Blues Birthday: Little Brother Montgomery – April 18th 1906
Eurreal Wilford “Little Brother” Montgomery (April 18, 1906 – September 6, 1985) was an American jazz, boogie-woogie and blues pianist and singer. Largely self-taught, Montgomery was an important blues pianist with an original style. He was also versatile, working in jazz bands, including larger ensembles that used written arrangements. He did not read music but […]
Blues Birthday: Hound Dog Taylor – April 12th 1915
Theodore Roosevelt “Hound Dog” Taylor (April 12, 1915 – December 17, 1975) was a Chicago blues guitarist and singer. Taylor was born in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1915, though some sources say 1917. He first played the piano and began playing the guitar when he was 20. He moved to Chicago in 1942. Hound Dog Taylor […]
Blues Birthday: Aretha Franklin March 25th 1942
Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter, actress, pianist, and civil rights activist.[2] Franklin began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where her father C. L. Franklin was a minister. At the age of 18, Aretha embarked on […]
Blues Birthday: Godmother of Electric Blues : Sister Rosetta Tharpe – March 20th 1915
Photo Credit: James J. Kriegsmann 1938 Sister Rosetta Tharpe (March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist. She attained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and rhythmic accompaniment that was extremely important to the origins […]
BLUES BIRTHDAY: Elmore James
Blues Matters Remembers the King of Slide Guitar Elmore James on his birthday January 27th Elmore James, original name Elmore Brooks, (born January 27, 1918, Richland, Mississippi, U.S.—died May 24, 1963, Chicago, Illinois), American blues singer-guitarist noted for the urgent intensity of his singing and guitar playing. Known as the “King of the Slide Guitar,” […]
