Mamie Smith

Mamie Smith, was ahead of her time when it came to three things, one, the blues, two, black people in the industry, three, women as the popular performers. Her early life isn’t totally known but she is believed to be born in 1883 Cincinnati, Ohio. Mamie was working as a vaudeville entertainer and touring by the time she was just 10 years old, and continuing to tour with various acts well into her teens. At age 20 she called Harlem home with her new husband William Smith. She later remarried twice throughout her career but kept the same name. She is known majority for her blues signing, but also film performances. She was a glamourous multi-talented woman. This is where Mamie Smith made her mark on Okeh Records and the world. Later in her career, she often performed with the Jazz Hounds.

Her success is said to have been a surprise as “Crazy Blues”, her first recorded song, published in 1920, pushed the boundaries of social acceptance and ethical issues. The original song talks of her feelings of crazy blues after the man of her dreams leaves her, leading into all the other bad news she gets. This song is considered to be the ‘First ever recorded blues song’, a song which sold over 75,000 copies in just a few months, with the surprise coming from the record label as they began to take notice of the popularity of the genre. This massive income flex and success of the song is also what made certain people take observation into how large scale the exploitation of colored musicians was in the industry. The immediate popularity prompted other recording companies to sign female black blues singers to capture the new “race records” market. This market is where large companies sell blues music to black record buyers, most often white men.

Mamie opened the doors to the world of blues, and some argue that even though the work was often demeaning it set the stage for future fames, it allowed women to be thought of as talented people. It allowed the blues to become established and accepted.

As many scholars call “crazy Blues” the ‘first ever recorded blues song’, many other people questioned the authenticity of Mamie’s blues. The blues stemmed from southern rural roots and Mamie came from Cincinnati, so how was she to know. As well with black talent freshly known within the world she was often criticized for not being any better than other white singers. Her being able to continue producing top hit ‘blues’ songs is what led to her overcoming the doubt.

The following is her most well-known song “Crazy Blues”.

This song stars of with a strong band background, heard are trumpets, clarinets, saxophones and a trombone, with Mamie coming into sing only 16 seconds in. Her lyrics often decrescendo down near the end of the word, with straining during the last world of a stanza. The chorus is hoppy and enjoyable. The lyrics stand out as it tells a story of a woman who has issues too, a woman who is allowed to chase a man, and a woman who feels. I chose this song as it is what made her name as a blues singer.

“That thing called love”

This song was said to be recorded before “Crazy Blues”, but was not considered to be bluesy. It has a piano playing tempo and a flute adding in the harmony. Again her lyrics speak of a woman in pain or anguish, rather than a woman of happiness and joy. The choice of this one is more of a study thing, I was studying what the difference between her blues and her before.

“My Sportin’ Man”

This was actually my favourite of her songs as it is quite scandalous in its lyrics. Some of the lyrics include:

‘He ain’t gun shy, he always hits the same bull’s eye, what man is my sportin’ man’

‘That gun of his pumps all day long’

It is a very playful song, that makes you beat your foot and giggle at the same time.

As I continued to listen to her many songs I started to notice the more hidden lines and references to the previous years of slavery, black racism, and white-washing. They are never straight worded or bold as you might say but instead quiet and snider remarks to a previous time.

I found Mamie Smith to be a very vocally talented and creative artist with a lot to offer in her music.

#M2Q3

Bibliography

1.Oliver, Paul. “Smith, Mamie.” Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press,

2. “At the Howard Theater.” Washington Bee. December 18, 1920.

