Memphis Minnie

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Memphis Minnie, 1930

Memphis Minnie (born June 3, 1897 in Algiers , Louisiana , † August 6, 1973 in Memphis , Tennessee ; actually Lizzie Douglas ) was an American blues musician .

Life

Childhood and first recordings

She was born as one of 18 children in Algiers across the river from New Orleans . In 1904 her family moved to Walls, near Memphis . A year later, Minnie, who at the time was still nicknamed Kid Douglas , received her first guitar for Christmas. At 20, she performed in the area with her boyfriend Willie Brown . In 1929 she made her first record with Joe McCoy , her partner at the time. They made more records over the next five years. There they used Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie as a pseudonym .

Chicago

In 1933 they both moved to Chicago , where they recorded a few more pieces together. Since Minnie often took pictures by himself during this time and Joe managed to break out of her shadow more and more at the same time, they last shot together and separated in 1934. Gradually, Minnie began to establish herself in Chicago. She played a number of pieces together with changing partners until she met Little Son Joe in 1939 , with whom she played from then on. He also appeared on all of her records as a composer until her death. This is unusual in that he had never appeared as a composer before and Minnie had previously composed her own songs.

During this time, Minnie and Son Joe were regular guests at the 708 Club on East 47th Street in Chicago. Her Monday parties in Gatewood's Tavern are also known from this time , where she gave unknown colleagues an opportunity to perform. She also took part in talent competitions when a musician who in her eyes was her equal appeared, which she won with great regularity. It is known that she once challenged Muddy Waters for a glass of whiskey.

Return to Memphis and career retreat

Minnie's grave in Walls, Mississippi

In the 1940s she commuted back and forth between Chicago and Memphis, but also lived briefly in Indianapolis and Maryland . In 1953 Minnie made her last commercial recording for JOB Records with the pianist Little Brother Montgomery , but continued to perform regularly until 1955. In 1958 she returned to Memphis with Son Joe. She performed there frequently and also gave start-up help for many a younger colleague, whom she gave useful tips. At that point she was doing so financially that she had to live on welfare. In 1960 she suffered a stroke, from then on was dependent on a wheelchair and finally had to go to a nursing home. There, too, she received regular visits from her fans. Son Joe died in 1961.

Memphis Minnie died on August 6, 1973.

useful information

  • Memphis Minnie was performing at a time when musicians were still seeing the blues as a man's business. To assert themselves during this time, their only chance was to be even more masculine than their male colleagues. She swore, drank, smoked, played cards and fought. It is said that she once beat up her partner Little Son Joe on stage in front of the audience.
  • She was one of the first female musicians to use an electric guitar .
  • She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980.

Discography

  • Complete Recorded Works 1935-1941 In Chronological Order, Vol. # 3: 6/9 / 37-12 / 15/37 (1991)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1935-1941) (1991)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1930-1931) (1991)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1931-1932) (1991)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 (1933-1934) (1991)
  • Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 5 (1935-1941) (1991)
  • Early Rhythm & Blues From The Rare Regal Sessions: 1934–1942 (1992)
  • 1949-1953, Vol. 3 (1994)
  • Volume 1 (1944-1946) (1998)
  • Volume 2 (1946–1947) (1998)
  • Black Widow Stinger: Essential (1999)
  • Blues: Queen Of The Blues: 1929-1941 (2002)
  • Hoodoo Lady (2008)
  • Queen of Country Blues 1929-1937 (2003) box set
  • Queen of The Delta Blues, Vol. 2 (2005)
  • Vol. 4 [1933-34] by Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe (2006)
  • Crazy Crying Blues (2007)
  • Early Rhythm & Blues 1949 from The Rare Regal Recordings (2007)
  • Vol. 2 1946-47 Complete Records by Memphis Minnie (2007)
  • The Blues 1929-1941 (2008)
  • Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe 1 (2008)
  • Columbia Original Masters (2008)
  • All the Published Sides (2009)
  • The Essential Recordings (2010)
  • Jazz Heritage: Moaning the Blues
  • Traveling blues
  • With Kansas Joe

literature

  • Paul & Beth Garon Woman with Guitar: Memphis Minnie's Blues, City Light Books: San Francisco 2014

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Memphis Minnie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Douglas, Lizzie (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American blues musician
DATE OF BIRTH June 3, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Algiers , Louisiana
DATE OF DEATH August 6, 1973
Place of death Memphis , Tennessee