Group & Last Name Index to Full History:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Tracks are listed in chronological order by year, then alphabetically.
Listings do not reflect proper order by month or day: later oft precedes earlier.
Find on Page = F3. Not on this page? See history tree below.
Featured on this page loosely in order of first recording if not record release (as possible).
Names are alphabetical, not chronological, per year:
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Caveats in the employment of this page: 1. It
descends in chronological order by the year the artist or band is first
found on a commercial record issue (ideally) by year only, alphabetical
thereat. One musician above another doesn't necessarily translate to earlier
issue unless the year changed. 2. Though release dates are the aim with
links to YouTube, some are recording dates and may not be everywhere clearly
distinguished. 3. Reissues are used to represent originals without much
discussion. |
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| Formally, what distinguishes the blues from other musical genres is a
matter of bar and stanza structure, tonality (key) and flattened "blue"
notes. Otherwise, for some, the blues are a branch of folk music, deriving out of the
deep south (Louisiana, Mississippi). Good examples of that are in
Blues 1. But this page more views (for a large
part) the blues
deriving from early (urban) ragtime. (Ragtime blues in
Early Jazz 1, 2.)
Sessions data this page is largely
American Music.
References to the Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR 1,
2)
also point to sessions. Helpful synopsis of the blues genre at SAPM.
See also Scaruffi. |
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The term, "the blues," is
thought to have first been used in the ragtime sheet music of
Antonio Maggio
[1,
2], publishing a song titled, 'I Got the Blues', in 1908. In 1909
Robert Hoffman
published 'I'm Alabama Bound', also promoted as 'The Alabama Blues'
[*].
(There is speculation that the term was used as early as 1872 on a song
titled, 'Got Dem Blues', but no verification of such is found.) Little is known about either Maggio or Hoffman, but their sheet
music has been rendered by Dorian Henry below:
Antonio Maggio Composition: 1908
Pianist:
Robert Hoffman Composition: 1909
I'm Alabama Bound (The Alabama Blues)
Pianist: Dorian Henry |
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Hart Wand [1, 2], an Oklahoma City violinist and band leader, is generally credited with composing and publishing the "first" blues song, 'Dallas Blues', in 1912 (which entries above show to be not quite true). Wand was born in 1887 in Topeka. He was more a businessman than a composer. His father was a druggist with a drugstore in Topeka, then Oklahoma City upon the Land Rush in 1889. Wand inherited the business upon his father's death in 1909, whence he took it to Chicago, then New Orleans, then expanded sales throughout the world. He thus had little time to indulge in his love of music. Which may be why he didn't record 'Dallas Blues': the version to which this history points is rendered by pianist, Sue Keller. Wand died in New Orleans on August 9, 1960, 73 years of age. Wand at Discogs. Hart Wand Composition: 1912 Pianist: Sue Keller
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Hart Wand Source: Wikipedia
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William Christopher Handy Source: Historic Memphis |
William Handy [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10], a brass musician, is often called the "Father" of the blues. Born in Florence, Alabama, in 1873, Handy's parents were very religious, his father a pastor. The story goes that as a youth Handy had saved money to buy a guitar. But upon doing so his father made him return it, then enrolled him in organ lessons, the guitar an instrument associated with the undesirable, the organ otherwise. But Handy didn't like playing organ. So he purchased a cornet. It isn't known what his parents thought of that instrument. But Handy kept his membership in a local band secret. He put together his first band, the Lauzetta Quartet, in 1892, which disbanded the same year. But the next year finds Handy playing cornet at the Chicago World's Fair. At age 23 (1896) Handy became leader of Mahara's Colored Minstrels, with which he toured from Chicago to points south, including Texas and Cuba. In 1900 Handy began teaching music at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes. But Handy preferred Southern folk to classical, so in 1902 he put together a minstrel group and traveled throughout Mississippi to study the blues. Handy eventually took his band to Memphis in 1909 where they played the clubs on Beale Street, now long since famous as the hub of Delta blues. It was 1912 when he published the sheet music for 'Memphis Blues' (originally titled 'Mister Crump'). Various versions below include an early piano roll by Eubie Blake, an instrumental band version, a vocal version and, finally, a solo version by Handy himself. Handy's first record issues were in 1917 w his Orchestra of Memphis: Red Hot Jazz lists his first recording date to issue as Sep 21, 1917, for 'Fuzzy Wuzzy Rag' (Columbia A2421/2910) in New York City. Flip to that was 'The Snaky Blues' on A2421. Three days later he recorded 'Bunch o Blues' for issue on Columbia A2418/2911. Note the small number of issues by recording giant, Columbia Records, at that time. [Columbia then 1, 2, 3, 4, 5/Columbia now 1, 2, 3]. Founded in 1987 to issue cylinders, the behemoth began selling discs in 1901. Its main competitors were Edison Records founded in 1888 [history 1, 2, 3/ Discogs] and the Victor Talking Machine Company founded in 1901 [1, 2/Victor Victrola phonograph/see also the Gramophone Company founded in 1988 in London 1, 2 (His Masters Voice), 3 (HMV)]. RCA (Radio Corporation of America) [*], defunct since 1986, would acquire Victor in 1929 [*]. Red Hot Jazz has Handy recording with his Memphis Blues Band in 1922 [*], issuing such as 'Early Every Morn'/"Loveless Love' (Paramount 12011). Paramount had been founded in 1917, another large label long since gone defunct (Great Depression year of 1932). Red Hot Jazz has Handy recording with the W.C. Handy Orchestra in 1923, such as 'Aunt Hager's Blues'/'Louisville Blues' (Okeh 8046). Founded in 1918, Okeh was purchased by Columbia in 1926 [*], the same year Handy began writing five books concerning the blues. 1929 saw the release of 'Aframerican Hymn'/'Let’s Cheer the Weary Traveler' (Paramount #12719) with his Sacred Singers In his later years he moved to Harlem where he was blinded by a fall from a subway platform in 1943. (So many Southern blues artists were either born blind or blinded along the way that one could think such requisite to being a blues musician. Rather phenomenal even when one consider that there were few ways for a blind person to survive in those past years but by busking on the streets for change.) Handy died ion March 28, 1958 [*], of bronchial pneumonia. His funeral was attended by some 25,000, another 150,000 in the streets. Various credits for Handy at Discogs 1, 2, 3, 4. X in visual media. Per below, 'St. Louis Blues' and 'Bunch of Blues' are recordings by Handy. Versions of 'Yellow Dog Blues' below include its third recording in 1919. Handy expected to earn about a hundred dollars from it. But it was so successful that it's turned out to be his highest selling issue. The second version below is a piano solo, thanks again to pianist Sue Keller [*]. William Handy ? Composition 1912 Piano roll by Eubie Blake William Handy 1914 Composition 1912 Recorded July 15 by the Victor Military Band Composition 1912 Recorded October 2 by Morton Harvey William Handy ? Composition 1912 William Handy William Handy 1917 William Handy 1919 Composition 1914 Joseph Smith Orchestra William Handy 1939 Composition: 1914 William Handy ? Composition 1914 Pianist: Sue Keller
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Mamie Smith |
