Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-06-09

Blind COm's E:aurels liable TO be
taken by Blind John.
st. Louis Republican, June 2.

A concert was given last evening at St.
PauTs Chapel, Eleventh Street and
Christy avenue, By blind John, who is
certainly what is claimed for him, a great
musical prodigy. Although but seventeen
years of age be gives evidence of a must
cal talent which fairly entities him to rank
as peer of thetamous Blind Tom, and at no
distant day to excel the latter. Blind John
i native Missourian, but just where he
was born is not definitely known, though Il
ciIizen of WsrTensburg has known him
since he was three years of age This is his
first tour in the State of Iowa and the pOr-
tons OF Nj ouri and n ebraska, in viii b
b. has given public concerts, he has met
with fair SUCCESS financially; and every
where has sstonished his audiences by re-
markable executions ne has given.
He played last evening at the opening
seVeraI difficult selections, and the finger
ing was most adrOlt.
His manager and travelling companion,
John LAnge Of Columbia No, then in
vited any one present To come forward and
play piece, and Blind John, he .dded
W uld initiate It II st the organist Of tn
play ed piece. AS on as she had finish
ed Blind John took his seat at the piano
and ratified eff the piede, with but few
mistakes. He does not claim to be ahsO-
iutely accurate, but merely to i'm tate and
play the piece through, so that no one
can fail to recognize it ss the same In
this he succeeded admirably well and was
loudly applauded Prof Wilson, of the
Sumner High School, also played piece,
aud John initiated him in remarkable
manner.
a fer that Blind John took a mouth
harp, and said he would first play Sweet
Home" the way the ladies of St. Louis
sing it, He brought in variations and
made some delightful music on that little
instrument. Then he showed how the Car
ondOlet girls sing the same piece when they
are practicng fr a country exhibition,
The latter rendition WAS most lud'Crous.
play i-.g victim, followed by the mutation
of an old fashioned country darky IL log
cabin. TIL va: very amusing.
He then stationed himself some distance
from the p ano aud Mr. Laoge request Ell
any one to hold up an article. He touched
Sotes on the piano, ami by this means
Blind John told what was held up His
Smelling was quite odd: A fan Was held up.
Ia e, fan" cried the blind boy.
''W-h>a eh, watch h-a-ne cher-ier"
He spelled glove 'gluv". A girl stood up
and John yelled out with laugh, w hos
holding he ?' This brought down the
house.
He next played on the piano, initiating
the violin like it is played around St
Charles He brought in Uncle Jesse
Roundhouse' and other familiar comic
dancing tunes. His next exhibition WAS
one of the best of the evening. He played
two distinct pieces ut the same time,
Yankee Doodle and Fishers Horn
pipe and conversed with several parties
at the same moment. He could hot be
puzzled.
Among other renditions lest night were
Blind Toms Thunderstorm, Initiating
the rum bling sounds of TUNER at a dis
lance, and a wind storm; Gottschalk's
Last Hope Nearer, my God, TO Thee
with his own variations; banjo imitation
and concluded with Blind Toms Battle
of Manasse'
While heis playing, Blind Holm appears
quite nervous swaying rapidly back ward
and forward, and ems to throw his whole
soul into his wO k. He is natural born
| musician. and is most passionately fond of
| the art He can perform on almost ny in
| strument except the violin. The first in
Duration given of his fOndness for instru-
| mental music was at the age of five Years
| He would then place n tin cup over his ear
and drum upon it with the tips of his fin
gers He would eagerly seize hold of
anything, sue horn or common
| harp, and even on these instruments soon
| learned to make al! kinds of limitations.
| he has always preference for the piano,
and fairly hOls over with joy when seated
al this instrument