3.blackpast.org/aah/smith-mamie-1883-1946

4. pages.stolaf.edu/...anmusic/tag/mamie-smith

The Power Dynamic around Blackface in Early American Theatre
The reason blacks donned blackface in early American theatre arose from not being allowed to perform onstage as themselves for most of the 19th century.1 White men with black painted on their faces were tolerated on stage by white audiences, thus giving blacks a way onto the stage as well – by painting their faces into a way acceptable by white audiences, blacks could perform onstage. The power dynamic of having to look up at a black man or woman made many whites uncomfortable.1 Blacks painting their faces in a cruel mockery of their natural selves satisfied the whites enough to appease the power dynamic; the whites felt unthreatened enough to allow themselves to look up at a black man or woman on stage.1

Shuffle Along – Progressive or Reinforcing of Negative Stereotypes?
The all-black cast of Shuffle Along could be seen as a challenge against racism. However, it also seems like the show reinforced the negative stereotypes against blacks that were common in that time. This is evidenced by lines like “You ain’t got no business being no mayor and you knows you ain’t, what you talking about being mayors”, and also by Sullivan stating the show “wasn’t exactly forward-­thinking on race. It broke boundaries, no doubt, but mainly through its success, and by having great pop tunes”.1 It is important to note that the time-period the show debuted in did not allow its creators to be very forward-thinking. They were already toeing the line in other aspects, and any more pushes against the status quo could have been dangerous for all involved.

To expand on the aforementioned “other aspects”, Shuffle Along definitely challenged the taboo of black sexuality by having two black characters fall in love. As stated by Walton, and noted by Sullivan in his article:

White audiences, for some reason… do not want colored people to indulge in too much lovemaking. They will applaud if a colored man serenades his girl at the window, but if, while telling of his great love in song he becomes somewhat demonstrative and emulates a Romeo — then exceptions are taken.1

Thus, to call Shuffle Along non-progressive due to reinforcing some black stereotypes common in that time would be wrong.

Regarding typical rhythms in musical theatre, it can also be said that Shuffle Along was responsible for “introduc[ing] syncopation into the American musical”, and blackness as well.1

As well, it appears that the stereotype of chorus girls dancing jazz also originated from Shuffle Along.

It appears that Shuffle Along tried to be as progressive as possible in that period of time. I’m sure many more forward-thinking inclusions would have been added, if not for the very real, dangerous repercussions facing the musical’s makers.

“I’m Just Wild About Harry”

As stated by Sullivan, the most famous song from Shuffle Along is “I’m Just Wild About Harry”.1 Unfortunately, I had not heard the song before. However, it was interesting to learn that it was the only song written by African-Americans used as a presidential campaign theme until Obama.

Patting Juba
The phrase “patting Juba” refers to African plantation dancing, which was complex, full of expression, and physically taxing.1 The “patting” comes from drumming on one’s body, and slapping one’s chest, knees, and soles of feet.1 The second Juba was an even better dancer than John Diamond. The only problem was that he was black. This story was included to continue drawing attention to how blacks were mistreated by racism and having to paint their own faces in order to perform. This ties to the main story because P.T. Barnum’s painting of Juba may be the first noted occurence of blackface being used. This exploitative act by Barnum can be followed down in history to the minstrel shows, and later to the very actors who participated in Shuffle Along.

False Claims by Shuffle Along
Shuffle Along’s claims to being the first black broadway show, or the first successful one, are not fully true.1 These claims truthfully belong to Williams and Walker, and their 1907-1909 show “Bandanna Land”, which played at the Majestic Theater on Broadway.1

Shuffle Along in 2016
The concept of the 2016 show (titled Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed) was to not be a revival of the original, but a transformation.1 This was done partially due to the failures of past revivals, and the “terrible book” of the original.1 The 2016 show celebrated the original by telling the story of how Shuffle Along came to be, i.e. its making; this was done by “tell[ing] the story of the original creators and cast and how they pulled it off”.1

New Insights from the Article
The most surprising thing from the article was learning how openly hostile whites would be to blacks. While aware of racism, I had no idea newspapers would publish lines like “These young men are likely to wake up with a start some morning”.1 As well, considering Walker’s following statement in today’s time is quite disheartening – “There is no reason why we should be forced to do these old-time nigger acts. It’s all rot, this slap-­stick-­bandanna handkerchief-­bladder in the face act, with which Negro acting is associated. It ought to die out, and we are trying hard to kill it.”1 Combining the facts that Walker said this 110 years ago,  and that the world is still just as bigoted (if not worse) in many places is a little sad to think about.

