W. C. Handy
- ️Fri Mar 27 1931
W. C. Handy
William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musicians who played the distinctively American blues music, Handy did not create the blues genre but was the first to publish music in the blues form, thereby taking the blues from a regional music style (Delta blues) with a limited audience to a new level of popularity.
Handy was an educated musician who used elements of folk music in his compositions. He was scrupulous in documenting the sources of his works, which frequently combined stylistic influences from various performers.
Birth and Death Data: Born Florence, Died March 29, 1958 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1903 - 1954
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist, leader, songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 310 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BRC-68942 | 10-in. | 3/27/1931 | Loveless love | Blanche Calloway and her Joy Boys ; Blanche Calloway | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer, lyricist | |
| Victor | ABRC-69907 | 10-in. | 6/9/1931 | Loveless love | Harlem Highlights ; Dave Nelson | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer, lyricist | |
| Victor | ABRC-69908 | 10-in. | 6/9/1931 | St. Louis blues | Harlem Highlights ; Dave Nelson | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer, lyricist | |
| Victor | B-15065 | 10-in. | 7/15/1914 | The Memphis blues | Victor Military Band | Band | composer | |
| Victor | B-15244 | 10-in. | 10/2/1914 | The Memphis blues | Morton Harvey | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer, lyricist | |
| Victor | B-18495 | 10-in. | 10/10/1916 | 'Joe Turner blues' medley | Victor Military Band | Band | composer | |
| Victor | B-20505 | 10-in. | 8/13/1917 | Beale Street blues | Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | B-22728 | 10-in. | 3/6/1919 | Hooking cow blues | Frantzen's Society Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | B-23276 | 10-in. | 9/25/1919 | Yellow Dog blues | Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | B-23282 | 10-in. | 10/1/1919 | Yellow Dog blues | Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | B-25073 | 10-in. | 5/3/1921 | St. Louis blues | Original Dixieland Jazz Band | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | B-25412 | 10-in. | 5/25/1921 | St. Louis blues | Original Dixieland Jazz Band | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer, lyricist | |
| Victor | B-26266 | 10-in. | 3/22/1922 | Memphis blues | Ross Gorman ; Virginians | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | B-27446 | 10-in. | 2/1/1923 | Aunt Hagar's blues | Ross Gorman ; Virginians | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | B-30326 | 10-in. | 6/26/1924 | Beale Street blues | George Olsen and his Music | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-35251 | 10-in. | 3/29/1926 | St. Louis blues | Paul Whiteman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-36773 | 10-in. | 11/17/1926 | St. Louis blues | Fats Waller | Pipe organ solo | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-37103 | 10-in. | 12/6/1926 | Memphis blues | Johnny Marvin | Male vocal solo, with guitar and ukulele | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-37359 | 10-in. | 1/14/1927 | Loveless love | Fats Waller | Pipe organ solo | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-37360 | 10-in. | 1/14/1927 | Harlem blues | Fats Waller | Pipe organ solo | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-37788 | 10-in. | 2/16/1927 | Ever after on | Edna Winston | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-38046 | 10-in. | 5/20/1927 | Beale Street blues | Alberta Hunter | Female vocal solo, with pipe organ | lyricist, composer | |
| Victor | BVE-38047 | 10-in. | 5/20/1927 | Beale Street blues | Fats Waller | Pipe organ solo | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-38632 | 10-in. | 6/6/1927 | Long gone | E. J. Derry ; Travis B. Hale | Male vocal duet, with banjo and mandolin (self-accompaniment) | composer | |
| Victor | BVE-38661 | 10-in. | 6/10/1927 | Beale Street blues | Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers | Jazz/dance band | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Handy, W. C.," accessed March 5, 2025, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101964.
Handy, W. C.. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 5, 2025, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101964.
"Handy, W. C.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 5 March 2025.
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