memphis blues composer

"The Memphis Blues" is a song described by its composer, W. C. Handy, as a "southern rag". [2] He was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2015. The blues form was first popularized about 1911-14 by the black composer W.C. among recordings deemed classics by Library of Congress", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Memphis_Blues&oldid=997258398, United States National Recording Registry recordings, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 18:27. He spent most of the 1930s performing in honky-tonks, dance halls, and gambling joints in West Memphis, Arkansas, and southeast Missouri. During his time with Premium, Slim first recorded his song "Mother Earth".[12]. The timing was propitious, because he had just added the guitarist Matt "Guitar" Murphy to his group. Born John Len Chatman in Memphis, he adopted his father's name Peter, who was a blues musician. - Memphis Minnie "Me and My Chauffeur Blues" As blues musicians made their way from the South to the cities across America, there was again a cross-cultural mixing of influences as artists from different regions encountered each other and their diverse styles from the far flung corners of the States. W.C. On Sept. 14, 1886, George K. Anderson of Memphis … [7] Slim became a regular session musician for Bluebird, and his piano talents supported established stars such as John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, Washboard Sam, and Jazz Gillum. Handy was a successful band leader and composer on Beale Avenue (later Street) in Memphis when he published the "St. Louis Blues" in 1914. In the last years of his life, he teamed up with the respected jazz drummer George Collier. [2] Many musicologists question how much "Mr. Crump" actually shared with "The Memphis Blues", since the words, taken from an old folk song, "Mama Don' 'low", do not match up with the melody of "The Memphis Blues". He immediately sold it to the music publisher Theron Bennett, who took it to New York to attempt to promote it. Memphis Slim played on all of the tracks, and wrote the two numbers that were not penned by Dixon. MEMPHIS HISTORY:Marker credits St. Jude founder Danny Thomas' role in restoring Beale Street's iconic name 20. [15] In December 1959, Willie Dixon's debut album, Willie's Blues, was released. (1873–1958) Person Handy later claimed he had been robbed. Handy's World Wide 'Blue' Note Melody. W.C. Handy was a blues musician, composer, and a pioneer of the genre. [5], According to a member of Handy's band, S. L. "Stack" Mangham, the tune copyrighted by Handy in 1912 was based on one heard by Handy at a dance in Cleveland, Mississippi around 1903, when it was played by a three-piece string band now known to have been led by Prince McCoy. [16] Memphis Slim was given almost equal credit on the album as Dixon's piano accompanist. Latterly Document was honoured by The Blues Foundation in Memphis citing Gary and Gillian Atkinson as the winners of the prestigious Keeping the Blues Alive award. The blues style is easily imitated and many composers and artists have utilized blues inflections and tonalities in their music. B. He remained with United through the end of 1954, when the company began to cut back on blues recording. Today Memphis's best-known landmarks are two places--Beale Street and Graceland--intimately associated with the city's place in American music history, especially that of the blues, rockabilly, and rock-n-roll. That's when the blues started finding their way into Still's compositions. The musical legacy of the Bluff City is exciting, diverse, and extremely significant in the history of American culture. American blues pianist, singer, and composer. King, Elmore James, T-Bone Walker, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Natalie Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughan, Carlos Santana, John Mayer and Lou Rawls. He said hard times in St. Louis inspired the lyrics. Harry James recorded a version in 1942 (released in 1944 as Columbia 36713). Then, the great blues performer W.C. Handy, a composer and musician, who is one of the most influential and celebrated American Composers, made Memphis his home. [1] Many of Slim's recordings and performances until the mid-1940s were with Broonzy, who had recruited Slim to be his piano player after the death of his accompanist Joshua Altheimer in 1940.[1]. He led a series of bands that, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues, included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano.A song he first cut in 1947, "Every Day I Have the Blues", has become a blues standard, recorded by many other artists. On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Memphis Slim among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire. Memphis Slim was born John Len Chatman, in Memphis, Tennessee. He made over 500 recordings. He was never a Chess artist, but Leonard Chess bought most of the Premium masters after the demise of Premium. [1] In 1940 and 1941, he recorded two songs for Bluebird Records[5] that became part of his repertoire for decades, "Beer Drinking Woman"[6] and "Grinder Man Blues". Later styles: include jazz blues, rhythm and blues and soul blues. One of Slim's 1947 recordings for Miracle, released in 1949, was originally titled "Nobody Loves Me". [8] With a lineup of alto saxophone, tenor sax, piano, and string bass (Willie Dixon played the instrument on the first session), he signed