The Aces (group); Carey Addison (drums); (Little) Nathaniel Addison (drums); Alabama Red (piano); Pete Allen (guitar); Luther Allison (guitar); Ray Allison (drums); Ike Anderson (bass); Willie Anderson (harmonica); Hermon Applewhite (bass); Nate Applewhite (drums); Billy Boy Arnold (harmonica);
Easy Baby (Randall: harmonica); Frank Bandy (bass); L. V. Banks (guitar); Barkin’ Bill (vocal); Lefty Bates (guitar); Alan Batts (keyboard); Steve Beal (guitar); Carey Bell (harmonica); Lurrie Bell (guitar); Fred Below (drums); Wayne Bennett (guitar); Buster Benton (guitar); Little Joe Berson (harmonica); Big Bad Ben (Murphy) (guitar, harmonica); Big Red (Walter Smith) (guitar); Big Time Sarah (vocal); Willie Black (bass); Sylvester Boines (bass); Cornelius Boyson (bass); Buck Braggs (bass); Billy Branch (harmonica); Blind Jim Brewer (guitar); John Brim (guitar); Big Leon Brooks (harmonica); Lonnie Brooks (guitar); Andrew Brown (guitar); Arelean Brown (vocal); Dusty Brown (harmonica); Willie Buck (vocal); Elbert (J.D.) Buckner (drums); Eddie “Jew Town” Burks (harmonica); Aron Burton (bass); Kenny Burton (guitar); Larry Burton (guitar); Wild Child Butler (harmonica)
Eddie C. Campbell (guitar); Odell Campbell (bass); Bombay Carter (guitar, bass); Joe Carter (guitar); Tyrone Centuray (drums); Vince Chapelle (drums); Nick Charles (bass); Singing Sam Chatman (bass); Chico Chism (drums); Bessie Clark (vocal); Jim Conley (saxophone); James Cotton (harmonica); Robert Covington (drums); Steve Cushing (drums)
Dallas Guitar Slim (vocal, guitar); Lester Davenport (bass); Ike Davis (drums); Blind John Davis (piano); John Henry Davis (bass/guitar); Bobby (Top Hat) Davis (organ, drums); Jimmy Dawkins (guitar); Detroit Junior (piano); Willie Dixon (bass); Lefty Dizz (guitar); Dog Man (drums) (Arthur Jackson); Johnny Dollar (Williams) (guitar); Tail Dragger (vocal); Johnny Drummer (vocal)
Good Rockin’ Charles Edwards (harmonica); Honeyboy Edwards (guitar); Edward El (guitar); Big Mojo Elem (bass); Johnny Embry (guitar); Sylvia Embry (bass); Billy The Kid Emerson (piano); Larry Exum (bass)
Douglas Fagan (saxophone); Bob Fender (guitar); Bobby Fields (saxophone); Left-Hand Frank (guitar); Michael Frank (harmonica); Steve Friund (guitar)
Ashward Gates (drums); Ernie Gatewood (bass); Johnny Gayden (bass); Alberto Gianquinto (piano); Lacey Gibson (guitar); Chickenhouse Shorty Gilbert (bass); Leonard Gill (guitar); John Lee Granderson (guitar); Arvella Gray (guitar); James Green (bass); Buddy Guy (guitar); Phil Guy (guitar);
Mark Hannon (harmonica); Joe Harrington (bass); Vernon Harrington (guitar); Ted Harvey (drums); Willie Hayes (drums); Jesse Hawkins (saxophone); Erwin Helfer (piano); John Lee Henley (harmonica); Charles Hicks (drums); Highway Man (vocal); Harmonica Hinds (harmonica); Douglas “Lee Baby” Holt (drums); Nick Holt (bass); Big Walter Horton (harmonica); J.B. Hutto (guitar)
Illinois Slim (Tom Morris);
Jump Jackson (drums); Lee Jackson (guitar: deceased); Clifton James (drums); Homesick James (guitar); Andrew Jeffrey (drums, vocal); Earnest Johnson (bass); Jimmy Johnson (guitar); Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson (guitar); Marcus Johnson (saxophone); Willie Johnson (guitar); Calvin “Fuzzy” Jones (bass); Carl Jones (vocal); Floyd Jones (guitar); K.C. Jones (drums); Willie Jones (drums); Johnny Junious (drums)
Kansas City Red (drums); Willie Kent (bass); King Edward (Antoine) (guitar); Bobby King (guitar); Eddie King (Milton) (guitar); Rich Kirch (guitar); Rick Krehr (guitar)
Hip Linkchain (alias Lankchan: guitar); Mary Lane (vocal); Sammy Lawhorn (guitar); Sam Lay (drums); Lafayette Leake (piano); S.P. Leary (drums); Bonnie Lee (vocal); Lovey Lee (piano); Bob Levis )guitar); Johnnie Lewis (guitar); John Littlejohn (guitar); Little Milton (Campbell) (guitar); Abb Locke (saxophone); Lucky Lopez (guitar); Phil Lowman (vocal); Willie James Lyons (guitar)
Charlie McClelland (guitar); William “Doug” McDonald (guitar); Andrew Blueblood McMahon (bass)
