Mamie Smith, born on May 26, 1891, in Cincinnati, Ohio, was a groundbreaking American singer, dancer, pianist, and actress. Best remembered for her pioneering work[…]
Skip James, born Nehemiah Curtis James in 1902, was a pioneering Delta blues musician whose haunting voice and unique guitar style have left an indelible[…]
Skip James was born on June 9, 1902, as Nehemiah Curtis James in Bentonia, Mississippi. Growing up in the deeply rural Mississippi Delta, James encountered[…]
Sippie Wallace, born as Beulah Thomas on November 1, 1898, in Houston, Texas, is celebrated as one of the leading figures of early 20th-century blues.[…]
Hound Dog Taylor was an electric blues artist known for his raw, energetic slide guitar style and gritty vocals. With his band, The HouseRockers, Taylor[…]
The blues is filled with stories of raw talent and grit, but few musicians embodied the spirit of the genre like Theodore Roosevelt "Hound Dog"[…]
Pinetop Smith, born Clarence Smith in 1904, left an indelible mark on blues and boogie-woogie music, despite his brief life and career. Known for his[…]
Clarence "Pinetop" Smith was born on June 11, 1904, in Troy, Alabama. Growing up in the South during a time when blues was evolving from[…]
Victoria Spivey, known as “Queen Victoria” or “The Blues Queen,” is a name deeply woven into the rich tapestry of early blues music. With a[…]
Victoria Spivey, often called the "Queen of the Blues," was born on October 15, 1906, in Houston, Texas. Growing up in a family of musicians,[…]