Red Nelson

Nelson Wilborn (August 31, 1907 – March 1970), better known as Red Nelson or Dirty Red, was an American blues singer and occasional guitarist. His recording career lasted well over a decade. Two of his standout songs are "Crying Mother Blues" and "Streamline Train" (both 1936). His accompanists on record variously included Cripple Clarence Lofton, Blind John Davis, Black Bob, Kansas Joe McCoy, Papa Charlie McCoy, Big Bill Broonzy and Lonnie Johnson.

His 1947 release "Mother Fuyer" managed to escaped censorship.

Life and career Nelson Wilborn was born in Sumner, Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. where he regularly performed in their nightclubs. Others who accompanied Nelson on record were the pianists Charles Avery, Blind John Davis and Black Bob and the guitarists Kansas Joe McCoy, Papa Charlie McCoy and Big Bill Broonzy. His vocals were often held back from emotional extremes, to serve the fashion of the time.

"Mother Fuyer", a jump blues song in the dirty blues tradition (including the lyric "I got to put this mule to jumpin' in yo' stall, I'm a lovin' muther for ya") written and recorded by Nelson in 1947 under the nom de disque Dirty Red, was released by Aladdin Records as a 78-rpm 10" shellac disc. The sly title seems to have evaded the censors.

Nelson was described by more than one source as "an amiable alcoholic", although he maintained a working schedule in which he worked briefly with the Muddy Waters band in the 1960s. His whereabouts thereafter are shrouded in mystery, and, rather oddly, there appears to be no surviving photograph of him. He was known to like double entendres, which may have explained his brief excursion from normality.

Nelson died in March 1970, aged 62, in Chicago.