Mance Lipscomb
Mance Lipscomb was born on 09/04/1895 in Navasota, Texas. His full birth name was Beau De Glen Lipscomb. His mother was half Native American. His father was an ex-slave from Alabama. He took the name "Mance" from a friend of his older brother. "Mance" was short for emancipation. Lipscomb spent most of his life working as a tenant farmer in Texas. He would begin playing the guitar early and played at local gatherings. He would often host his own gatherings with his wife.In 1960, Mack McCormick and Chris Strachwitz discovered him during the country blues revival. In the same year, Lipscomb released his debut release "Texas Songster".
In the 1960s, Lipscomb would be a regular performer at folk festivals and folk-blues clubs in the US.
In 1961, Lipscomb released the album "Trouble in Mind" with Reprise Records.
In 1963, Lipscomb appeared at the first Monterey Folk Festival in California.
Lipscomb would release many albums of blues, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley and folk music. He would accompany himself on acoustic guitar. Lipscomb would often play alongside blind musician Sam Rogers in Brenham, Texas.
In 1971, Les Blank would make a documentary about him called "A Well Spent Life". Lipscomb would make his own autobiography called " Say Me for a Parable: The Oral Autobiography of Mance Lipscomb, Texas Bluesman", which was narrated by Glen Alyn. It was published posthumously.
In 1976, Lipscomb died after suffering a stroke.
An annual Navasota Blues Festival is held in his honour.
In 2011, a bronze sculpture of him was unveiled in Mance Lipscombe Park in Navasota.