Blind John Davis
Blind John Davis | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Henry Davis |
| Born | December 7, 1913 Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | October 12, 1985 (aged 71) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, boogie-woogie |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, vocals |
| Years active | 1933–1985 |
| Labels | Vocalion, Disques Vogue, Riverside, Happy Bird, Christi, Oldie Blues, Sirens, L&R, Red Beans |
Blind John Davis (December 7, 1913 – October 12, 1985)[1] was an American blues and boogie-woogie pianist and singer.[2][3] He is best remembered for his recordings, including "A Little Every Day" and "Everybody's Boogie".[1]
Biography[edit]
Davis was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and relocated with his family to Chicago at the age of two.[4] Seven years later, he had lost his sight. In his early years Davis backed Merline Johnson, and by his mid-twenties he was a well-known and reliable accompanying pianist. Between 1937 and 1942, he recorded with Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Tampa Red, Red Nelson,[5] Merline Johnson, and others. He also made several records of his own, singing in his lightweight voice.[2]
Having played in various recording sessions with Lonnie Johnson, Davis teamed up with him in the 1940s.[6] He recorded later on his own. His "No Mail Today" (1949) was a minor hit.[2] Most of Doctor Clayton's later recordings featured Davis on piano.[7]
He toured Europe with Broonzy in 1952, the first blues pianist to do so.[8] In later years Davis toured and recorded frequently in Europe, where he enjoyed a higher profile than in the United States.[4]
House Fire[edit]
In 1955, Davis's house in Chicago burned down. His wife died in the fire, and his collection of 1700 78-rpm records, some of them unissued, was destroyed.[9]
Death[edit]
Davis died in Chicago on October 12, 1985. He was 71.
Discography[edit]
- The Incomparable Blind John Davis (1974), Oldie Blues OL 2803[10]
- Alive "Live" and Well (1976), Chrischaa
- Heavy Timbre: Chicago Boogie Piano (1976, re-released 2002), Sirens Records
- Stompin' on a Saturday Night (1978), Alligator
- You Better Cut That Out (1985), Red Beans
- Blind John Davis [Story of Blues] (1991), Story of Blues
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "The Dead Rock Stars Club (1980)". TheDeadRockStarsClub.com. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^ a b c Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 105–06. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ [1] Archived June 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Dahl, Bill. "Blind John Davis: Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
- ^ "Red Nelson: 1935–1938 (LP)". Discogs.com. 1988. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
- ^ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 41. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 101–102. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ Robert Palmer (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. 256. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
- ^ Olderen, Martin van (1997). Liner notes. The Incomparable Blind John Davis. OLCD 7003.
- ^ "Oldies Blues Discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1913 births
- 1985 deaths
- American blues pianists
- American male pianists
- American blues singers
- Blind musicians
- Blues musicians from Mississippi
- Boogie-woogie pianists
- Chicago blues musicians
- Musicians from Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- Oldie Blues artists
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century American pianists
- 20th-century American male singers
- American blind people
- American musicians with disabilities