Minstrelsy and American Popular Music
In my opinion, this section of the textbook doesn’t give what could be called an unfair perspective on blackface in America. However, it does completely glance over years of strife and racism, shortening a critical period of history down to less than a page. It would seem that a textbook detailing the history of popular music in America would spend a little more time on the subject.

References
1-Sullivan, John Jeremiah. “‘Shuffle Along’ and the Lost History of Black Performance in America.” The New York Times. March 24, 2016. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/magazine/shuffle-along-and-the-painful-history-of-black-performance-in-america.html?mcubz=1.

The Payola Scandal

In today’s generation, any sources of entertainment is readily available to us through the internet. Contrasting, this was not the cast in the 1950s. In the 1950s, a primary form of communication to the American population was through radio station. From political updates to sports update, the radio station was the place for entertainment. One of the most popular programs included the exploration to new music. As time went on, programs shifted form the radio stations to television after it’s invention. As a consequence, disc jockeys began to play a new form of music; roll and rock.[1] This new type of music became greatly popular among citizens, especially the youth. Over time as interest began to grow, which inspired artists to join the revolution of Rock and Roll music.[2]

As the market grew, record companies expected more investment. However, there was only one limitation, air time. As fame grew, so did the competition among record companies. The competition of making their record reach heights. One of the key players in this situation were the disc jockeys. As the controller of the radio station, disc jockeys had one job to pick out any label and play it for the public.[3] Which record to play and how many times was all controlled by the disc jockey. Therefore, in order to take leadership, record companies and artist started to pay radio jockeys for their air time.[4] This action became known as Payola. In simpler terms Payola is bribery. Essentially bribing the radio jockey of money or other incentives to have their record played repeatedly.

To a surprise, in the 1950s the practice of payola was not illegal, in fact it had been occurring for many years. [5] Over time the number of radio jockeys, artists, and record companies practicing Payola increase rapidly.Eventually, the audience started to realizing that the jockeys they had blindly trusted were not playing music that was best for the public, but the music that got them the most; be it money or fame. [6]

The music they were listening to everyday became a sense of illusion, because they were not hearing what was the best music, but in fact the music that was sold.  Many true artists and music labels were neglected or never been heard of, because they could not afford to pay thousands of dollar to the radio jockeys. [7] A sense of mistrust began to arise within the population.

The practice of Payola had become so common it eventually became a topic of concern even for the United States Congress. One of the main concern for the United States Congress was the fact that even through people in the music industry practice Payola is well known, the money was never declared on DJ’s tax returns therefore was illegal.[8] Furthermore, the government believed that the  it was not ethical to keep the citizen blinded of the practices that happen behind the microphone. Therefore, in 1959, the investigation began. [9]On January 25 1960, it was officially stated that by the National Association of Broadcasters that radio jockeys accepting payments will not only be charged a fine of $500 but also spend one year in prison. [10]

Two key jockeys were exposed, DJ Alan Freed and Dick Clark. DJ Alan Freed was known for introducing Rock and Roll. Dick Clark was a television personality host.

DJ Alan Freed was convicted of accepting Payola though out this career as a radio jockey, however he kept on refuse this statement.[11] The radio company he worked at, WABC asked him to sign a contact stating he had never accepted any form of Payola which is strongly refused to do so. As a consequence, he was fired.[12]  Unfortunately, he was not arrested or fined at the moment, as in 1959 laws against Payola were yet to be introduced. However, in May of 1960 DJ Alan Freed was arrest in from commercial bribery and later was charged for 26 other commercial bribery for which he only had to pay the fine. Post investigation, DJ Alan freed was black listed which ended his career.[13] Dick Clark was also a radio jockey was also exposed under the practice of Payola.[14]  It was stated that he held possession in 33 different record labels, distributors, and manufactures.[15] Due to his ownership in these record labels and clearly stating his interest music-related business Congress let Dick Clark pass through without any fines, unlike DJ Alan Freed.[16]

Dick Clark and Alan Freed were just two of the many jockeys investigated under United State Congress, many other jockey’s careers were also ruined under Payola.

