Uncle Bud

In Texas among the old timers you sometimes hear about somebody going to see Uncle Bud or going to Uncle Bud's hotel. One may wonder who exactly was Uncle Bud and where was his hotel. Uncle Bud Russell worked for the Texas prison system from 1905 until 1948. His hotel was the Texas State Penitentiary. As the Chief Transfer Agent, Uncle Bud drove across Texas picking up prisoners from the county jails and taking them to Huntsville. In his career, Uncle Bud was in charge of some 115,000 prisoners. Only one prisoner ever escaped, and that prisoner was recaptured trying to cross the border at El Paso. Uncle Bud, of course, picked him up and drove him to Huntsville.

The long-driving prison agent not only made it into Texas vernacular but also made it into song. Lead Belly referenced Uncle Bud in "Midnight Special" and Lightnin' Hopkins wrote "Bud Russell Blues." Both of those fine bluesmen slept at Uncle Bud's a time or two.

Here's a link to "Bud Russell Blues":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmuzeyVqcsM