Happy Birthday, “Little Sonny” Willis
October 6, 1932 – Aaron Willis was born October 6, 1932 to a single mother sharecropper in Greensboro, AL. He grew up singing in the… Read More »Happy Birthday, “Little Sonny” Willis
History
Happy Birthday, Koko Taylor!
September 29, 1928 – June 3, 2009 Cora Walton was born on a Memphis sharecroppers farm. She grew up picking cotton, feeding pigs, and singing… Read More »Happy Birthday, Koko Taylor!
Happy Birthday, Albert Ammons
September 23,1907 – December 2, 1949 Albert Ammons was born into a musical family in Chicago, IL. Both parents were pianists and he learned the… Read More »Happy Birthday, Albert Ammons
Happy Birthday, “Little Willie” Littlefield
September 16, 1931 – June 23, 2013 Little Willie was born in El Campo, Texas and grew up in Houston with his mother. He was… Read More »Happy Birthday, “Little Willie” Littlefield
Happy Birthday, Roy Brown!
September 10, 1920 (or 1925) – May 25, 1981 Roy James Brown was born in Kinder, Louisiana into a churchgoing family. His mother played piano… Read More »Happy Birthday, Roy Brown!
Happy Birthday Memphis Slim!
September 3, 1915 – February 24, 1988 John Len Chatman was born in Memphis TN into a family of blues musicians. His father was Peter… Read More »Happy Birthday Memphis Slim!
Happy Birthday, Dinah Washington
“Queen of the Blues” August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963 The Queen of the Blues was born as Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa, AL.… Read More »Happy Birthday, Dinah Washington
Happy Birthday Earl Gaines!
August 19, 1935 – December 31, 2009 Earl Gaines was born in Decatur, Alabama and sang in church before heading to Nashville as a teenager.… Read More »Happy Birthday Earl Gaines!
Happy Birthday Percy Mayfield!
August 12, 1920 – August 11, 1984 Percy Mayfield was known as the Poet Laureate of the Blues. He was born in Mindon, LA, where… Read More »Happy Birthday Percy Mayfield!
Happy Birthday Lem Johnson!
August 6, 1909 – April 1, 1989 Lem Johnson was born in Oklahoma City, OK. Not much is reported about his early life, but we… Read More »Happy Birthday Lem Johnson!