Category Archives: Posts with Audio
On This Day In Music History: “Crazy Blues”
From the opening notes of trombone, piano, trumpet and clarinet, this sounds like a Jazz record. But when the vocalist comes in, the music takes a turn. “I can’t sleep at night, I can’t eat a bite because the man … Continue reading
On This Day In Music History: “Arkansaw Traveler”
In the summer of 1922, 34-year-old Texas fiddler A.C. “Eck” Robertson and 74-year-old Oklahoma fiddler Henry C. Gilliland performed together at the Old Confederate Soldiers’ Reunion in Richmond, VA. When the festivities ended, they took the train to New York City to … Continue reading
Blues, Women & The Guitar
When the first blues record – “Crazy Blues” featuring vocalist Mamie Smith, recorded on Aug. 10, 1920 – sold 75,000 copies in the first month after its release, American record companies knew that they were on to something. This success … Continue reading
Recent Discoveries
Once upon a time, if I’d been asked, I’d have probably said that the master Jazz musician Charlie Christian was the first electric guitarist on record. But since I’ve gotten into researching the history, including the “first recordings” of the musical genres … Continue reading
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