Blind John Davis
| Blind John Davis | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Henry Davis |
| Born |
December 7, 1913 Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States |
| Died |
October 12, 1985 (aged 71) Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Blues, jazz, boogie-woogie |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano, vocals |
| Years active | 1933–85 |
| Labels | Vocalion, Disques Vogue, Riverside, Happy Bird, Christi, Oldie Blues, Sirens, L&R, Red Beans |
| Associated acts | Johnny Lee's Music Masters |
Blind John Davis (December 7, 1913 – October 12, 1985)[1] was an African-American blues, jazz 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
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, Merline Johnson, and others, playing on many recordings of that time. 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.[5] 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.[6]
He toured Europe with Broonzy in 1952, the first blues pianist to do so. In later years Davis toured and recorded frequently in Europe, where he enjoyed a higher profile than in his homeland.[4]
In 1955 Davis's Chicago house burned down. His wife died in the fire, and his collection of 1700 unique 78-rpm records, some of unissued recordings, was destroyed.[7]
Davis died in his adopted hometown of Chicago in October 1985, at the age of 71.
Discography
- The Incomparable Blind John Davis (1974) – Oldie Blues OL 2803[8]
- Alive "Live" and Well (1976) – Chrischaa
- Heavy Timbre: Chicago Boogie Piano (1976, re-released in 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
- The Incomparable Blind John Davis (1997) – Oldie Blues OLCD 7003 (reissue of OL 2803)[9]
- My Own Boogie (2002) – Past Perfect (UK)[10]
See also
References
- 1 2 Dead Rock Stars Club based birth and death details efortress.com
- 1 2 3 Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 105–06. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ↑ Archived June 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
- 1 2 O'Neal, Jim. "Blind John Davis". Allmusic. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Olderen, Martin van (1997). Liner notes, The Incomparable Blind John Davis, OLCD 7003.
- ↑ "Oldies Blues discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
- ↑ Steve Leggett (June 20, 1974). "The Incomparable Blind John Davis – Blind John Davis | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
- ↑ "Blind John Davis | Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
External links
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