Born in Cincinnati in 1883, Mamie Smith ("Queen of the Blues"), a vaudeville singer, was the first black woman to record vocal blues [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9/Sessionographies: 1 (chrono), 2 (alpha), 3 /Discography w session dates. See also 'Harlem Renaissance Lives' (Cary Wintz)]. Smith had begun her career at age ten by joining a dancing troupe called the Four Dancing Mitchells. She then joined a troupe called the Smart Set. In 1913 she began singing in clubs in Harlem. Smith laid out her first title on Jan 10, 1920, an unissued test recording of 'That Thing Called Love'' w Smith on piano and vocals. That went down again on Valentine's Day w Smith backed by the Rega Orchestra toward the July release of 'That Thing Called Love '/'You Can ́t Keep a Good Man Down' on Okeh 4113, those w Frank Banta on piano. Her next session on August 20 was with her Jazz Hounds toward 'Crazy Blues'/'It ́s Right Here For You (If You Don't Get It Tain't No Fault of Mine)' released on Okeh 4169 in October. Her third session of 1920 was on Sep 12 toward the Dec issue of 'Fare Thee Honey Blues'/'The Road Is Rocky (But I Am Gonna Find My Way)' (Okeh 4194). Her final sessions in 1920 were held on Nov 6 and 7 toward 'Memories of You, Mammy'/'If You Don't Want Me Blues' (Okeh 4228) and 'Don ́t Care Blues'/'Lovin ́ Sam From Alabam' (Okeh 4253) released the next year. The term, 'blues', was only beginning to be used at the time Smith began recording. (WC Handy's 1914 'Yellow Dog Rag' became 'Yellow Dog Blues' in 1922.) Having little notion how well Smith and her Jazz Hounds would do in a threefold brand new market (black female blues), no doubt someone uttered an awakened "Wow!" as 'Crazy Blues' headed toward a million copies sold. Upon the great success of 'Crazy Blues' Smith continued recording as she toured both the United States and Europe with her band. Of the four famous early female blues vocalists named Smith, none related, Mamie's biggest rivals were Bessie and Clara, Trixie not so much. Smith made her debut film appearance in 'Jailhouse Blues' in 1929. Her last known recording was also for film, 'Lord! Lord!' in 1942 with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra for the short feature, 'Because I Love You'. That would later get issued on 'Mamie Smith Vol 5: Goin' Crazy With The Blues' (1924-1942). Smith died September 16, 1946. A partial list of Smith's recordings with compositional credits. See also australiancharts. Smith at 45worlds. At discogs: 1, 2. Per 'Crazy Blues' below, Bradford had originally titled it 'Harlem Blues'. Mamie Smith 1920 Composition: Perry Bradford Mamie Smith 1921 Composition: Howard Rogers/Maceo Pinkard Co-written w Jimmy Durante Music: Busse/Mueller/Johnson Lyrics: Leo Wood Mamie Smith 1926 Composition: Andy Razaf/J.C. Johnson Mamie Smith 1929 Mamie Smith 1931 Composition: Quintin Redd Mamie Smith 1935 Film Composition: Perry Bradford
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Born in 1895 in Memphis, jazz vocalist, Alberta Hunter, began her career as a ballroom singer before touring Europe in 1917, the same year she began appearing at the Dreamland in Chicago for the next five years. Among Hunter's first releases were 'How Long Daddy, How Long' and 'Bring Back the Joys' (Black Swan 2008) from a couple sessions thought be have been in May 1921. Hunter was behind the blues standard, 'Down Hearted Blues' composed w Lovie Austin for release in the summer of 1923 by Bessie Smith (Columbia 3844). IBDB has her performing on Broadway for the first time in 'Change Your Luck' in June of 1930. he entertained troops during the World War II and the Korean conflict, then invented a high school diploma and studied to become a nurse. She was working at the Goldwater Memorial Hospital in NYC when she began recording again in 1961, to issue the album, 'Songs We Taught Your Mother'. Upon retiring from nursing in 1977 Hunter, now more than eighty years old, revived her music career. Her last studio album, 'Look for the Silver Lining', was released in 1983, she dying the following year. Hunter was a lesbian, her marriage to Willard Townsend in 1919 a brief one, as she had already met her life companion, Lottie Tyler, in Chicago at the Panama Café a couple years earlier. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Sessions: 1, 2. Discographies: 1, 2, 3. Compilations: 'The Alberta Hunter Collection 1921-1940' by Acrobat. Collections: New York Public Library. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3. Alberta Hunter 1921 How Long Sweet Daddy, How Long Composition: Jones/Taylor Alberta Hunter 1927 Organ: Fats Waller Music: Maceo Pinkard Lyrics: Sidney Mitchell/Edna Alexander Alberta Hunter 1935 You Can't Tell the Difference After Dark Composition: Maceo Parker Alberta Hunter 1978 Composition: Otis Blackwell/Jimmy Jones
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Alberta Hunter Source: Britannica |
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Born in Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1896, Ethel Waters ("Blackbird") [1, 2, 3, 4, 5/Film] began her career largely with blues, shifted to jazz while becoming a Broadway superstar, then became s gospel vocalist in her latter years. She is credited as the first black female vocalist to make her name on Broadway [1, 2]. She began recording in 1921 [*], 'The New York Glide' and 'At the New Jump Steady Ball'followed by 'Oh Daddy' and 'Down Home Blues' [ disco]. Waters had married at age thirteen. But he was abusive, to which she preferred to become a maid in Philadelphia. At age 17 she attended a nightclub costume party at which she was requested to sing a couple songs. That led to her first professional gig at Lincoln Theatre in Baltimore. Ten dollars a week, with tips thrown on stage by the audience taken by the managers, after which she began touring the vaudeville circuit to considerable success. She eventually settled in Harlem where she played the clubs (eventually the prestigious Cotton Club) and began recording, making such a name for herself that she would soon be working with such as Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson. Her first film appearance is thought to be 'On With the Show' in 1929, though she earlier played Broadway as well. IBDB has her in the Broadway production of 'Africana' in 1927. Her first film appearance is thought to have been 'On With the Show' in 1929. Highlighting the thirties was another first in the entertainment industry, her own television show in 1939, a variety hour called 'The Ethel Waters Show'. Encyclopedia.com has her career commencing its decline in the mid forties upon the robbery on an unidentified date of $45,000 worth of her cash and jewelry. Doubleday published her autobiography, 'His Eye Is on the Sparrow', in 1951. Six years later she sang at her first Billy Graham Crusade at Madison Square Park, NYC. 1972 saw the publication of her memoir, 'To Me, It's Wonderful'. Waters died in California on September 1, 1977, 80 years of age [*]. Recordings w various credits at australiancharts and discogs. Lyrics at *. Televised interview in 1972 on the 'Dick Cavett Show'. More Ethel Waters at A Birth of Swing Jazz and under pianist James Johnson in Early Jazz 2. Ethel Waters 1921 Composition: Tom Delaney Composition: Ed Herbert/William Russell Ethel Waters 1929 Film: 'On With the Show' Composition: Harry Akst/Grant Clarke
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Ethel Waters Photo: Carl Van Vechten Source: Ethel Waters
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Sara Martin Sylvester Weaver Source: Terry's Songs |
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1884, Sara Martin [1, 2, 3, 4] was a highly popular blues vocalist who started her career doing vaudeville, later moving on to jug band music. Her first recording is thought to have been for Okeh in NYC on October 17, 1922, with Clarence Williams on piano: 'Sugar Blues' [Lord's Disco]. They also put down 'Achin' Hearted Blues' that month. She moved from Okeh to Columbia for her next session on November 18 with Arthur Whetsol (trumpet), Claude Hopkins (piano) and Elmer Snowden (banjo) to lay down 'I Loved You Once' and 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do'. She was back with Okeh on December 1 for another rendition of 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do' with 'You Got Ev'ry Thing', those with pianist, Fats Waller. Another session with Waller followed a couple weeks later on the 14th for 'Mama's Got the Blues' and 'Last Go Round Blues'. April 6 of 1923 found Martin with Williams again for 'Keeps on a-Rainin'' and 'Joe Turner Blues'. Williams would be among the more important figures in Martin's career, he supporting her operation throughout her next five years with Okeh to circa December of 1928 in Long Island City, NY, for 'Mean Tight Mama', 'Mistreatin' Man Blues' and 'Kitchen Man Blues'. Guitarist, Sylvester Weaver, was another of her companions, they recording 'I've Got To Go And Leave My Daddy' on October 24, 1923, for issue on Okeh 8104. 'Longing for Daddy Blues' also went down on 24 October toward release on Okeh 8117. They saw multiple sessions together in various small configurations until August 30, 1927, witnessed their last duets together, such as 'Loving is What I Crave' and 'Orn'ry Blues' issued on Okeh 8513. Following her recording career with Okeh, Martin appeared in films, 'Hello Bill' in 1929 and 'Darktown Revue' in 1931. She also worked during that period as a stage performer, touring eastern cities as well as the Caribbean. Martin pulled out of the music business in 1932 to run a nursing home in Louisville. She died of stroke on May 24 of 1955. Various discographies w various credits at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. HMR Project. Sara Martin 1922 Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do Composition: Porter Grainger/Everett Robbins 1922 Sara Martin 1923 With Clarence Williams Composition: Billy Smythe/Ben Brown/Syl Yunker 1923 Sara Martin 1924 I'm Gonna Be a Lovin' Old Soul Jug band Sara Martin 1927 With Sylvester Weaver Composition: Charles Price Jones 1904 Sara Martin 1928 With King Oliver
