Biography
Born on 9 January 1901 in Byram, Mississippi, USA, and deceased on 12 February 1970 in Jackson, Mississippi, USA, Bracey delivered blues marked by blunt force, merging the raw edge of a combative youth with the moral intensity of the minister he later became, while avoiding the ornamental phrasing and studied polish that marked the approach of his peer Tommy Johnson. Instruction on guitar came from the Rev. Rubin Lacey, a musician with whom he regularly shared performances. Johnson and other players supported Bracey during appearances at African American social functions in the Jackson area. Their joint Victor session in 1928 produced his earliest recordings, yet the two never performed together on disc. Charley McCoy supplied mandolin-styled guitar lines that offset Bracey’s nasal delivery and plain-spoken playing to strong effect. Ernest Michall’s clarinet, however, proved an awkward addition during the Paramount date of 1930. After accepting religion in 1951 and gaining ordination in the Baptist church, Bracey maintained a firm refusal to perform blues thereafter.