Arthur Blind Blake

Arthur Blind Blake   1927

Born in either Jacksonville, Florida, or Newport News, Virginia, in 1896, ragtime and blues guitarist, Arthur Blake, is better known as Blind Blake, possibly born with a handicap not unusual to early blues musicians and for which cause they couldn't work, thus busked the streets as musicians. It isn't known, however, if Blake performed for a living in this common way since his early life is a void until signing on with Paramount Records. Blake scratched 80 tracks for Paramount between 1926 and 1932. His first release was 'Early Morning Blues' in 1926 with 'West Coast Blues' the B side of Paramount 12387, those gone down circa August of 1926. Other titles followed that year to as late as a possible session in December with Ma Rainey on such as 'Little Low Mama Blues' and 'Grievin' Hearted Blues'. Numerous titles by Blake are variously credited to Charles Blake or variations thereat like Blake C and Charlie Blake. I've noted such below as found [like in Honkingduck]. These are likely pseudonyms. Titles not credited to Blake below might be too much to presume to be by him.

'Early Morning Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake   First recording issued

Recorded c Aug 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 2668   Paramount 12387

Composition: Blind Blake

'West Coast Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake   Second recording issued

Recorded c Aug 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 2669   Paramount 12387

Composition: Blind Blake

'Too Tight'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Oct 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 3059-2   Paramount 12431

Composition: Charles Blake

'Blake's Worried Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Oct 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 3060-2   Paramount 12442 / Broadway 5040

Composition: Blind Blake

'Come On Boys Let's Do That Messin' Around'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Oct 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 3061-1/-2   Paramount 12413

Composition: Charles Blake

'Skeedle Loo Doo Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Nov 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 3073-1/-2   Paramount 12413

Composition: Charles Blake

'Stonewall Street Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Nov 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 3081-1   Paramount 12431

Composition: ?

'Down the Country'   Arthur Blind Blake backing Leola B. Wilson

Recorded c Nov 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 4012-2   Paramount 12444

Composition: Leola B. Wilson

'Back Biting Bee Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake backing Leola B. Wilson

Recorded c Nov 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 4013-2   Paramount 12444

Composition: Bessie Smith [ODP]

'Little Low Mama Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake backing Ma Rainey

Recorded c Dec 1926 in Chicago   Matrix 4019-2   Paramount 12419

Violin: Leroy Pickett   Composition: Ma Rainey

Blake composed the bulk of titles presented herein. Among those not his own is 'He's In the Jailhouse Now' of 1927, that a vaudeville tune numerously recorded by such Jimmie Rodgers in 1928, the Memphis Sheiks (Memphis Jug Band) in 1930, Webb Pierce in 1955 and Johnny Cash in 1962. Discogs credits 'He's In the Jailhouse Now' to Al Miller and J. Mayo Williams of which there is no mention in Wikipedia. This one of the titles he also issued on Broadway Records by the pseudonym, Blind George Martin.

'Dry Bone Shuffle'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded 13 or 14 April 1927 in Chicago   Matrix 4462-2   Paramount 12479

Composition: ?

'Hard Road Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Oct 1927 in Chicago   Matrix 20107-2   Paramount 12583

Composition: Blind Blake / M. Williams

'He's In the Jailhouse Now'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Nov 1927 in Chicago   Matrix 20147-1   Paramount 12565

Issued as Blind George Martin on Broadway 5053

Banjo: Gus Cannon   Composition: Al Miller / J. Mayo Williams [Discogs]

'Back Door Slam Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded c Sep 1928 in Chicago   Matrix 20874-1   Paramount 12710

 Composition: ?

Blake is recognized to this day as a masterful guitar player, picking in particular, as exampled on such as 'Diddie Wah Diddie' and 'Police Dog Blues' in 1929. Blake featured in the traveling vaudeville show, 'Happy Go Lucky', in 1930 and 1931. He recorded his final tracks circa June of 1932 for Paramount being 'Champagne Charlie Is My Name' and 'Depression's Gone From Me Blues'. Both Gayle Dean Wardlow and Stefan Grossman have cast doubt if 'Champagne Charlie Is My Name' is actually by Arthur Blake on grounds that neither the guitar nor voice sound like him [Jas Obrecht]. This title might also be misprinted on the Varsity issue, appearing as by "Billy James and his Orchestra" instead of "Billy James and his Guitar" as on the flip side for 'Depression Gone' [Wirz].

'Diddie Wah Diddie'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded 17 Aug 1929 in Richmond IN   Matrix 15459-A   Paramount 12888

Issued as Blind George Martin on Broadway 5105

Composition: Davis / Blake C [Discogs]

'Police Dog Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded 17 Aug 1929 in Richmond IN   Matrix 15463   Paramount 12888

Issued as Blind George Martin on Broadway 5105

Composition: Blind Blake / A. Lamoore [Discogs]

'Georgia Bound'   Arthur Blind Blake

Recorded 17 Aug 1929 in Richmond IN   Matrix 15466   Paramount 12824

Composition: Palmer / C. Blake

'Stingaree Man Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake backing Chocolate Brown (Irene Scruggs)

Recorded 26 May 1930 in Grafton WI   Matrix L-325-1   Paramount 12944

Composition: Irene Scruggs

'Champagne Charlie Is My Name'   Arthur Blind Blake   Next to last recording

Prob June 1932 in Grafton WI   Matrix L-1475-2

Paramount 13137   Crown 3357

Issued on Varsity 6002 as Billy James and his Orchestra

Composition: Blake C

Some dubiety per above if this is actually Blind Blake

'Depression's Gone From Me Blues'   Arthur Blind Blake   Last recording

Prob June 1932 in Grafton WI   Matrix L-1476-2

Paramount 13137   Crown 3357

Issued on Varsity 6002 as Billy James and his Guitar

Composition: Prob Blind Blake

Blake died young at age 37 or 38 of tuberculosis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 1, 1934.