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Born in Atlanta in 1895, Trixie Smith [1, 2, 3/See also 'Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance' (Cary Wintz/Paul Finkelman)] attended Selma University in Alabama before heading to New York where she began working minstrels and vaudeville. She first recorded in c Sep 1921 in NYC toward Black Swan 2019 issued in 1922: 'Desperate Blues' and 'Trixie's Blues' [disco]. A session with James Johnson's Harmony Eight followed in March for 'You Missed a Good Woman' and 'Long Lost Weary Blues' toward release on Paramount 12162. A couple titles followed in April before two with the Jazz Masters in September: 'Give Me That Old Slow Drag' and 'My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)'. That was followed in October by what are thought to be her first with her band, the Down Home Syncopators: "I'm Through with You as I Can Be', 'Take It Daddy' and 'Just a Little Bit More'. Of the four famous early female blues vocalists named Smith, none related, Trixie's rivals who were Bessie, Clara and Mamie were considerably more successful. Which isn't to say, however, that Trixie wasn't. Issuing nearly 50 titles, she shook legs with premiere musicians like Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra in January of 1925 for 'Everybody Loves My Baby' and 'How Come You Do Me Like You Do?'. He joined her Down Home Syncopators the next month for 'You've Got to Beat Me to Keep Me' and 'Mining Camp Blues'. Upon the waning of her career as a blues vocalist in the latter twenties Smith made her living in cabaret and stage revues. In the thirties she made four film appearances. Her last recording is thought to have been on June 14 of 1939 for 'No Good Man' (Decca 7617) with a group including Henry Red Allen on trumpet and Sid Catlett on drums. That would later get issued on 'Trixie Smith Vol 2 1925-1939'. Unfortunately Smith died relatively young in New York, age 48, on September 21, 1943. A partial list of Smith's recordings with compositional credits. See also 45worlds and discogs. Other than those noted below she composed such as 'Mining Camp Blues' in 1925 and 'Trixie Blues' in 1938. Trixie Smith 1922 Composition: J. Berni Barbour With Louis Armstrong Composition: Trixie SmithThe World's Jazz Crazy and So Am I Composition: Trixie SmithTrixie Smith 1938 Composition: Thomas Dorsey/Everett Murphy Composition: Gerry/House Composition: J. Berni Barbour
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Trixie Smith Source: Yehoodi |
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| Born Irene Joy Gibbons in 1895 in St. Louis,
Eva Taylor
[1,
2,
3], the Dixie Nightingale, made her debut
recording in September 1922 with Black Swan Records in NYC: 'New Moon'. She had married pianist,
Clarence Williams, the
previous year. Taylor also recorded as Irene Gibbons. In addition to recording,
Taylor also performed on Broadway and radio, having her own show, 'Cavalcade',
in 1929 with NBC. She largely retired from the music industry in the forties,
but resumed upon the death of her husband, Williams, in 1965. Taylor died
herself on 31 October 1977 in New York. All videos below for year 1975 are Taylor live
in Copenhagen at age eighty. Sessions:
DAHR, Lord's Disco,
RedHotJazz,
Brian Rust.
Discographies: 1,
2,
3. Compilations: 'Not Just the Blues'
by Pavilion Records 1996. Eva Taylor 1922 Composition: Clarence Williams Eva Taylor 1923 Composition: Clarence Williams Composition: William Benton Overstreet Eva Taylor 1928 Music: Neil Morét (Charles Daniels) Lyrics: Gus Kahn With King Oliver Composition: Clarence Williams Jeannine I Dream of Lilac Time As Irene Gibbons with Clarence Williams Music: Nathaniel Shilkret Lyrics: L. Wolfe Gilbert Eva Taylor 1975 Copenhagen Composition: Jack Palmer/Spencer Williams Copenhagen Music: Maceo Pinkard Lyrics: Alex Belledna Music: George Meyer/Arthur Johnston 1924 Lyrics: Grant Clarke/Roy Turk Composition: Charley Straight/Gus Kahn Composition: Charley Straight/Gus Kahn
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Eva Taylor Source: Black Kudos |
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Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1887, pianist Lovie Austin [1, 2, 3, 4] studied music at Roger Williams University and Knoxville College in Knoxville before joining Ida Cox in Chicago in June of 1923 for 'Any Woman's Blues', ''Bama Bound Blues' and 'Lovin' Is the Thing I'm Wild About'. That same month Austin's ensemble, the Blues Serenaders, backed Cox on 'Graveyard Dream Blues' and 'Weary Way Blues' [rateyourmusic disco]. Austin and Cox would record numerously together to 1926. Among other vocalists Austin's Serenaders early supported was Ma Rainey, their first session together in December of '23 for tracks like 'Bo-Weavil Blues' and 'Those All Night Long Blues'. Upon the waning of her impressive career as a pianist Austin assumed the role for two decades of musical director for the Monogram Theater in Chicago. It was in Chicago that Austin died on July 10, 1972. Partial lists of Austin's recordings with songwriting credits at allmusic and discogs. See also 45Worlds and Red Hot Jazz 1, 2. Lovie Austin 1923 With Ida Cox Composition: Ida Cox With Ma Rainey Composition: Thomas Dorsey Lovie Austin 1924 With Ma Rainey Composition: Austin/Rainey Lovie Austin 1925 Composition: Thomas Dorsey
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Lovie Austin Source: Syncopated Times
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Born in Georgia in 1896, Ida Cox began recording blues in 1923. Cox had begun her career at age fourteen, leaving home to tour with White and Clark's Black & Tan Minstrels. She worked with several minstrel shows, most notably the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, while gaining experience in vaudeville. By 1920 she had largely put vaudeville behind her, now headlining as a blues singer, which performing with Jelly Roll Morton that year pretty much nailed. Since Mamie Smith was already "Queen of the Blues" Cox was billed as the "Uncrowned Queen of the Blues" when she began recording for Paramount in June of 1923 w Lovie Austin. In 1929 she and her husband, Jesse Crump, put together a tent show called 'Raisin' Cain' which enjoyed great popularity for a decade, during which time she was billed as the "Sepia Mae West". In 1945 Cox suffered a stroke during a show which forced her into retirement. Retreating to a quiet life in Knoxville, Tennessee, she did, however, make one last record release in 1961, an album titled 'Blues For Rampart Street'. Cox died on 10 November 1967 in Knoxville, Tennessee. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; musical 1, 2, 3, 4. Sessionographies: Lord's, RedHotJazz. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. See also HMR Project. Compilations: 'I Can't Quit My Man'. Cox composed titles below except as noted. Ida Cox 1923 Piano: Lovie Austin Composition: Lovie Austin Ida Cox 1925 Composition: Aletha Dickerson/Rose Taylor Wild Women Don't Have the Blues Ida Cox 1939 Composition: Ida Cox Ida Cox 1940 Composition: Brown/Ida Cox/Glascoe Ida Cox 1941 Composition: Ida Cox/Jesse Crump Ida Cox 1961 Album: 'Blues for Rampart Street' With Coleman Hawkins Composition: Ida Cox/Jesse Crump
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Ida Cox Source: Jonathan Bogart |