As a consequence, post the laws stated by the United State Congress, radio jockey’s right to select the music that gets played on the radio was stripped away.[17] It was now up to management, specifically program and music director, of the radio company that selected what music would be played and in which order. [18]

In today’s generation by the federal law, broadcast station are certified to receive payment or other consideration in exchange, however this fact must be revealed to the audience prior to the program being aired.[19] The music and programing we are being exposed to had certain names of “sponsors” attached to it, which means rich label companies will get their music heard more often not because it is good but because it is rich. As everyday listener, we tend to forget what a big industry the overall music industry is. Our radio station gives us a framework of “rich music” which we misunderstand to be the only existing music in the world. Other music remains unheard of and get shoved in the dark. As citizen and music listener, one of the wisest steps work be to break the framework set radio companies, and think outside the box which will able us to explore music in its purest form.

Bibliography

[1] Neria, Bob. “Payola Scabdal Rock 50’s Radio”

[2]  Neria, Bob. “Payola Scabdal Rock 50’s Radio”

[3] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[4] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[5] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[6] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[7] Neria, Bob. “Payola Scabdal Rock 50’s Radio”

[8] Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[9] Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[10] Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[11] Mariehegwood. “Alan Freed Payola Scandal”

[12]  Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[13] Mariehegwood. “Alan Freed Payola Scandal”

[14] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal”. History.com

[15] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal”. History.com

[16] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal”. History.com

[17] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal –

[18] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal –

[19] “Payola Rules”. Federal Communications Commissions

Josephine Baker #M3Q1

Who was Josephine Baker?

Freda Josephine Mcdonald was born on June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri. Throughout her life she was know as a singer, civil rights activist, and a dancer and devoted most of her life to fight racism. She was born in poverty but with her skills as a dancer and a singer in youth she found success on Broadway. To help her family with finical situation, Freda would clean and babysit wealthy white families and that is where she first learned about racism by being treated poorly often by the families. She ran away from home at the age of 13 to pursue her dreams of working in the show business. Josephine Bakwer first marriage was at the age of 13 to Willie Baker whom she divorced shortly. She kept his last name due to her career taking off during the time she married to Willie Baker. She would go on the have three more marriages which all ended in divorces. Her last husband was a French Composer Jo Bouillon. She was also know to be bisexual and having multiple relationship with women throughout her life. Josephine Baker did not have any biological children but adopted 12 children. She wanted to prove that children of different ethnicities and religion could still be brothers and sisters and live in peace. She called her family the “The Rainbow Tree”. Josephine Baker died at the age of 68 on April 12, 1975. She died due to cerebral hemorrhage. At her funeral she received the French military honors and was the only American born women to do so.

Early Days

Josephine Baker’s musical stage entertainment started around 1920s when she decided to move to France. She took up dancing around this time and displayed her amazing skills in both club and street style performers. Around this time, she also started touring United States with the Jones Family Band and the Dixie Steppers. By 1923 had a role in a musical called Shuffle Along. Her comedic side and her signing made her a crowd favorite. She soon moved to New York city with her sudden fame and was performing in plays such as Chocolate Dandies with Ethel Waters.  In 1925 she performed few plays in France such as La Revue Negre and Danse Sauvage which she made an immediate impression to the French Audience. Due to her success in musical performances, she sang professionally around 1930 in films such as Zou-Zou, Princess Tam-Tam, Siren of the Tropics, and Fausse Alerte.

