sang. Red started as a street musician in Durham. He was spotted by talent scout J. B. Long and became the only sighted member of a band that included at various times Blind Boy Fuller, Sonny Terry and Blind Gary Davis (later known as Reverend Gary Davis).In 1935, the trio of Red, Davis and Fuller went to New York to record a session for American Record Corporation (ARC). As his bandmates were blind, Red signalled to them by touch when the recording ended. Terry and Red would accompany Fuller on many songs for ARC's Perfect Label between 1935 and 1941 when Fuller died during surgery.
Red would also record gospel music song under the name Brother George and His Sanctified Singer along with Fuller, Terry and Sonny Jones. He would record the song "I Saw the Light" with Davis backing him on guitar.
Between 1935 and 1939, Red would record as a solo artist with his own vocals, guitar and washboard. Songs included "Black Woman and Poison Blues" and "I Won't Be Dogged Around".
In 1940, Red introduced Brownie McGhee and his collaborator Jordan Webb to his manager, as well as Fuller and Terry.
In 1941, after Fuller's death. Red joined McGhee, Webb, Terry and washboard player Robert Young to record.
In 1958, Red died at an unknown location.