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Born Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe in 1890 in New Orleans, Jelly Roll Morton is thought to have begun his professional career at age fourteen, playing piano in a brothel. In 1904 he began composing while traveling the South with minstrel shows. In 1912 he began performing the vaudeville circuit with Rosa Brown. Among his first published compositions was 'Jelly Roll Blues' in 1915. He left for Hollywood in 1917, then Vancouver, where he played at a club called The Patricia. Back in Chicago in 1923, he recorded with his own orchestra as early as June, 1923, two takes each of 'Big Foot Ham' and 'Muddy Water Blues' in Chicago for Paramount. The next month he laid three piano solos for Gennett at its studios in Richmond, Indiana: 'King Porter' with two takes of 'New Orleans Joys'. July that year found him recording with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Morton's debut piano rolls are thought to have been made in the summer of 1924 for Vocalstyle in Cincinnati, Ohio: 'Mr. Jelly Lord', 'Tin Roof Blues' and 'Tom Cat Blues'. His career took off in a big way when he signed up with Victor in 1926 with his Red Hot Peppers band. Morton's first issues with the Peppers that year were 'Black Bottom Stomp', 'Smokehouse Blues' and two takes of 'The Chant'. During the Depression Victor chose to not renew Morton's contract. With work drying up in clubs, Morton turned to radio in 1934, then toured with a burlesque act to earn a living. In 1935 he moved to Washington D.C. to manage a bar called the Jungle Inn, which career path ended in 1938 upon being stabbed by a friend of the owner. It was also 1938 when he recorded for Eddie Lomax and the Library of Congress, resulting in 'The Complete Library of Congress Recordings', a production of 128 tracks set down between May 23 and June 12 with interviews (released as a box set of eight CDs in 2005). Morton died July 10, 1941, of complications arising from his stabbing in 1930 [*]. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Compositions (titles in red written by Morton). Discographies: 45worlds, Discogs, DoctorJazz, RedHotJazz, RYM. Rollography. Compilations: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3. More Jelly Roll Morton at Early Jazz 2. Titles below were composed by Morton except as noted. Jelly Roll Morton 1923 Jelly Roll Morton 1926 Jelly Roll Morton 1930 Jelly Roll Morton 1938 Composition: Scott Middleton/Billy Smythe 1915 Jelly Roll Morton 1939 Composition: King Oliver/Clarence Williams 1928
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Jelly Roll Morton Photo: Frank Driggs Collection Source: Mark Maynard |
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Born in 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Bessie Smith ("Empress of the Blues") [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11] recorded her first shellac for Columbia, 'Down Hearted Blues', in 1923 [disco], that recorded in NYC on February 15. Come 'Gulf Coast Blues' and 'Keeps on a-rainin'' on 16 February. Of the four famous early female blues singers named Smith, none related, Bessie was the most successful with Clara and Mamie serious rivals, Trixie not so much. Bessie was to become the highest paid black musician in the business. She had begun her career busking on the streets of Chattanooga with her brother, Andrew, who played guitar. In 1912 her oldest brother, Clarence, got her a job with a traveling dance troupe, which already had its own singer: Ma Rainey. The next year found Smith working at the "81" Theater in Atlanta, as well as on the TOBA (Theater Owners Booking Association) circuit. She was living in Philadelphia by the time she made her first recording with Okeh followed by Columbia. Playing theaters during winter months, touring in summer, Smith gathered some of the biggest names in jazz into her fold. October of 1923, for example, found her with Coleman Hawkins and Fletcher Henderson to record 'Any Woman's Blues'. December that year saw 'Chicago Bound Blues' and 'Mistreatin' Daddy' with Don Redman and Henderson. She started 1925 in NYC on January 14 with Louis Armstrong, recording such as 'St. Louis Blues' and 'Reckless Blues'. 1927 saw such as 'Black Water Blues' with pianist, James Johnson. Smith made a Broadway appearance in 1929 ('Pansy'), the same year as her only film appearance, a short two-reeler (20 minutes or so) titled 'St. Louis Blues'. Her last recordings occurred in November 1933 with Okeh Records, for which she was paid $37.50 per title (no royalties). Among those were 'Take Me for a Buggy Ride' and 'I'm Down in the Dumps'. Smith died young, age 43, in 1937, upon a highway accident in a car driven by her common-law husband, Richard Morgan [*]. Perhaps 10,000 mourners attended her funeral. But she went without a headstone until blues singer, Janis Joplin, bought her one in 1970. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Recordings by Smith with various credits at 45worlds, australiancharts. Compilations at All Music 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Discogs. Further reading: Gwen Thompkins. More Bessie Smith under James Johnson. HMR Project. Bessie Smith 1923 Composition: Alberta Hunter/Lovie Austin 1922 Composition: Lovie Austin Baby Won't You Please Come Home Composition: Charles Warfield/Clarence Williams 1919 T'ain't Nobody's Business If I Do Composition: Porter Grainger/Everett Robbins 1922 Bessie Smith 1925 Composition: Traditional Arrangement: Koenig/Williams/Handy Composition: Spencer Williams/Roger Graham 1915 With Louis Armstrong Composition: Fred Longshaw/Jack Gee Composition: W.C. Handy 1922 Bessie Smith 1927 Composition: Turner Layton/Henry Creamer 1918 Bessie Smith 1929 Composition: Spencer Williams Composition: Spencer Williams Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out Composition: Jimmy Cox 1923 Bessie Smith 1930 Composition: George Thomas Bessie Smith 1931 I Need a Little Sugar In My Bowl Composition: Clarence Williams/Tim Brymn Bessie Smith 1933 Composition: Coot Grant/Wesley Wilson
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Bessie Smith Source: Legacy Recordings |
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Clara Smith Source: Magic Old America
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Born in 1894 in South Carolina, Clara Smith ("Queen of the Moaners") [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] first recorded in 1923 in NYC with Fletcher Henderson at piano. Titles in May went unissued: 'I've Got Everything a Woman Needs' and 'Every Woman's Blues'. The same rendered in June saw release on Columbia A3943 [disco]. Of the four famous early female blues singers named Smith, none related, Bessie was the most successful with Clara and Mamie serious rivals, Trixie not so much. On October 4 of 1923 Clara and Bessie recorded a couple duets with Henderson at piano titled 'Far Away Blues' and 'I'm Going Back to My Used to Be'. Those got issued in Jan on Columbia 13007-D. In Nov the next year they released 'Nobody's Blues But Mine'/'My Man Blues' on Columbia 14098-D. Smith would record 122 tracks until 1932, Lord's Disco showing March 25 of that year the last in its chronology per '(I'm Tired of) Fattening Frogs for Snakes' and 'So Long Jim'. She moved to Detroit in 1933 to participate in theatre revues until she died young of heart attack in 1935 on February 2. Recordings by Smith with songwriting credits at australiancharts. redhotjazz and allmusic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. See also 45worlds and discogs. Clara Smith 1923 With Bessie Smith & Fletcher Henderson Composition: George Brooks Clara Smith 1924 Composition: Jimmy Foster Clara Smith 1926 Clara Smith 1928 Ain't Got Nobody to Grind My Coffee Composition: Bud Allen Clara Smith 1929 Composition: Spencer Williams
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Born Beulah Thomas in 1898 in Plum Bayou,
Arkansas, Sippie Wallace
[1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6] went to Chicago in 1923 with her brothers George
and Hersal (both musicians). She wasted no time acquiring a contract with
Okeh the same year, she recording 'Shorty George Blues' and 'Up the Country
Blues' in October of 1923
[disco]. In 1929 she moved to Detroit, largely trading
blues for gospel for the next three or four decades, singing as an organ
player at Leland Baptist Church. In 1966 she came out of retirement. She
began touring Europe with pianist, Little Brother Montgomery, in latter 1966. In 1967 she released the album, 'Sippie Wallace
Sings the Blues'. In 1970 she issued the album, 'Sippie Wallace and
Victoria Spivey' on
Spivey's label. She and much
younger guitarist
Bonnie Raitt began collaborating in the seventies. In 1982 she
issued 'Sippie' on
Atlantic 19350. She starred as herself in the film, 'Jammin' with the
Blues Greats', in 1982. Wallace toured Germany in 1984
to record 'An Evening with Sippie Wallace' in October with German pianist, Axel Zwingenberger. She died on her 88th birthday,
November 1, 1986, in
Detroit. 'Women Be Wise' was released posthumously in 1992 by Alligator. Discos:
45Worlds; DAHR:
1,
2,
3,
4;
Discogs;
RYM;
RHJ.
See also
AustralianCharts.
Wallace in visual media.
Wallace composed all tracks below except as annotated.
Sippie Wallace 1923 Composition: Hersal Thomas/George Thomas Sippie Wallace 1924 With Sidney Bechet Composition: Clarence Williams With Sidney Bechet Composition: Clarence Williams Piano: Clarence Williams Composition: Hersal Thomas/Sippie Wallace Sippie Wallace 1925 Piano: Hersal Thomas Piano: Hersal Thomas Piano: Hersal Thomas Composition: George Thomas Sippie Wallace 1926 With Louis Armstrong & Hersal Thomas Composition: Hersal Thomas Sippie Wallace 1929 Sippie Wallace 1945 Piano: Albert Ammons Composition: Danny Baxter/Fleecie Moore
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Sippie Wallace Europe 1966 |
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Virginia Liston Source: Past Blues |
Born in 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri,
Virginia Liston's life
[1,
2] remains largely unknown.