The Charleston

Josephin Baker performance was mixture of theatrical glamour and a warmth feeling which focused on her body movement and her voice. She would mix song and dance by singing a line or two and dancing along with the song. Her performances seemed to include the audience and and even had subplots within the plot of the performance.  Baker took the Charleston dance and introduced it in Paris in 1920s. She would grab the attention of the audience anytime she performed.

World War 2  

During September of 1939 France declared war on Germany and that is when Josephine was recruited by the Deuxieme Bureau as a honorable correspondent. She would gather information on German troops and their location she met at parties. Due to her efforts in helping with the war she was offered Croix de guerre and the Rosette de la Resistance.

Civil Rights Activist

Josephine Baker was not only a successful musical performer but she was also one on many civil right activists to break the color barrier in the US. Even though France was her home she would often travel to United States for show and would experience hate towards her kind. She would deal with so much hate that she would refuse to perform in venues that only allowed white and not a mixed audience. Even though she was a celebrity she was not immune to racism. She would be refused to hotels and restaurants due to her color of the skin. Due to the fight against racism she was put on the FBI watch list and lost her US citizenship for over a decade. She was allowed to enter the US to speak with Martin Luther King in the March on Washington. She was the only official female speaker at the march.

Legacy

Josephine Baker has been inducted in the St.Louis Walk of Fame and Hall of Famous Missourians. Place Josephine Baker in Montparnasse Quarter is named in her honor. She was also inducted into the Legacy Walk in Chicago. She was referred to the Beyoncé of her day. She was influence to many modern celebrities even after a century. Her legacy will always be remembered and will live on for days to come for many performers.

Bibliography

https://www.biography.com/people/josephine-baker-9195959

 http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20141222-from-exotic-dancer-to-activist

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/march-on-washington-had-one-female-speaker-josephine-baker/2011/08/08/gIQAHqhBaJ_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.cffc2d75982a

http://www.theheroinecollective.com/josephine-baker/

https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/07/archives/josephine-baker-sings-talks-dances-and-captivates.html

Last weekend I attended a concert at Craven Country Jamboree. Although the experience was quite enjoyable, I am glad I only stayed for one night. Mostly due to the fact health and cleanliness do not rank highly on festival go-ers list. Exhibit one: the countless hand sanitizer dispensers that were either empty or completely destroyed. Anyhow, the artist that I saw live was Dean Brody.  For those of you who don’t know who Dean Brody is, he is a Canadian country singer hailing from Jaffray, British Columbia. Dean Brody grew up in a rural setting, spending much of his time doing activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, and various sports. He helps listeners relive his childhood experiences through his songs, with many of them containing elements of his younger years.  Dean is a well-established musician in Canadian country music, with sixteen Canadian Country Music Awards and two Junos.

Although he began in the country genre, his most recent album “Beautiful Freakshow” has a song also called “Beautiful Freakshow”, which features a rap verse and a faster beat than his traditional music. Dean Brody did not stop experimenting with different genres there. On the same album he released a reggae song called “Beautiful Girl”. The variety of genres that Dean Brody produces show his dynamic musical ability and also showcases his unique musical style. Many of the songs at the concert he performed not only vocals, but also played the acoustic guitar. One of the more popular and notable songs he performed was “Time”. The song addresses the never-ending struggle of time passing. He discusses how when you’re young it feels like those days will never end, and the harsh reality that those days pass by far too quickly as well as the importance of making the most of every minute. It also mentions how we should appreciate things the way they are before it is too late to. The chorus repeats “the trouble is, you think you have time”, which reiterates the message listeners are supposed to take from the song. The song has a generic rhythm section for instrumentals, it features an acoustic guitar, a snare drum, and a bass guitar. The song is made up of a simple two-beat structure, with a slow tempo, and a folk feel, giving listeners the chance to sing along.