with the Miracle label in the fall of 1946. The blues grew out of … After a year with Mercury Records, Slim signed with United Records in Chicago;[13] the A&R man, Lew Simpkins, knew him from Miracle and Premium. His February 1951 session for Premium saw two changes in the House Rockers' lineup: Slim started using two tenor saxophones instead of the alto and tenor combination, and he made a trial of adding the guitarist Ike Perkins. WDIA, the first African American formatted Radio station in the country, was founded in Memphis in 1947. [10] The original begins in the key of E-flat major. A song he first cut in 1947, "Every Day I Have the Blues", has become a blues standard, recorded by many other artists. Handy was an African American composer and a leader in popularizing blues music in the early 20th century, with hits like "Memphis Blues" and "St. Louis Blues." Blues is about tradition and personal expression. Blues Legend BB King began his career at WDIA in Memphis as a DJ in his younger years. "[9], It was not until Victor Recording Company's house band (Victor Military Band, Victor 17619, July 15, 1914) and Columbia's house band (Prince's Band, Columbia A-5591, July 24) recorded the song in 1914 that "The Memphis Blues" began to do well. [17], Slim first appeared outside the United States in 1960, touring with Willie Dixon, with whom he returned to Europe in 1962 as a featured artist in the first of the series of American Folk Festival concerts organized by Dixon, which brought many notable blues artists to Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. Handy (1873-1958). It was self-published by Handy in September 1912 and has been recorded by many artists over the years. Handy invited him to come to Memphis play with his band, and to do musical arrangements for them. With the decline of blues recording by the major labels, Slim worked with emerging independent labels. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989.[2]. Slim and the House Rockers recorded mainly for Miracle through 1949, with some commercial success. In 1962, Slim moved permanently to Paris, and his engaging personality and well-honed presentation of playing, singing, and storytelling about the blues secured his position as one of the most prominent blues artists for nearly three decades. W.C. Two years before his death, Slim was named a Commander in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of France. Handy, who immortalized the city’s Beale Street in one of his songs. Memphis Slim (born John Len Chatman, September 3, 1915 – February 24, 1988) was an American blues pianist, singer, and composer. [9] In 1947, the day after producing a concert by Slim, Broonzy, and Williamson at New York City's Town Hall, the folklorist Alan Lomax brought the three musicians to the Decca Records studios and recorded with Slim on vocal and piano. Starting in late 1945, he recorded with trios for the small Chicago-based Hy-Tone Records. [1] He led a series of bands that, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues, included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano. Subtitled "Mr. Crump", "The Memphis Blues" is said to be based on a campaign song written by Handy for Edward Crump, a mayoral candidate in Memphis, Tennessee. Buddy Johnson was a pianist/ composer/bandleader who lead a Big Band from 1938 to c.1960. [7] In any case, Bennett convinced George "Honey Boy" Evans to use it for his "Honey Boy" Minstrels. "The Memphis Blues" is a song described by its composer, W. C. Handy, as a "southern rag".It was self-published by Handy in September 1912 and has been recorded by many artists over the years. Slim made just one session for King, but the company bought his Hy-Tone sides in 1948 and acquired his Miracle masters after that company failed in 1950. This week on Blues Before Sunrise we’ll present a feature called The Buddy Johnson Songbook. [14], After 1954, Slim did not have a steady relationship with a record company until 1958, when he signed with Vee-Jay Records. Handy Park is a city park on Beale Street; there is a bronze statue of Handy there. [11][12] In 2019, this version was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress.[13]. BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE FOR 1/17/21 THE BUDDY JOHNSON SONG BOOK. [6], Handy first published the song as an instrumental. At its core, the blues has remained the same since its inception. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for All Time Greatest Blues Songs - Various Artists on AllMusic - 2012 In addition, Document has also reissued a large catalogue of American Old Timey (Country, Hillbilly) recordings from the 1920s . Handy was an African American composer and a leader in popularizing blues music in the early 20th century, with hits like "Memphis Blues" and "St. Louis Blues." After World War II, Slim began leading bands that generally included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues. [19], Memphis Slim died of renal failure on February 24, 1988, in Paris, at the age of 72. [26], American blues pianist, singer, and composer, Liner notes from BVLP-1003 - original vinyl album, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "AllMusic | Record Reviews, Streaming Songs, Genres & Bands", "The United and States Labels Part I (1951-1953)", "Willie's Blues - Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards", "Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon at the Village Gate with