Tag: 1920s Blues
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”
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 music. His innovative guitar techniques, dazzling fingerpicking, and ability to blend humour with poignant storytelling set him apart as a true pioneer. While much about his life remains shrouded in … Continue reading “Arthur Blind Blake – King of Ragtime Guitar”