Most of you are probably familiar with Craven Country Jamboree as it is renowned for being one of the biggest country festivals in Canada. To describe the physical attributes of the event, it has the looks of a low quality fair grounds, with campsites for thousands to bring their trailers and tents. The stage was set up in the shape of the letter “T” with the bottom of the “T” coming towards the crowd. Two large televisions were setup on both sides of the stage, and the fans packed along edges of the stage. Dean Brody’s music tends to attract people of rural backgrounds, because the activities mentioned in his songs are those done by people from these settings. Having something to relate to in his music makes it far easier for someone to enjoy the songs, as fans are able to reminisce about memories of the same activities with friends and family. Alcohol consumption is an activity mentioned in Dean Brody’s songs and honestly, it is quite difficult to find a country song without the mention of alcohol in the lyrics. The fans of the concert were intoxicated to say the least, many of whom had started consumption before lunchtime. I believe it is a fair argument that there is a connection between the alcohol references in the songs and the inebriation of the crowd as a whole.

Personally, coming from a farming background I can find a lot to relate to in Dean Brody’s words. Whether that be camping, or perhaps having a picnic with family. I spent half of my years growing up, on a farm. Before the introduction of music streaming services, there was not much of a music selection. The city radio stations did not transmit to our farm, so instead of using the FM transmitter, we were left with AM radio. Every single radio station on AM radio was either country music, news, or a bit of both. So, when spending time out on the farm, it was music of this genre that I had available to me, and ever since then it holds a special place in my heart. I feel this was a connection I shared with many in the crowd. From this course I have gained knowledge that the emergence of country music actually began through AM radio. It gave musicians a platform to transmit their songs.

REFERENCES:

Leggett, Steve. “Dean Brody | Biography & History.” AllMusic. Accessed July 16, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dean-brody-mn0001051996/biography.

I would just like to start by introducing myself. My name is Tyler Verity; I am entering my second year of university enrolled in the Edwards School of Business. Growing up I have always loved listening to music, especially old classics from the 50’s to 70’s. I am excited to widen my knowledge of the music industry and continue to aid in my enjoyment of music for years to come. For my first blog post, I chose the payola scandal as I have increased interest in law and different ways people bend the rules in their favour. As I conducted my research, I was very interested in some of the big names I saw who were guilty of participating. I hope by reading the following, it is as exciting and informative for you.

The payola scandal which began to blossom in the 1950’s, changed the way artists of all genres promoted their music to a broader audience. Some background information which should be known before moving on is the process of how musicians promote their music to the general public. Starting in the 1950’s, radio was one of the main outlets for news, music, and entertainment of all forms. Stations that played music were ran by disk jockeys or DJ’s that would spend their days buying songs to play and would allocate time for each song to be played live over the radio. As more and more competition came into the music industry, it could often become very hard for musicians to have their music exposed as much as they would like. Payola stands for “pay” and “Victrola” which means to bribe. What many musicians began doing was bribing the DJ’s with more airtime by paying them under the table with cash, gifts or other items the DJ’s had an interest in. This bribery not only promoted the musician’s own music but also took time away from playing other musicians.

Back in 1958 is when payola was first publicly exposed. It started with two popular game shows, “Twenty-one” and “$65,000 question” were rigged. It was in these shows that the games were rigged and, in the end, were canceled due to lack of creditability and many legal issues. As payola became more popular more artists were found guilty. If you were found guilty of payola you were been charged $500 per song along with a year in prison. It is said that back in the 1950’s if an artist were to invest $125 they would walk out with a profit of approximately $11,900. That is a huge profit margin. From a personal opinion, if I were an artist if promoting my music creates enough revenue than normal promotion, that I make more than $500 plus enough to minimize the inconvenience of prison, then the pros outweigh the cons, and I would still bribe the DJ. As times progress more outlets are produced which in turn creates more exposure to the public. As there are more opportunities in today’s society, my views on payola would change. I feel it would no longer be a good idea to bribe the DJ.