Magic Slim (Holt) (guitar); Lady Margo (vocal); Bob Margolin (guitar); Martin, Bogan & Armstrong (group); Mickey Martin (drums); Maxwell Street Jimmy (guitar); Harmonica George (Earring George) Mayweather (harmonica); Charles Miles (saxophone, flute); Snapper Mitchum (bass); Willie Monroe (drums, guitar); Little Brother Montgomery (piano); Johnnie B. Moore (guitar); “Murphy” (bass); Matt Murphy (guitar); Bob Myers (harmonica); Dave Myers (bass); Louis Myers (guitar, harmonica)
Dino “Alvarez” Neal (drums); Kenny Neal (bass); Little Bobby Neeley (saxophone); Alvin (B.B.Jones) Nichols (guitar); Deadeye Norris (guitar);
Andrew (B. B./ Big Voice) Odom (vocal); Little Oscar (vocal);
Steve Patterson (drums) “Twist Turner”; Eddie Payne? (drums); Odie Payne, Jr. (drums); Earl Payton (harmonica); Morris Pejoe (guitar); Piano C. Red (piano); Pinetop Perkins (piano); Junior Pettis (guitar); Brewer Phillips (guitar); Steve Plair (guitar); Jerry Portnoy (harmonica); John Primer (guitar); Snooky Pryor (harmonica)
Harmon Ray (inactive); A.C. Reed (saxophone); John Regulus (piano); Bob Reidy (piano); Dan Richmond (harmonica); John Riley (bass); Bert (Top Hat) Robinson (drums); Fenton Robinson (guitar); Harmonica George Robinson (harmonica); Jimmy Lee Robinson (bass); L.C. Roby (guitar); Jimmy Rogers (guitar); Otis Rush (guitar); Little Pat Rushing (guitar)
Ken Sadjac (organ); Ben Sandmel (drums); Frank Scott Jr. (bass); Ray Scott (drums); Son Seals (guitar); Eddie Shaw (saxophone, harmonica); Little Mack Simmons (harmonica); Smiling Bobby (guitar); Byther Smith (guitar); Chuck Smith (saxophone, bass); Willie Smith (drums); Big Smokey Smothers (guitar); Little Smokey Smothers (guitar); Carl Snyder (piano); Soulful Mary (Taylor) (vocal); Dimestore Fred Stoop (harmonica); Bob Stroger (bass); Nolan Struck (bass); Hubert Sumlin (guitar); Sunnyland Slim (piano); “T. V. Sweet” (drums); Pocketwatch Paul Switzer (guitar);
Eddie Taylor (guitar); Koko Taylor (vocal); Robert Taylor (drums); Harlon Terson (bass); Mac Thompson (bass); Sonny Thompson (piano); Jimmy Tillman (drums); Smoky Tillman (guitar); Luther Tucker (guitar); Benny Turner (bass); “Twist Turner” (Steve Patterson?);
Big Moose Walker (piano); John-Boy Walton (guitar); Hayes Ware (bass); Bill Warren (drums, trumpet); Eddy Clear Water (guitar); Muddy Waters (guitar); Rob Watters (organ); Jerry Welch (guitar); Junior Wells (harmonica); Artie White (vocal); Lavelle White (vocal); J. W. Williams (bass, vocal); Lee Shot Williams (vocal); Muddy Waters Jr. Williams (vocal); Willie Williams (drums); Woody Williams (drums); Edith Wilson (vocal); Sonny Boy Wilson (harmonica); Golden Wheeler (harmonica); James Wheeler (guitar); Little Wolf (Sanders); Little Wolf (Solomon);
Mama Estelle Yancey (vocal); Mighty Joe Young (guitar); Zora Young (vocal)
By 1992, Booba Barnes was living at Chicago, and Kid Dynamite was singing on Maxwell Street. David Lindsay was active in the 1990s.
Place of death (1956) of Ernest “Big” Crawford.
Chicago Heights: featured Dusty Brown
DE KALB COUNTY
Sandwich: place of death (1979) of Don Talty.
DU PAGE COUNTY
Villa Park: location (1930) of Don Talty.
EDWARDS COUNTY: nothing known
FRANKLIN COUNTY: nothing known
GALLATIN COUNTY: nothing known
HAMILTON COUNTY: nothing known
HARDIN COUNTY: nothing known
IROQUOIS COUNTY
Watseka: location (2010) of Master James;
JACKSON COUNTY: nothing known
JEFFERSON COUNTY: nothing known
JOHNSON COUNTY: nothing known
KANE COUNTY
AURORA, was the scene of 1937 Recordings for Victor/ Bluebird by:
Merline Johnson (Bluebird) master #07631/6 May 1937; Curtis Jones (Bluebird) master #014338/41 October 1937; Little Bill (Bluebird) master #07628 May 1937; Robert Lee McCoy (Bluebird) master #07655/60 May 1937; Mary Mack (Bluebird) master #07622/5 May 1937; Tampa Red (Bluebird) May 1937; Henry Townsend (Bluebird) master #016534/7 November 1937; John D. Twitty (Black Spider Dumplin’) (Bluebird) master #07626/30 May 1937; Washboard Sam (Bluebird) master #07614/21 May 1937; Charley West (Bluebird) master #07637/40 May 1937; Sonny Boy Williamson (Bluebird) master #07649/54 May 1937.
