A native of Florence, Lauderdale County, W. C. Handy (1873-1958) was a songwriter, arranger, music publisher, and folklorist who became known as the “Father of the Blues” for his contributions to that musical genre .
Why is WC Handy known as the father of the blues?
Widely known as the “Father of the Blues,” Handy is recognized as one of the leaders in popularizing blues music . ... He once saved his money and purchased a guitar which his father, Charles Bernard Handy, a pastor, made him return in exchange for a dictionary.
Who was known as the father of the blues?
W.C. Handy —the “Father of the Blues”—dies.
How did WC Handy impact the blues?
In 1918, Handy moved his business to New York to escape Southern racial hostility , and later scored success with the composition “Aunt Hagar’s Blues.” He continued to promote blues to large audiences during the 1920s, editing the book Blues: An Anthology (1926) — which contained blues arrangements for vocals and piano ...
Did WC Handy create the blues?
Handy worked during the period of transition from ragtime to jazz. Drawing on the vocal blues melodies of African American folklore, he added harmonizations to his orchestral arrangements. His work helped develop the conception of the blues as a harmonic framework within which to improvise.
Who is the father of jazz?
Louis Armstrong was born in a poor section of New Orleans known as “the Battlefield” on August 4, 1901. By the time of his death in 1971, the man known around the world as Satchmo was widely recognized as a founding father of jazz—a uniquely American art form.
What was the most recorded blues tune?
- I Cant Quit You Baby – Otis Rush. ...
- I’d Rather Go Blind – Etta James. ...
- Crossroad Blues – Robert Johnson. ...
- Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughan. ...
- I’m Tore Down – Freddy King. ...
- Born Under A Bad Sign – Albert King. ...
- Sunshine of Your Love – Cream. ...
- Hoochie Coochie Man – Muddy Waters.
Who discovered blues?
The origins of the blues are poorly documented, but it is believed that after the American Civil War (1861–65) , formerly enslaved African Americans and their descendants created this genre while working on Southern plantations, taking inspiration from hymns, minstrel show music, work songs and field hollers, ragtime, ...
Who was the first person to make blues popular?
One of the first professional blues singers was Gertrude “Ma” Rainey , who claimed to have coined the term blues. Classic female urban or vaudeville blues singers were popular in the 1920s, among them Mamie Smith, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Victoria Spivey.
Who invented blues?
Handy. While is there isn’t a definite origin as to who exactly created the Blues, we do have a good idea as to how it came to us today: W.C. Handy . William Christopher Handy was born in Alabama in 1873 and who worked a number of odd jobs before establishing himself as both a musician and a music teacher.
How did WC Handy go blind?
In 1943, he lost his balance and fell from a subway station which caused him to go totally blind. In addition to composing, Handy worked laboriously at compiling blues tunes which he published in a book called Blues: An Anthology in 1926.
What type of blues did WC Handy play?
| W. C. Handy | Years active 1893–1948 |
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Who is Bessie Smith Jazz?
Bessie Smith was one of the greatest blues vocalists ever . She made 160 recordings in all, in many of which she was accompanied by some of the great jazz musicians of the 1920s and ’30s, including Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, and Louis Armstrong.
Who really invented jazz?
Buddy Bolden , an African-American bandleader called “the first man of jazz” by historian Donald M Marquis, was at the forefront of the jazz movement. Bolden played the cornet in dance halls during the day and in the red light district of New Orleans’ Storyville at night.
Who is known as the king of jazz?
Paul Whiteman , (born March 28, 1890, Denver, Colorado, U.S.—died December 29, 1967, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, U.S.), American bandleader, called the “King of Jazz” for popularizing a musical style that helped to introduce jazz to mainstream audiences during the 1920s and 1930s.