Pete Seeger", "Memphis Slim: One of the Greatest Blues Pianist, Singers & Composers of All-Time [Video]", "Memphis Slim - Boogie For My Friends (2002)", "Memphis Slim | Memphis Music Hall of Fame", "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire", Memphis Slim discography on Folkways Records, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Memphis_Slim&oldid=1011422422, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from March 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles with dead external links from December 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with multiple identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 10 March 2021, at 20:17. "Mississippi Blues Trail Recognizes Prince McCoy", "Jay-Z, a speech by Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and 'Schoolhouse Rock!' William Grant Still's Afro-American Symphony was the first symphony by a black composer to be performed by a major orchestra. He started performing under the name "Memphis Slim" later that year but continued to publish songs under the name Peter Chatman. After Collier died in August 1987, Slim rarely appeared in public, although he reunited with Matt "Guitar" Murphy for a gig at Antone's in Austin, Texas, in 1987. The song was recorded in 1950 by Lowell Fulson and subsequently by numerous other artists, including B. These titles can be found in our 8000 series. Handy’s home is preserved as a museum, and modern Beale Street is a popular entertainment district, with nightclubs, restaurants, shops, live music, and other attractions. [1] The duo released several albums together on Folkways Records, including Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon at the Village Gate with Pete Seeger (1962).[18]. It has become famous as "Every Day I Have the Blues." He moved to Chicago in the 1930s where he was mentored by Big Bill Broonzy , and began cutting sides as a leader in 1939 for Okeh and Bluebird (3) . For his first recordings, for Okeh Records in 1940, he used the name of his father, Peter Chatman (who sang, played piano and guitar, and operated juke joints);[3] it is commonly believed that he did so to honor his father. [11], Early in 1950, Miracle succumbed to financial troubles, but its owners regrouped to form the Premium label, and Slim remained on board until the successor company faltered in the summer of 1951. [20][21][22][23][24] He is buried at Galilee Memorial Gardens in Memphis, Tennessee.[25]. His last session for Premium kept the two-tenor lineup but dispensed with the guitar. [1] He appeared on television in numerous European countries, acted in several French films and wrote the score for À nous deux France (1970), and performed regularly in Paris, throughout Europe, and on return visits to the United States. Lomax presented sections of this recording on BBC Radio in the early 1950s as a documentary, The Art of the Negro, and later released an expanded version as the LP Blues in the Mississippi Night. Bennett hired a professional songwriter, George A. Norton, to write lyrics for it, and Evans had his director, Edward V. Cupero, arrange it for his band. In 1949, Slim expanded his combo to a quintet by adding a drummer; the group was now spending most of its time on tour, leading to off-contract recording sessions for King Records in Cincinnati and Peacock Records in Houston. [1] Handy claimed credit for writing "Mr. Crump", but Memphis musicians say it was written by Handy's clarinetist, Paul Wyer. W.C. Memphis Slim (born John Len Chatman, September 3, 1915 – February 24, 1988) was an American blues pianist, singer, and composer. [10] Joe Williams recorded it in 1952 for Checker Records; his remake from 1956 (included on the album Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings) was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1992. In addition, the U.S. Senate honored Slim with the title of Ambassador-at-Large of Good Will. However, the poetic and musical form of the blues first crystallized around 1910 and gained popularity through the publication of Handy's "Memphis Blues" (1912) and "St. Louis Blues" (1914). In 1959 his band, still featuring Murphy, recorded the album Memphis Slim at the Gate of the Horn, which featured a lineup of his best-known songs, including "Mother Earth", "Gotta Find My Baby", "Rockin' the Blues", "Steppin' Out", and "Slim's Blues". Memphis is one of the birthplaces of blues music and is associated particularly with composer W.C. [4] He settled in Chicago in 1939 and began teaming with the guitarist and singer Big Bill Broonzy in clubs soon afterwards. He performed on Beale Street with his band in the early 1900s and wrote the song "Memphis Blues," which originally was a campaign song for mayoral candidate Edward Crump. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989. Bennett published it a year later, but still the sheet music did poorly. These were released under the name "Memphis Slim," given to him by Bluebird's producer, Lester Melrose. Most blues feature simple, usually three-chord, progressions and have simple structures that are open to endless improvisations, both lyrical and musical. [1] Among the songs they recorded were "Messin' Around" (which reached number one on the R&B charts in 1948) and "Harlem Bound". One of the songs recorded at the first session was the ebullient boogie "Rockin' the House," from which his band would take its name. 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