She began performing professionally
about 1912, several years before forming a vaudeville duo with her husband,
Samuel Gray, in 1920. That duo was called Liston and Liston, with which Liston
released her first issues from a session on September 18, 1923 in NYC for Okeh: 'Bed Time Blues' and 'You Thought I Was Blind'. Those were with pianist,
Clarence Williams. Liston's was a
very brief career, her last recordings in 1926, three years before her retirement
from the music industry. She died in June of 1932 in St. Louis, causes unknown.
Sessionographies: DAHR,
Lord's,
RedHotJazz.
Discographies: 1,
2. Virgina Liston 1923 Liston's 1st recording Composition: Sam Gray/Liston Liston's 2nd recording Composition: Sam Gray/Clarence Williams/Liston Virgina Liston 1925 I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle Composition: Perry Bradford I Ain't Got Nobody, Nobody Cares for Me Composition: Sam Gray/Clarence Williams/Liston I'm Sick of Fattening Frogs for Snakes Composition: Perry Bradford Virgina Liston 1926 Composition: Lovie Austin I'm Gonna Get Me a Man That's All Composition: Liston Composition: Liston
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Ma Rainey Source: Wikipedia |
Born Gertrude Pridgett in Columbus, Georgia, in 1886, Ma Rainey [1, 2, 3, 4] ("Mother of the Blues") released her debut recordings for Paramount, 'Bad Luck Blues' and 'Bo-Weavil Blues' in 1924 [discos: 1, 2] those among others per her first session in December, 1923, in Chicago. She was accompanied on those by the Blues Serenaders: Tommy Ladnier (cornet) Jimmy O'Bryant (clarinet) and Lovie Austin (piano). Rainey had begun her career as an adolescent in minstrel shows. She took the name, Ma Rainey, upon marrying Will Rainey in 1904, the same year both began touring with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. A decade later they put together their own tent show called Rainey and Rainey, in 1914. Being discovered by Paramount saw her soon recording with big names to come: a session on October 15, 1924, found her with Don Redman on clarinet and Fletcher Henderson on piano for 'Booze and Blues', 'Toad Frog Blues' and 'Jealous Hearted Blues'. A session the next day found her with Louis Armstrong on cornet and Buster Bailey on clarinet for such as 'See See Rider' and 'Countin' the Blues'. Pianist, Tommy Dorsey, supported her on tracks in '25 (: 'Army Camp Harmony Blues') and '28 (: 'Daddy Goodbye Blues'). It was Dorsey and Tampa Red in September of 1928 for 'Leavin' This Mornin' and 'Black Eye Blues'. With those names on her resumé Rainey could afford to tour in her own bus with her own name on it. Howsoever, Paramount just as swiftly determined her sound to be passé and dropped her the same year. She is thought to have made her last recordings in October and December of 1928 with Papa Charlie Jackson on banjo for ''Ma and Pa Poorhouse Blues' and 'Big Feeling Blues'. Rainey toured until 1933 when she returned to Georgia to run a couple of theaters she had purchased, dying of heart disease on December 22, 1939, 53 years of age. A list of Rainey's recordings with songwriting credits. See also 45worlds and discogs. Rainey composed 'Moonshine Blues' and 'Booze and Blues' below. Ma Rainey 1924 Composition: Lovie Austin Composition: Austin/Rainey Ma Rainey 1925 Ma Rainey 1926 Trumpet: Doc Cheatham Composition: Strathdene Parham
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Born in 1904 in Houston, pianist, Hociel Thomas
[1,
2,
3], was the daughter of pianist, George Thomas,
and niece of
vocalist,
Sippie Wallace. She headed for
Chicago in 1923/24. Hociel made her first blues recordings
for the Gennett label in April 1925, with her nephew, Hersal Thomas,
bcaking her on piano on
'I Can't Feel Frisky Without My Liquor' (#3004 w 'Morning Dove Blues' by
Marie Grinter on flip) and 'I Must Have It'/'Worried Down with the Blues'
(#3006) [*]. She began recording for Okeh in May of 1925: 'Worried Down
with the Blues'/'Fish Tail Dance' (#8222)
[*]. In latter '25 and early '26
she recorded several titles with Louis Armstrong's Jazz Four
[*], among
which 'Gambler's Dream' saw issue with 'Wash Woman Blues' on OKeh 8289. Titles w
Armstrong would see later release in Dec 1995
[itunes] on 'Hociel Thomas and
Lillie Delk Christian in Chronological Order 1925-1928' by Document Records
[*].
Into the Depression years Thomas dropped away from the music profession
until showing up in Oakland, California, to record her final tracks
with trumpeter, Mutt Carey, in 1946, those to get issued in 1954 on 'Plays
the Blues' (Riverside RLP 1042) [discogs]. Continuing onward to work
with Kid Ory in San Francisco, in
1948 she killed a sister in an argument during which she herself was permanently
blinded. Later acquitted of manslaughter, she died in 1952 of heart failure.
Among Thomas' compositions were 'Gambler's Dream', 'Sunshine Baby', 'Adam
and Eve Had the Blues', 'Put It Where I Can Get It' and 'I've Stopped My Man'.
HMR Project.
Hociel Thomas 1925 I Can't Feel Frisky Without My Liquor Backed by Hersal Thomas Composition: (Ivory Joe?) Hunter/Hersal Thomas Composition: Hociel Thomas With Louis Armstrong Okeh version Backed by Hersal Thomas Composition: Hociel & George Thomas Hociel Thomas 1926 Composition: Hociel Thomas With Louis Armstrong
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Hociel Thomas Source: Red Hot Jazz |
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| Born blind in Sherman, Texas, just south of eastern Oklahoma, in
1889 or '91 as Juanita Drane (possibly Drain),
"Arizona" Dranes
[1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7]
is thought to have composed such as 'Crucifixion', 'Sweet Heaven Is My
Home', 'God's Got a Crown', 'He Is My Story' and 'Just Look'. She learned piano as a
teenager after attending the Texas Institute for Deaf, Dumb and Blind
Colored Youth in Austin. She's an apt example of the divergence of blues
and gospel as well as the Holiness (Pentecostal) gospel of the Bible Belt region versus
the black gospel that
Thomas A Dorsey would
center in Chicago.
Dorsey was a Baptist but Pentecostals would soon take the
reins. As mentioned, Dranes was Pentecostal as well, belonging to the Church of God in Christ in
Wichita Falls. She first recorded with Okeh Records in 1926,
globaldogproductions documenting 10 possible tracks that year, a few of them
highly likely according to a 1976 Herwin Records release of Dranes'
recordings between 1926 and '28. Dranes is largely known due to having been
an influence on Dorsey's
black gospel
movement farther northeast in Illinois. Like Dorsey,
she had both merged blues and gospel in their sharing of common roots, and
distinguished them separately, one secular for playing at barrelhouses, the other spiritual
for performing in church. She
otherwise toured into the forties, drawing attention to
black gospel in general before settling
in Los Angeles in 1948. She there passed away in July of 1963,
black gospel yet rowing strong in
its golden period. Among Dranes' greatest
contributions was simply adding piano to gospel music that was usually
performed by a capella choral groups, then arranging voice to emphasized
piano rather than using the instrument only for accompaniment.
Roberta Martin would later
make similar use of the piano in gospel. Dranes discos at
1,
2,
3.