1938 Recordings: Jazz Gillum (Bluebird) March 1938; Willie Hatcher (Bluebird) master #030866/7 December 1938; George Jefferson (Bluebird) master #020830/1 June 1938; Elijah Jones (Bluebird) master #020120/5 March 1938; One Arm Slim (Bluebird) master #020166/7 March 1938; Yank Rachell (Bluebird) master #020126/9 March 1938; Lulu Scott (Bluebird) master #020832/3 June 1938; Speckled Red (Bluebird) master # 030838/47 December 1938; Sam Theard master #0201501 March 1938; Lorraine Walton (Bluebird) master #020162/5 March 1938; (“Jackson”) Joe Williams (Bluebird) master #020854/7 June 1938.
Elgin:
KANKAKEE COUNTY
Kankakee: was mentioned by Tom Dickson, who may have had some connection with the town, despite being recorded at Memphis, Tennessee.
Manteno: residence at death (1984) of Odell Campbell.
Momence: was the site of a farm and country retreat owned (1960s) by Eddie Boyd (incorrectly transcribed as Moments).
LAKE COUNTY
Waukegan:
LEE COUNTY
Harmon Township: location (1920) of Don Talty.
MACON COUNTY
Decatur: location of Preston Jackson (guitar); he moved to Peoria.
MADISON COUNTY
Alton: reported birthplace (1903) of Thomas “Barrelhouse Buck” McFarland (also reported as MacFarland).
Alton: residence (1910 and 1920) of Thomas “Barrelhouse Buck” McFarland.
Collinsville: birthplace (1894) of Millard G. Thomas. See also St. Clair County.
Granite City: was the base of the Stevens label in the late 1950s, and of Johnny Wright.
Love Joy: was the home of Albert King
Madison: Chuck Bernard;
Newport: location of the Waterfront Club, where James “Steady Roll” Johnson played from about 1931 to 1960.
MASSAC COUNTY: nothing known
MARION COUNTY
Centralia: was a railroad center mentioned by Sleepy John Estes in his song, SPECIAL AGENT BLUES (DECCA # , recorded ). It was the birthplace (1910) of musician twins Lawrence Leake and Lenard Leake, both of whom may have been of blues interest.
PEORIA COUNTY
Peoria: featured Bobbye A. King (died 2008); Preston Jackson (initially from Decatur: more recently a sculptor/ painter/ jazz guitarist); Dave Chastain; Brian Stear; J. M. “Sully” Sullivan (booking agent).
PERRY COUNTY: Nothing known
POPE COUNTY: nothing known
PULASKI COUNTY
Pulaski:
Ullin: was the home of Snooky Pryor from 1972 until his death in 2006; and (from 1972) of his son, Richard “Rip Lee” Pryor.
RANDOLPH COUNTY: nothing known
ROCK ISLAND COUNTY
East Moline: location (1930) of Laurdine Patrick, Sr., and of his son, Laurdine K. “Pat” Patrick.
Moline: “Cracker” was active there.
Rock Island: was the birthplace of Francey Clay.
SALINE COUNTY: nothing known
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Belleville: was the site of the Marlo label.
Brooklyn has been a small center of blues activity, and is situated immediately to the north of East St. Louis and across the Mississippi River from St. Louis itself. The town, and more particularly its 45th Street, was presumably the one celebrated by Clifford Gibson in BROOKLYN BLUES (45TH STREET BLUES), recorded at New York City in 1929 on Victor #23255.
Centreville: burial site (Booker Washington Cemetery, 1966) of Charles McFadden.
Collinsville: birthplace (1894) of Millard G. Thomas. See also Madison County.
East St. Louis: location (1920) of Charles McFadden; (1930) of Arthur Pettis; (1994) of Q. T. Macon.
East St. Louis: featured George and Ethel McCoy
UNION COUNTY: Nothing known
VERMILION COUNTY
Danville: residence (1920) of Sam Utterback.
WABASH COUNTY: nothing known
WARREN COUNTY
Monmouth: residence (1910) of J. Mayo Williams (born Arkansas, 1892).
WAYNE COUNTY
Berry Township: location (1910) of Charles McFadden and his family.
WHITE COUNTY: nothing known
WILL COUNTY
Joliet: was the site of the old Illinois State Prison, as a result of which it has been mentioned in blues by Freddie Spruell (4A HIGHWAY, recorded); Kansas Joe (McCoy) (JOLIET BOUND, recorded ); Johnny Shines ( , recorded ); Joliet was home to Blue Smitty.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY: nothing known
WINNEBAGO COUNTY
Rockford: featured Walter L. Cole (bass: 1985); Floyd Murphy (guitar)