Category: Black History
A Hundred Years of Bad Luck: Who Was Elizabeth Smith?
A hundred years ago, Elizabeth Smith broke a looking glass. At least, that’s how she tells it. From that moment everything begins to go wrong. Her children give her sass. She stubs her toe against the kitchen door. Her hens stop laying. She makes the mistake of sitting in the thirteenth row at church and, … Continue reading “A Hundred Years of Bad Luck: Who Was Elizabeth Smith?”
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 “Sloppy” Henry as part of an ongoing project to update metadata across the Document Records catalogue. Recently we launched Blue Century Records, a new label which allows us to present … Continue reading “Rediscovering Waymon “Sloppy” Henry -Songwriter, Bluesman, Vaudevillian One of the Mysteries of 1920s Atlanta”
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 (left) with fellow Knoxville blues singer Odessa Cansler and Cansler’s brother, George Cansler. Courtesy of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound. There are musicians whose importance can be … Continue reading “SIX SONGS FROM THE STREETS OF KNOXVILLE: LEOLA MANNING”
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 of entertainment in America In this world of vaudeville, where music, dance, and comedy intertwined on stage, one star shone with exceptional brilliance: Aida Overton Walker. Known as the … Continue reading “Aida Overton Walker: The Queen of the Cakewalk”
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 hardship, resilience, and an unyielding devotion to the Delta blues. Bornon November 12, 1906, in north-eastern Mississippi, Bukka’s journey through the world ofmusic captures the essence of the early blues, … Continue reading “Bukka White: A Life in the Blues”
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 Records in New York City. He performed songs such as “The Sun’s Gonna Shine Again,” “The Midnight Hour,” “Roll with My Baby,” and “Jumpin’ In The Morning . In 1954 he … Continue reading “Rights & Rhythms: Music History Through a Legal Lens”