More documentation of Dranes in the 2012 book by Michael Corcoran, 'He is My
Story: The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes'
[*]. Arizona Dranes 1926 My Soul Is a Witness for the Lord Arizona Dranes 1928
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 Arizona Dranes Source: NPR |
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Victoria Spivey Source: Smokestack Lightnin' |
Born in Houston, Texas, in 1906, Victoria Spivey [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] composed most of her repertoire such as 'Dope Head Blues', 'Dirty T.B. Blues' and 'Don't Trust Nobody Blues'. Spivey's career began with her father who had a string band. When he died, she age seven, she continued performing at such as parties. In 1918 she left Houston for Dallas to accompany silent films at the Lincoln Theater, whence she began performing in nightclubs (also meeting Blind Lemon Jefferson). In 1926 she moved to St. Louis where she signed on to Okeh Records, recording 'Black Snake Blues' and ''Dirty Woman's Blues' on May 11, 1926. Two days later she was with Pierce Gist (cornet) and De Lloyd Barnes (piano) for 'Long Gone Blues' and 'No More Jelly Bean Blues'. Come August 13, 1926, for what may have been her first session with guitarist/violinist, Lonnie Johnson, perhaps with John Erby on piano for 'Big Houston Blues' and 'Got the Blues So Bad'. Johnson and Spivey would see one another numerously to 1929, Lord's disco showing a last date together for duets on July 3, those being two parts to 'You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now'. They would reunite in 1961 for tracks to Spivey's 'Idle Hours' and 'Woman Blues'. April 12 of 1965 found Johnson backing titles to 'The Queen and Her Knights'. Among the highlights of her early career was opportunity to put down tracks with King Oliver in 1928. On July 10 of 1929 she received the baking of jazz giant in the becoming, Louis Armstrong, Okeh to issue 'Funny Feathers' and 'How Do You Do It That Way?'. Her appearance as Missy Rose in the fiilm, 'Hallelujah!', saw release in August of 1929 before a couple sessions with Henry Red Allen in September and October. Spivey retired from the entertainment industry in 1951, then resumed her career ten years later per Lonnie Johnson above. Highlighting that period was a session on March 2 of 1962 for her own label, Spivey Records (1961-85), with guitarist, Big Joe Williams, and folk singer, Bob Dylan, for the title, 'It's Dangerous'. The last certain recording date given her in Lord's discography was at Chelsea House in Brattleboro, Vermont on May 22, 1976. Accompanied by Danny Russo, among others, they performed 'T.B. Blues' and 'Organ Grinder Blues'. Spivey died several months later of internal hemorrhage on October 3, 1976, she 69 years of age. Compositions by Spivey are noted at australiancharts, redhotjazz and allmusic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. See also 78 rpm, 45 rpm EPs and discogs. Titles below are thought to be written by Spivey except as noted. Victoria Spivey 1926 Composition: Spivey/Jesse Johnson Victoria Spivey 1927 Victoria Spivey 1929 Composition: Spivey/Reuben Floyd Victoria Spivey 1934 Composition: Hattie McDaniel Victoria Spivey 1936 Victoria Spivey 1963 Live performance Victoria Spivey 1976 You're My Man (Slick Chick Blues)
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Blues singer, Alger Texas Alexander [1, 2, 3], was born in Jewett, Texas, about 100 miles south of Dallas in 1900. Like other bluesmen, Alexander busked streets and sang at various gatherings, that when not working for the railroad. He is said to have performed with Blind Lemon Jefferson during his early days. He turned up in New York City in 1927 to make his first recordings with Okeh session guitarist, Lonnie Johnson. American Music has him in sessions on the 11th, 12th, 16th and 17th of August, starting with 'Long Lonesome Day Blues' (OKeh 8511) and 'Range In My Kitchen Blues' (OKeh 8526). In 1928 he would be backed by Johnson and guitarist, Eddie Lang. et al. AM wants his first that year with both of them on November 15 for 'Work Ox Blues' (OKeh 8658) and 'The Risin' Sun' (OKeh 8673). 1929 witnessed Alexander in San Antonio, TX, recording with guitarists, Little Hat Jones ('Ninety-Eight Degree Blues', et al) and Carl Davis ('Rolling Mill Blues', et al). June 9, 1930, brought titles in San Antonio with the Mississippi Sheiks (Bo Chatman at violin and Sam Chatman on guitar), such as 'She's So Far', 'Rolling and Stumbling Blues', et al. American Music (AM) shows a gap in sessions between 1930 and April 9, 1934, Alexander to record titles with his Sax Black Tams in San Antonio on that date like 'Blues in My Mind'/'Mistreatin' Woman' (Vocalion 02743), et al. Several titles followed later that September in Ft. Worth with likely guitarist, Willie Reed, such as 'Justice Blues'/'Easy Rider Blues' (Vocalion 02856). AM doesn't have Alexander in another session for sixteen years after September, 1934. That arrived in Houston in 1950 with Benton's Busy Bees, thought to be his final titles per 'Bottoms Blues' and 'Crossroads' (Freedom 1538). It's alleged and disputed if Alexander murdered his wife in 1939, then served five years in prison. Nor is it confirmed that he spent any time on a work farm for singing "lewd" lyrics. Alexander is thought to have spent his latter years in Houston. He died of syphilis on April 18, 1954. Recordings by him with composition credits at all music, australian charts and red hot jazz. See also 45worlds and discogs. All titles below are thought composed by Alexander. (Some sources confuse 'The Risin' Sun' with the traditional title of uncertain origin, 'The House of the Rising Sun'. The latter wasn't recorded until 1933 by country artists, Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster.) HMR Project. Texas Alexander 1927 Texas Alexander 1928 Cornet: King Oliver Guitar: Lonnie Johnson Texas Alexander 1929 With Little Hat Jones Texas Alexander 1934
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Alger Texas Alexander Source: Red Hot Jazz |
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DeFord Bailey Source: DeFord Bailey |
Born in 1899 in Tennessee, harmonica player,
DeFord Bailey
[1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8/Timeline], was more a country musician than bluesman
per se. Yet he something defies inclusion in the country categories of this
history as they are, more belonging on this page. Bailey
was the first musician to play on the
Grand Ole Opry in 1925 (officially 1927). The Grand Ole Opry was originally a Nashville
radio broadcast (WSM Radio) called 'Barn Dance', first airing in 1925. It's
name was changed due to a joke by radio announcer, George Hay, referring to
his country music broadcast as a grand opera. ('Barn Dance' followed a
classical music show.) To quote, as Hay was introducing Deford Bailey: "For
the past hour we have been listening to music largely from Grand Opera. But
from now on we will present the Grand Ole Opry." The name stuck, making
Bailey its first performer. Recording wasn't the focus of Bailey's career, but his first
were also in 1927, those on April 1 in Atlanta, GA: 'Pan American Express' with 'Hesitation Mama', neither issued. American Music
places his first session to issue on April 18
in New York City for his composition, 'Pan American Blues' (Brunswick 146,
Vocalion 5180). Other of Bailey's compositions were 'Ice Water Blues'
and 'Davidson County Blues', those spread along in Nashville on October 2,
1928 (Bluebird B5147). Recordings followed into the thirties, though DeFord was largely a radio performer, WSM Radio in particular.
He quit the music profession altogether in 1941
(though performing on rare occasions) upon being fired by WSM for playing
tunes forbidden without contract with ASCAP (the royalties organization).
Bailey thereafter made his living renting out rooms in his home and shining shoes.
Bailey died July 2, 1982]. Allmusic presents this list of
traditional compositions
recorded by Bailey. See also
discogs for various credits. Per 'Fox Chase' below, its first recorded version is
thought to have been by Henry Whitter on August 2, 1927, released November 4.
HMR Project.
