{"id":1436,"date":"2021-04-24T15:08:43","date_gmt":"2021-04-24T15:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/folksyblues.com\/?page_id=1436"},"modified":"2021-04-24T15:08:43","modified_gmt":"2021-04-24T15:08:43","slug":"napoleon-strickland","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksyblues.com\/?page_id=1436","title":{"rendered":"Napoleon Strickland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Napoleon Strickland<\/strong>\u00a0(October 1, 1919\u00a0\u2013 July 21, 2001), sometimes known as\u00a0Napolian Strickland,<\/strong>\u00a0was a fife and drum blues artist, and songwriter, and vocalist specializing in\u00a0country blues, specifically\u00a0North Mississippi Hill Country Blues. He also played guitar, drums, harmonica, fife, and all manner of percussion instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born near\u00a0Como\u00a0east of the Mississippi Delta in hill country, Napoleon Strickland learned music as a boy from his father. Later\u00a0Othar Turner\u00a0taught him how to play. He became adept with guitar, drums, harmonica,\u00a0diddley bow, fife, and all manner of percussion. He was primarily a fife player and singer, playing a great number of festivals. He also performed on several compilation albums of North Mississippi\u00a0Hill Country Blues, as the music was recorded in the late 20th century. He appeared in the biopic documentary film,\u00a0The Land Where The Blues Began<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strickland was considered by many to have been the premier fife player of his genre. He made a living as a\u00a0sharecropper\u00a0for most of his life, mentoring other musicians in the region. After a car accident, he was committed to a nursing home but continued to play for guests from his bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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