Some shocking big players that took part in various payola scandals would include Alan Freed. Alan, who coined the term rock n roll, was arrested along with seven others for a total of twenty-six counts of payola. Another big name involved was Jamie records. They invested approximately $15000 into payola as a company. Although it seemed to be more common in the later years, payola participation has been on the decline. However, it is not gone.

One recent payola scandal that has surprised me personally is Sony in 2005. Sony was charged ten million for their participation in payola. With many big companies taking over the music industry it can be a constant effort to attract musicians to join the company. What Sony did to set their artists apart was they would pay the DJ’s to play Sony artists more than others. One famous artist that was caught within this was Jessica Simpson. What Sony would do to cover their footsteps in paying the DJ’s is they would have radio stations fake cash contests. They would rig the contest and have the DJ’s win the competition and hide the insider promotions.

Payola has helped many artists promote their music for many years. Many promotional companies take away the need for under the table bribing however, it is a problem that will always be present whether it is made public or not. I encourage people to share their thoughts on payola as many people have different views on this subject. Thanks for reading.

Sites used:

“Alan Freed, Dick Clark and the Radio Payola Scandal.” Performing Songwriter Ent., LLC. August 24, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2018. http://performingsongwriter.com/alan-freed-payola-scandal/.

McDonald, Heather. “Pros and Cons of Payola.” The Balance Careers. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/payola-influencing-the-charts-2460759.

Neira, Bob. “Payola Scandal Rocks 50’s Radio.” Untitled. Accessed July 20, 2018. http://www.modestoradiomuseum.org/payola.html.

#M2Q3

-Important figures in Early Pop Music History: W.C HANDY

#M2Q3: W.C. Handy Biography

William Christopher Handy, born on November 16^th, 1873 in Florence, Alabama was raised in a religious family with his father working as a pastor at the church in Guntersville. He was also known as the Father of the Blues and one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. Growing up he was involved with carpentry, shoemaking and plastering. Handy was first introduced to music while attending church where he was known for singing and his desire for music only grew as he got older. In his younger years handy had bought a guitar without his parents knowing and would play the guitar in secret. Nonetheless his father came to know of it and forced Handy to return it. This was due to the fact his father was very religious and felt the musical instruments were tools of the “devil”. Regardless Handy’s passion drew his father to sign him up for organ lessons which did not last long but Handy learned to play the cornet. Handy always had a desire for music as he would pass time while waiting for overfilled furnaces to digest ore by making beats from the shovels workers were using. Handy even went on to take a teaching exam which he passed easily but quit learning that it paid poorly. Following these events in 1892, Handy formed a band called the Lauzette Quartet. At this time Handy was also working at a pipe works plant. Handy went on to perform at the World’s Fair Chicago, however he was unable to perform at the show until the following year due to the World’s Fair being postponed for a year. W.C. At the age of 23 he became the bandmaster of the Mahara’s Colored Minstrels. Handy at this point had reached success and was able to travel the country and even perform in places like Cuba with the band as their popularity was growing. Through traveling Handy collided with rural African-American folk songs which would later motivate his mainstream blues music in the future. In 1896 Handy was performing in Kentucky when love struck with his partner Elizabeth Price and decided to marry the same year. Handy and Price would go on to have six children and later settle down in Florence. Handy ended up moving to Memphis, Tennessee and wrote Memphis Blues which would become a blues hit during the 1910s. Moreover, Handy went on to New York where he was an essential component in inspiring the blues. 1928 Handy was also the first host of a blues concert in New York City’s Carnegie Hall. W.C. Handy wasn’t done there he went on to create many pieces during the 20s and 30s such as, An Anthology, Negro Authors and Composers of the United States. Handy even went on to publish his own autobiography in 1941 titled Father of the Blues. During the same period of his autobiography Handy began to face health problems as his eyesight was deteriorating and eventually he was left completely.  Following these years of hardships as his eyesight has been lost Handy In 1958 had passed away due to pneumonia.

