Rediscovering Waymon “Sloppy” Henry -Songwriter, Bluesman, Vaudevillian One of the Mysteries of 1920s Atlanta
Songwriter, Bluesman, Vaudevillian — and One of the Mysteries of 1920s Atlanta Over the past few weeks I have been revisiting the catalogue of Waymon
SIX SONGS FROM THE STREETS OF KNOXVILLE: LEOLA MANNING
The remarkable story of the Tennessee singer and songwriter whose six surviving recordings captured faith, tragedy, death and Black life in Depression-era Knoxville. Leola Manning
Sinners -Pick Poor Robin Clean: A Song, A Story, and a Mystery of Meaning
How a 1927 blues recording first made by Luke Jordan found new life in a modern vampire film—and unlocked a century-old mystery of music, identity, and meaning.
“Old Time String Bands North Carolina & Tennessee”: The Untold Stories Behind the Music
Discover the rich history of Old Time String Bands from North Carolina and Tennessee. Roll On, Daddy, Roll On – Complete Issued Recordings, 1927–1931 traces
“Fiddlin’ John Carson: The First Voice of Country Music”
🎻 Fiddlin’ John Carson: The Man Who Fiddled America Crazy IntroductionBorn on March 23, 1868, Fiddlin’ John Carson sparked the fire that became commercial country
101 Years Ago Today in Old Time Country Music – March 7 and 8, 1924
Riley Puckett and Gid Tanner Recordings and The Birth of Old-Time Music on Record In late 1923 and early 1924, OKeh Records released the first
Aida Overton Walker: The Queen of the Cakewalk
During the vaudeville era from the 1880s to the 1920s, over 25,000 performers took to its stages, making it one of the most popular forms
Bukka White: A Life in the Blues
Bukka White: A Life in the Blues Booker T. Washington Bukka White’s life story is as riveting as the music he created, anarrative filled with
Arthur Blind Blake – King of Ragtime Guitar
Blind Blake, often hailed as the “King of Ragtime Guitar,” remains one of the most significant yet enigmatic figures of early American blues and ragtime
Rights & Rhythms: Music History Through a Legal Lens – We Wish You Weren’t Here?
An exploration of Pink Floyd’s legal feuds, disputes and fallouts. On this day 12th September 1975. Pink Floyd released their ninth studio album Wish You
Rights & Rhythms: Music History Through a Legal Lens
The Complex Legal Legacy of Ray Charles and his Songs On this day 11th September In 1952, Ray Charles recorded his first session for Atlantic
A. C. Eck Robertson – Have you ever heard a fiddle talk ?
“I used to sing, made out as popular as the devil on singing, even. I used to sing songs for people that they’d even refuse
100 Years Ago, in American Old Time Music – Fiddlin’ John Carson’s Session in Atlanta, Late March/Early April 1924
IntroductionFiddlin’ John Carson: A Century of Legacy – 1924 -2024If you include his incidental recording in Atlanta in June 1923 at the hands of Ralph
It’s A Family Affair -Henry Spaulding
In January 2022 we got a message on our Facebook inbox , it read “ I have a question on the blues singer and guitarist Henry Spaulding who recorded “Cairo Blues” back in the 20’s. He is my husband’s great grandfather. Do you happen to have an article and a picture of him by any chance?”
Early Christmas Blues and Jazz Songs. 12 Good Reasons to Discover them
If you thought that “Fairytale of New York” is the epitome of an alternative Christmas song, you need to think again! From dead drunk to death row, the earliest Christmas Blues Music blew the lid off the traditional music syrup can. The lyrics were edgy and the performers were pros. Even if “White Christmas” is more your thing, you can still learn to love these gritty festive gems.
21 Current Blues Musicians to Know in 2021
At Document Records, our main focus is compiling and sharing historic recordings of traditional American music. These were the works of innovators, artists who helped
Nobody Sings The Blues Like Blind Willie McTell
Seen the arrow on the doorstepSaying, “This land is condemnedAll the way from New OrleansTo Jerusalem.”I traveled through East TexasWhere many martyrs fellAnd I know
Ramona Baker Reviews ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
Even with all the negative comments from serious historians, the most striking element of the film was the attention to detail with the costumes. Any
Skip, Duck, and the Grammy Awards: The Rise of the Bentonia Blues
Bentonia, Mississippi is a small town of just over 400 residents, about the same number it had in 1931. That year, the town’s most famous
Ball And Chain Blues: 10 Prison Songs From The Document Catalogue
by D’Arcy Rix-Hayes The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, with one in every 15 people in the country expected
Everybody Loves Them Dead Presidents
From the Mississippi Delta to the streets of Chicago; from Mamie Smith at the Howard Theatre to Kingfish at Red’s, the blues has always been
Perry (Mule) Bradford Escorts African American Singers Through The Closed Doors Of The 1920s Recording Industry.
By Elva D. Green Perry (Mule) Bradford In 1920, Mr. Perry (Mule) Bradford, African American songwriter, minstrel, and vaudeville performer was responsible for convincing White
‘You Got To Move’ A Reflection upon Rev. Gary Davis by Jonathan Oldstyle
You like the blues. That’s why you’re here, reading about Reverend Gary Davis. Maybe you like jazz as well, maybe classical music. If you want
Famous Jazz Musicians of the 1930s
Introduction In the 1930s we move from the “Jazz Age” to the “Swing Era”. New York is now the Jazz Capital of the World, although
Famous Jazz Musicians of the 1920s
Introduction A new age sprung to life during the decade following the First World War – The Jazz Age. It was a new exciting era
Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson (1897–1945) By Bill Berry “Probably the finest slide guitar playing you’ll ever hear” – Eric Clapton, commenting on Blind Willie Johnson’s Nobody’s
Musicians Who Died in 2019
Honouring Those Musicians We Lost In 2019 By Paul T Forrest A number of music artists passed away in 2019. Here, we pay tribute to
10 Famous Blues Musicians
(Written by Leonardo Pereira) 1. BIG BILL BROONZY (Lee Conley Bradley; 1903 – 1958) The city of Chicago is constantly associated with the blues and
Fiddlin John Carson
“I can get to Hell just as quick as you can.” The Profanity of John Carson’s Fiddle Over the course of the seven volumes of
The Origins of “In The Mood “
We have been reading , amongst other things, the biography of talented poet , composer and lyricist Andy Razaf ((December 16, 1895 – February 3,