Category: Music History
Up Jumped the Devil! — Merritt Brunies and the Jazz Age at Chicago’s Friars Inn
Today’s Document Records Halloween Needle Drop Up Jumped the Devil! Merritt Brunies and His Friars Inn Orchestra — Chicago Jazz in the Roaring Twenties Chicago, 1924. Jazz was filling the city’s dance halls and nightclubs, and musicians from New Orleans were helping to transform American popular music. Among them was cornet player and bandleader Merritt … Continue reading “Up Jumped the Devil! — Merritt Brunies and the Jazz Age at Chicago’s Friars Inn”
“The Robins – That Old Black Magic (1956).”Halloween Needle Drop
Halloween Needle Drop: The Robins – That Old Black Magic (1956) A little musical sorcery from Los Angeles, featuring the extraordinary voice of Grady Chapman There are certain recordings that seem to possess a magic all of their own. They may not have been enormous hits, nor even the best-known versions of a particular song, … Continue reading ““The Robins – That Old Black Magic (1956).”Halloween Needle Drop”
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”
“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 music. He was more than a fiddler — he was a moonshiner, a showman, and a radio pioneer. In 1923, Carson recorded “The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane” … Continue reading ““Fiddlin’ John Carson: The First Voice of Country Music””
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 Were Here in the UK. The album which explores themes of absence, the music business, and former band-mate Syd Barrett’s mental decline peaked at No.1 on both sides of the … Continue reading “Rights & Rhythms: Music History Through a Legal Lens – We Wish You Weren’t Here?”