Smokey Hogg

Andrew "Smokey" Hogg (January 27, 1914 – May 1, 1960) was an American post-war Texas blues and country blues musician.

Life and career Hogg was born near Westconnie, Texas, and grew up on a farm. He was taught to play the guitar by his father, Frank Hogg.

His two-part "Penitentiary Blues" (1952) was a remake of the prison song "Ain't No More Cane on the Brazos". which was also recorded by Bob Dylan and the Band in 2005

Hogg's style was influenced by Broonzy, Peetie Wheatstraw and Black Ace. This idiosyncratic timing relied on a fluid bar count where Hogg would spontaneously extend vocal lines, leaving his backing studio musicians to improvisational tracking.

His music was popular with record buyers in the South during the late 1940s and early 1950s, and he continued to work and record until the end of the 1950s.

Relatives and others Hogg was reputed to be a cousin of Lightnin' Hopkins and to be distantly related to Alger "Texas" Alexander, but both claims are ambiguous.

Hogg's cousin John Hogg was also a blues musician; he recorded for Mercury Records in 1951.

He is not to be confused with Willie "Smokey" Hogg, a musician based in New York City in the 1960s.

Selected discography

Angels in Harlem (Ace CDCHD-419; Specialty SPCD-7020, 1992) Deep Ellum Rambler (Ace CDCHD-780, 2000) Serve it to the Right (The Combo and Modern Recordings 1947–52) (Ace CDCHD-866, 2002) Midnight Blues (Ace CDCHD-1019, 2004) Who's Heah! – Selected Singles 1947–1954 (Jasmine JASMCD-3144, 2020) The Andrew "Smokey" Hogg Collection 1937–57 (Acrobat ADDCD-3351, 2020) 2-CD The Texas Blues of Smokey Hogg (Ace CDCHD-1588, 2021)