Challenges Faced by Handy:

W.C. Handy was born into a very religious family as his father was a pastor and expressed his rejection towards the tools of the “devil”. Handy was forced to buy his guitar and play it in secret as this was the only way for him to overcome the challenge of an unapproving father at the time. Non-religious music and musical instruments were considered offensive by his church and father as they were the tools of the “devil”. Due to this challenge a lot of Handy’s passion and desire for music was boxed up inside him and he was unable to express it during his upbringing but nonetheless this didn’t stop his passion and desire as he continued to be involved with music and bands even while working at different job sites. Furthermore, Handy also experienced the downside of poverty as he would be homeless living under a bridge for 2 years as working small jobs was his only source of income. He eventually began working at a pipe plant and part time with his musical band. Racism was also very prevalent during the time of Handy as he lived at a time in the South where people were having a hard time accepting the changes being made to slavery and people would soon have to start accepting others as their equals. Handy faced much racism while being raised in Alabama and even more when he began traveling with his musical groups to the point they were being threatened and racially violated by mobs during performances. This ultimately would facilitate Handy’s decision to move into New York later in his years. On another note one of Handy’s most famous and financially successful songs was taken away from him as he had signed over rights to it without fully understanding what that meant. Memphis Blues never benefited Handy financially from its sales and caused him to create a production company on his own so this type of situation would not occur again in the future.

Handy’s Contributions towards music:

Handy was the first to systematically record and log Blues music and this was a huge contribution as it would pave the way for blues music future. Handy was also a skilled songwriter and composer and this gave Handy the opportunity to produce hits by combining his own compositions with blues music he had ran across while traveling to different countries. This is another reason why we are introduced to so many different types of blues music by him. Handy was also able to turn blues music into sheet music and one of the first to ever do so. Handy preserved blues and folk music from the rural south and worked very hard to legitimize blues music as an exclusive musical form. This is why Handy was known as the Father of Blues.

Famous Songs

Yellow Dog Blues

Anticipating to make only “another hundred or so” on a third recording of his, “Yellow Dog Blues”. Handy signed a deal with the Victor company. The Joe Smith recording of this song in 1919 became the best-selling recording of Handy’s music to date. I choose this song because of its success and how popular it became. The fact that its cover version by Joe Smith is a best-selling record of Handy’s music to date is a big significance because it shows the popularity and interest placed by society on the song.

Saint Louis Blues

Arguably W.C. Handy’s most famous song is “Saint Louis Blues”. It went on to be called “the jazzman’s Hamlet” because it was recited by many famous artists including Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong.The song form is 12-Bar blues written in a tango rhythm. Handy went on to say “The one-step and other dances had been done to the tempo of Memphis Blues. … When St Louis Blues was written the tango was in vogue. I tricked the dancers by arranging a tango introduction, breaking abruptly into a low-down blues. My eyes swept the floor anxiously, then suddenly I saw lightning strike. The dancers seemed electrified. Something within them came suddenly to life. An instinct that wanted so much to live, to fling its arms to spread joy, took them by the heels.” I choose this song due to the fact that many artists went on to recite this song in their own version as they were fond of it. Bringing this different tango rhythm into play was a big step by Handy and it worked so well that other artists wanted a go at it.

Memphis Blues

Was written by W.C. Handy in 1912 and was one of the first blues songs published that pushed blues into the mainstream scene. Originally written as a campaign song for Edward Crump. Rights of the song was signed off for $100 usd and later inspired Handy to create his own publication.  I choose this song because of its significance towards Handy’s hardships being tricked out of a lot of money and signing the rights away of this song was a turning point for Handy as he would later in life create his own company to publish his music. The world is a cold place be careful!

References:

W.C. Handy. (2015, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/wc-handy-39700

Yeager, A. (2003). W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues. Birmingham, Alabama: Seacoast Publishing.

Robertson, D. (2011). W.C. Handy: The Life and Times of the Man Who Made the Blues. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.