Speak/Sing Native™ Artist Archive
Charlie Patton (1891-1934)
Cherokee ancestry
Charlie Patton's specific tribal ancestry is seen differently by historians. Some suggest Cherokee, others suggest Choctaw or Mexican. He also had Creole, Black and White ancestry.
He's credited in the movie Rumble as being part Native American, and many can hear tribal influences in his music.
Patton's impact was so large that he came to be considered the "Father of the Delta Blues."
Professional Information
Charlie Patton is credited with being the "Father of the Delta Blues."
1910-1934
Delta blues
Musician, songwriter
Guitar, Vocals
Video
- Charley Patton
The Day Charley Patton Changed the Blues - Charley Patton
Venue:
Format: Documentary
Duration: 6:59
Produced by Indiana University Press
- Charley Patton
Rattlesnake Blues 2:42 Audio - Charley Patton
Venue:
Format: Audio
Duration: 2:42
- Charley Patton
High Water Everywhere, Pt. 1 (2010 Remastered) - Charley Patton
Venue:
Format: Audio
Duration: 3:08
Tribal Information
Cherokee Nation
also known as "Cherokee"
Traditional lands and Reservation
When first contacted by Europeans, “the Nation held dominion over a sprawling territory comprised of much or most of the modern states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.” A forced removal, the “Trail of Tears” relocated them to what is now a 14-county reservation in Oklahoma, with many At Large tribal members located all over the world.
Languages
Tsalagi (Cherokee) is the traditional language of the Cherokee Nation. Fluent speakers are dwindling and the tribe is making massive efforts to ensure that the next generations will be able to speak the language that expresses so much in a way that English does not capture.
Tsalagi has a written form that is based on a syllabary rather than an alphabet. Each spoken syllable in the language is represented by one of 85 distinct characters.