DeFord Bailey 1927 Composition: Bailey from Bessie Smith of 1925 Composition: Bailey DeFord Bailey 1929 Composition: Bailey Composition: Bailey DeFord Bailey 1967 Composition: Traditional Television: Grand Old Opry Television: Grand Old Opry Composition: Bailey
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Memphis Jug Band Source: Memphis Flyer |
The Memphis Jug Band [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7/Disco] elementally meant Will Shade [1, 2, 3, 4] who was its leader for 39 years (1927 - 1963). Its members coming and going over the years, Shade himself was vocalist and played guitar and harmonica, leading the band until his death on September 18, 1966. The Jug Band is thought to have first recorded on February 24, 1927: 'Sun Brimmers Blues' and 'Stingy Woman Blues', 'Memphis Jug Blues' and 'Newport News Blues'. Its original members were Will Weldon (vocals/guitar) Charlie Polk (jug) and Ben Ramey (kazoo). Though Shade ran the group for decades to come it recorded for only several years, albeit seventy some titles. Lord's disco has them down for a title in Memphis as late as 1935: 'Papa's Got Your Water On'. Wikipedia has Shade's Jug Band on various field recordings years later from 1957 to 1964. Shade recorded titles during that period in 1961 w Gus Cannon and Laura Dukes to result in the 1989 release of '1961 with Friends at a Private Party in Memphis, Tenn.' by Document Records DLP 561. Titles by the Memphis Jug Band with songwriting credits at australiancharts, redhotjazz and allmusic 1, 2. See also 45worlds, EPs at 45cat and discogs. Memphis Jug Band 1927 Composition: Clayton Shade/Jennie Mae Clayton/Will Shade I Packed My Suitcase, Started to the Train Composition: Jennie Mae Clayton/Will Shade Composition: Jennie Mae Clayton/Will Shade Composition: Will Shade/Will Weldon Composition: Will Shade/Will Weldon Memphis Jug Band 1928 Composition: Vol Stevens Composition: Will Shade Composition: Tewee Blackman Composition: Will Shade Composition: Will Shade Composition: J.B. Jones/Will Weldon Memphis Jug Band 1930 Composition: Jennie Mae Clayton Memphis Jug Band 1934 Composition: Charlie Burse
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Scrapper Blackwell Leroy Carr Source: bdla
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Pianist, Leroy Carr [1, 2, 3, 4, 5/Disco], was born in 1905 in Nashville, though raised in Indianapolis. He formed his famous partnership with guitarist, Scrapper Blackwell, in 1928. Their first session was held in Indianapolis on June 19 that year, resulting in his compositions, 'How Long Blues' and 'My Own Lonesome Blues', becoming the best-selling blues plate that year. Carr died in Indianapolis on April 29, 1935. More of Carr under Scrapper Blackwell in Blues 1. Recordings by Carr with compositional notes at australiancharts and allmusic 1, 2. See also 45worlds and discogs. Leroy Carr 1928 With Scrapper Blackwell Leroy Carr 1930 With Scrapper Blackwell Composed w Scrapper Blackwell Leroy Carr 1932 With Scrapper Blackwell Leroy Carr 1935
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Born in
Villa Rica, Georgia, in 1899, pianist,
Thomas Andrew Dorsey
(alias Georgia Tom), had a minister for a father and a piano teacher for a
mother. He studied music in Chicago before becoming an agent for Paramount
Records. Dorsey formed the Wildcats Jazz Band with
Ma Rainey in 1924, with which he toured
for three years before making his first recordings, 'Chicago Moan
Blues'/'It's Tight Like That', in January of 1928 with
Tampa Red. ('It's Tight Like That'
would sell seven million copies.) More followed with
Red and
Rainey in September that year. Dorsey's
few recordings, however, aren't the reason he's in this history. Rather, it
is his composing, beginning with
Rainey, then McKinney's Cotton Pickers.
It was his performance at the National Baptist Convention in 1930 that would
find him becoming known as the "father" of black gospel music. Whether
transported to America from Europe or arising out of the South, though such
as the Fisk Jubilee Singers made their rounds in the 19th century, (black)
gospel didn't become an especially notable genre in and of itself in
recording until the
thirties due to such as black gospel artists like
Arizona Dranes, the barbershop
Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet
and Dorsey's ignition of black gospel in
Chicago that would become a regular movement of note in the annals of music
history.
Prior to such, gospel had gained its exposure largely through secular blues
and folk musicians. Dorsey's involvement remarked the common roots shared by black gospel and the
blues in the troubled waters of black
experience, as well as their separate interests and styles. That the blues
were for juke joints and gospel for churches was made pointedly clear. Other
than forming a choir and the Dorsey House of Music publishing company in
1932, he was elected president of the Gospel Choral Union. The next year in
'33 he founded National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses.
Representative of Dorsey's contribution to early black gospel
is such as his composition for
Mahalia Jackson in 1937,
'Peace In the Valley'. Dorsey is credited with more than 400 compositions,
his early recordings and compositions performed by various artists are easy
to find on multiple compilations. Dorsey died on January 23, 1993, in
Chicago [1,
2]. Of the samples below with Dorsey at piano,
he collaborated with
Tampa Red in the writing of 'It's Tight Like That'
and 'Kunjine Baby'. Among other earlier compositions as Georgia Tom were
'Pat That Bread' and 'My Texas Blues' in 1929, recorded with
Big Bill Broonzy, and
'Maybe It's the Blues' gone down with
Scrapper Blackwell. 'I'll Tell It
Wherever I Go' below is among his own later gospel compositions. Other
gospel compositions by Dorsey.
References:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Articles:
1,
2/.
Other profiles:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5].
Georgia Tom Dorsey 1928 With Tampa Red With Ma Rainey & Tampa Red Composition: Ma Rainey With Ma Rainey & Tampa Red Composition: Ma Rainey Georgia Tom Dorsey 1930 Guitar: Tampa Red Guitar: Scrapper Blackwell Thomas A Dorsey 1973 Vocal: Sallie Martin
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Thomas A Dorsey (Georgia Tom) Source: Black Kudos |
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Noah Lewis [1, 2, 3 4, 5] was a jug band musician who played mouth harp. He left Henning, Tennessee, for Memphis as a teenager, there to meet and perform with young Ashley Thompson, three years younger. Lewis was sixteen when he met Gus Cannon, the three to form a circle often working together for the next twenty years before recording as Cannon's Jug Stompers on January 30, 1928: 'Minglewood Blues'/'Madison Street Rag' (Victor 21267) and 'Big Railroad Blues'/'Springdale Blues' (Victor 21351). (Discography: American Music.) Lewis also recorded for Victor with his Carolina Peanut Boys in 1929-30 [redhotjazz]. That group backed Mrs. Van Zula Carter Hunt (vocals), consisting of Sleepy John Estes (guitar), Yank Rachel (mandolin) and Ham Lewis (jug). Lewis was noted for his ability to play two harmonicas at once, one by mouth, the other by nose. Lewis was smitten by frostbite in 1961 in Tennessee, killing him by gangrene. Recordings by Cannon's Jug Stompers and/or Noah Lewis with songwriting credits at australiancharts 1, 2. Titles below are thought to be composed by Lewis. Noah Lewis 1928 Cannon's Jug Stompers Cannon's Jug Stompers Noah Lewis 1929 Harmonica solo Noah Lewis 1930 Harmonica solo
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Noah Lewis L to R: Gus Cannon | Ashley Thomson | Noah Lewis Source: All About Blues |
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Born in Arkansas in 1906, pianist
Roosevelt Sykes (Willie
Kelly aka the Honeydripper) [1,
2,
3,
4,
5] took to the road at
age fifteen, playing barrelhouse piano along the Mississippi at sawmills,
levee camps, wherever laborers were gathered and a piano could be found. He
left St. Louis for New York City in 1929 expressly to make his first
recordings. His first issue, 'Boot That Thang'/'44 Blues' (OKeh 8702), is thought have been that year
[sessiongraphy/discography]. Sykes eventually settled in New Orleans in 1954, where he died
of heart attack in 1983, living 77 years despite his ever present cigar,
missing in the photo to the right which makes him shine like Mr. Clean
dressed for Sunday School. He was elected to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1999. Compilations of Sykes with
compositional notes at allmusic
1,
2. Titles recorded as the Honeydripper
with
songwriting credits. Titles recorded during Sykes' latter years with
songwriting credits. See
also 45worlds,
45cat,
discogs and australiancharts
1,
2.
Sykes in visual media.
All titles below were composed by Sykes except unknown (*) or otherwise noted. More of Sykes
in Boogie Woogie.
