Mance Lipscomb, born in 1895, was one of the last of the nineteenth-century songsters, a tradition that predated the development of the blues and incorporated a wide variety of material in diverse styles, including ballads, tags, dance pieces, and popular, sacred, and secular songs. He started playing music at an early age, accompanying his father at local suppers, dances, and other events in and around Navasota. After his discovery at age 65 by Chris Strachwitz, founder of Arhoolie Records, and music historian Mack McCormick, he spent many years traveling around the US to perform at folk festivals and clubs. He was recognized both for his virtuosity as a guitarist and his vast knowledge of over 300 songs. Six record albums were produced during his lifetime, five for Arhoolie Records and one for Reprise Records. Stories of his life, including his first job in 1908 as a buggy driver for Navasota City Marshal Frank Hamer, were published in the book I Say Me For A Parable by Glen Alyn. The oral and written history of Mance Lipscomb is stored in the Lipscomb/Alyn Collection at Dolph Briscoe Center for American History in Austin. He died in January 1976 and is buried in Navasota at Rest Haven Cemetery.

Photo: James Hulse

Photo: James Hulse

Photo: James Hulse