Roosevelt Sykes 1929 Roosevelt Sykes 1936 Roosevelt Sykes 1937 Roosevelt Sykes 1950 Roosevelt Sykes 1953 Roosevelt Sykes 1960 Composed w Ozzie Cadena Roosevelt Sykes 1973 Album: 'Dirty Mother for You'
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Roosevelt Sykes Photo: Doug Fulton Source: Alchetron |
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'When You're Smiling, the Whole World Smiles With You' was jazz singer Georgia White's [1, 2, 3] first recording in 1930, performed on May 16 with Jimmy Noone's Apex Club Orchestra. White is thought to have been born in 1903, but for a pianist who recorded well over 100 tracks for Decca very little is known about her. White stayed with Noone's band into early 1931. She also recorded as Georgia Lawson in the thirties. March 13 of !935 witnessed her first tracks for Decca, 'Your Worries Ain't Like Mine' and 'You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now', neither issued. Among issued titles from a session on April 10 were 'Dupree Blues' and 'Dallas Man'. Per above, she would record above 100 titles for Decca in the next six years, But one of numerous highlights arrived in NYC on April 1 of 1938 in the person of guitarist, Lonnie Johnson, they to lay out such as 'Almost Afraid of Love' and 'Crazy Blues'. After her last tracks for Decca White became a club performer with her all-female band. Performing at clubs would see her working with such as Bumble Bee Slim and Big Bill Broonzy, she to eventually end up at the Blue Pub in Chicago in 1959 whence she faded into obscurity. White is thought to have died in 1980. A list of her recordings with various credits. See also 45worlds and discogs. Georgia White 1936 Composition: Lil Johsnon Composition: Georgia White I Just Want To Be Your Stingaree Guitar: Les Paul Composition: Georgia White Guitar: Les Paul Composition: Georgia White Composition: Traditional Composition: Charles Farrell/Chick Endor Georgia White 1937 Composition: Lucille Bogan/Georgia White Composition: Sam Hill
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Georgia White Source: Discogs
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Doctor Clayton Source: Second Hand Songs
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Born Peter Joe Clayton in Georgia in 1898, blues singer, Doctor Clayton, was raised in St. Louis. Wikipedia has him working in a factory, the father of four children, when he began singing. He could also use a piano and ukulele. It's rumored that he's the Jesse Clayton who recorded 'Station House Blues'/'Neckbone Blues' in Chicago on September 9, 1930 (Vocalion 1598). American Music enters it into its discography with unknown guitar and piano. It does sound a lot like Clayton, though no documentation that makes a direct connection is known. This Clayton put down his initial tracks more certainly on July 27, 1935, also in Chicago, as Peter J. Clayton: 'Peter's Blues', 'Yo Yo Jive', et al. Clayton experienced the disappearance of his family in a house fire in 1937. He held several sessions in July and August of 1941 as Peter Cleighton: ''41 Blues'/'Love Is Gone' (OKeh 06375), et al. His debut tracks as Doctor Clayton followed on November 11, 1941: 'Doctor Clayton Blues'/'Gotta Find My Baby' (Bluebird B8901) and 'Watch Out Mama'/'Cheating and Lying Blues' (Bluebird B8938). Clayton was a popular nightclub performer in Chicago for most of his brief career, working alongside such as Robert Lockwood and Sunnyland Slim. He died of tuberculosis in Chicago on January 7, 1947. Various credits for Clayton at 45worlds and discogs. Titles below were composed by Clayton except as noted. * = unknown. Jesse Clayton 1930 One and the same Doctor Clayton? Peter Clayton 1935 Peter Cleighton 1941 Doctor Clayton 1941 Doctor Clayton 1942 Dr. Clayton 1942 Composition: Ernest LawlarDr. Clayton 1946
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Rosetta Howard Source: Douglas Green Associates |
Rosetta Howard
[1,
2/
Disco] was born in Woodruff, Arkansas, in 1913. She is thought to have
begun her career singing along to a jukebox (invented 1927) in a club where
she was employed. She was about 18 (1932) when she began working with jazz
guitarist, Jimmie Noone
(later clarinet), in Chicago. Five years later on May 31, 1937, Howard made her first
recording [Lord's] in Chicago with the Harlem Hamfats: 'Empty Bed Blues' (Decca 7370). That was preceded in issue by 'If You're a Viper'/'Rosetta Blues'
on Decca 7326. The
Harlem Hamfats [1,
2,
3/Discos 1,
2] were a studio rather than performing group originally
configured in 1936 by record producer, Mayo Williams, its personnel continuously
changing as recordings required. Howard's recording career would last only
ten years. Among her last recordings in 1947 were three put down for
Columbia on June 10 with
Willie Dixon's Big Three Trio
consisting of Leonard Caston (piano), Bernardo Dennis (guitar) and Charles
Saunders (drums): 'When I Been Drinking', 'Help Me Baby' and 'I Keep on
Worrying'. September 3 saw Howard with
Dixon's Big Three recording such as
'Where Shall I Go' with Alphonse Walker on drums. Howard's final recordings
are thought to have been on December 20 of '47 with
Big Bill Broonzy in the
group (ostensibly the Harlem Hamfats): 'Sweep Your Blues Away', 'It Was
You', 'You made Me Love You' and 'Plow Hand Blues'. Upon retirement
encouraged by inability to sell records Howard remained in Chicago, not to
sing again but in church, she a Baptist. She died a quarter century or so
later on October 18, 1974, in Chicago. Recordings by Howard with
various credits
known at australiancharts. See also
45worlds and
discogs.
Rosetta Howard 1937 Composition: Rosetta Howard Rosetta Howard 1938 Composition: Herb Morand Rosetta Howard 1939 Clarinet: Barney Bigard Trumpet: Henry Red Allen Rosetta Howard 1947 Composition: Big Bill Broonzy Composition: Johnston/Sam Coslow Rosetta Howard 1948
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Born in 1914 in Jackson, Tennessee, harp player Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee Curtis Williamson) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] also played guitar. There is no relation between Sonny Boy Williamson I and Sonny Boy Williamson II. Williamson I traveled to Chicago in 1934. He made his debut recordings on May 5, 1937, at the Leland Hotel in Aurora, Illinois, that backing Robert Lee McCoy (Robert Nighthawk) on 'Prowling Night-Hawk' (Bluebird B6995) with Big Joe Williams. AM follows that on the same date with Williamson's first name session backed by McCoy and Williams on 'Skinny Woman'/'Got the Bottle Up and Gone' (Bluebird 7012) [disco]. AM then has McCoy and Williamson backing Williams' 'I Know You Gonna Miss Me'/'Brother James' (Bluebird B7022). That trio also recorded on May 5: Williams' 'Rootin' Ground Hog'/'I Won't Be in Hard Luck No More' (Bluebird B7065), Williamson's 'Blue Bird Blues'/'Jackson Blues' (Bluebird 7098), and McCoy's 'Sweet Pepper Mama' (Bluebird B7090) and 'Tough Luck' (Bluebird B7115). Williamson recorded numerously with both McCoy and Williams over the years. He also recorded widely in either supporting or leading capacities with such as Big Bill Broonzy, Yank Rachell, Washboard Sam, Elijah Jones, Henry Townsend, Rambling Bob, Speckled Red (Rufus George Perryman) and Tampa Red. His last known recordings were in Aurora, Illinois, on December 18, 1947, in support of Williams' 'Banta Rooster Blues', 'House Lady Blues', 'King Biscuit Stomp', 'Don't You Leave Me Here', 'P Vine Blues' and 'I'm a Highway Man'. Those were issued per Columbia 30119, Columbia 38190, Columbia 30129, Columbia 30191. Williamson's career sliced short the next year upon being murdered (June 1, 1948) during a robbery as he was walking home from a performance at the Plantation Club, he only 34 years of age. Among songs written by Williamson I were 'I Have Got to Go' and 'My Black Name Blues'. Other compositions at discogs. See also *. Titles below were written by Williamson except as noted. Sonny Boy Williamson I 1937 Good Morning Little School Girl With Robert Lee McCoy & Big Joe Williams With Robert Lee McCoy & Big Joe Williams Composition: Robert Lee McCoy (Robert Nighthawk) With Robert Lee McCoy & Big Joe Williams Sonny Boy Williamson I 1941 With Big Bill Broonzy & Walter Davis Sonny Boy Williamson I 1945 Vocal: Big Joe Williams Bass: Ransom Knowling Drums: Judge Riley Composition: Big Joe Williams
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Sonny Boy Williamson Source: Bio |
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With Sonny Boy Williamson I we pause this history of early blues music. We will be making additions as such occur. |
Early Blues 2: Vocal - Other Instruments
Modern Blues 2: Vocal - Other Instruments
Modern Blues 3: Black Gospel Appendix
Jazz
Early Jazz 1: Ragtime - Bands - Horn
Early Jazz 2: Ragtime - Other Instrumentation
Modern 4: Guitar - Other String
Modern 5: Percussion - Other Orchestration
Modern 7: Latin Jazz - Latin Recording
Modern 8: United States 1960 - 1970Modern 9: International 1960 - 1970
Latin
Latin Recording 2: The Caribbean
Latin Recording 3: South America
The Big Bang - Fifties American Rock
Total War - Sixties American Rock
Classical - Medieval to Renaissance
Classical - Romantic to Modern
Jazz Early - Ragtime - Swing Jazz
Jazz Modern - Percussion - Song - Other
Boogie Woogie - Doo Wop - R&B - Rock & Roll - Soul
