(state) has been a most important State for blues and gospel music. The overwhelming activity has been in the Chicago area, although the cross-river suburbs of St. Louis have been important, particularly prewar, and other centers have also flourished. Blues and gospel activity in individual areas, organized by counties, may be summarized:
ADAMS COUNTY
Quincy: birthplace (1895) and location (1900) of Charles McFadden (born Charles Pertum).
ALEXANDER COUNTY
CAIRO was celebrated in records. It is commemorated in CAIRO RAG (VICTOR #V-38566, recorded 20 September 1928), performed by Cannon’s Jug Stompers. It is also commemorated in CAIRO BLUES (Brunswick #7085, recorded 9 May 1928), performed by Henry Spaulding, which was remade by Henry Townsend in 1960 for PRESTIGE BLUESVILLE LP and for Adelphi LP. The town was also the subject of Lil’ Son Jackson’s unrelated blues, CAIRO BLUES (Gold * Star #663, recorded 1949, with an alternate take released by Kent LP #KST 9005). Jackson remade his song for ARHOOLIE LP #F 1004 on 10 July 1960.
Cairo was the base in the 1950s for Willie Evans. Leonard “Blue” Scott was born there (1892), as was Mama Yancey (1896). Monte Easter lived there (1920), Willie Evans was based at Cairo in the 1950s, as was Eddie Snow (1961-1977). Homer Wilson (John Brim’s old partner) died there in 1980. Henry Townsend lived in Cairo in the 1920s. George ‘Harmonica’ Smith was raised at Cairo.
Future City: was reputedly the birthplace of Henry Spalding
BROWN COUNTY
Elkhorn Township: location (sometime after 1929) of Baby “Jay” James.
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Champaign: featured J. B. Lenoir
COLES COUNTY
Mattoon: residence (1910) of Sam Utterback.
COOK COUNTY
CHICAGO is the premier blues city and an important gospel city.
Chicago is celebrated in songs such as: SWEET HOME CHICAGO (recorded under several names by Robert Johnson, Bobo Jenkins, Roosevelt Sykes, Little Junior Parker, Johnny Shines, Honeyboy Edwards and others); CHICAGO BOUND (recorded by Jimmy Rogers); EAST CHICAGO BLUES (by Pinetop And Lindberg; in 1932); CHICAGO’S TOO MUCH FOR ME (by Sparks Brothers; in 1933);
Its blues performers in the 1920s included:
Blind Blake
Big Bill
Roosevelt Holts resided at Chicago in 1930.
They were joined in the 1930s by blues performers who included:
Memphis Minnie;
They were joined in the 1940s by blues performers including:
Muddy Waters
Jimmy Rogers
New performers recording or active in the 1950s included:
Jimmy Reed
New performers in the 1960s included:-
Its gospel performers include:
Chicago Gospel Cavaliers;
Rebert Harris
Ann Harris
The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi
The Soul Stirrers
The Pilgrim Jubilee Singers
Major Roberson
Birthplace: (1907) of Cassino Simpson (still at Chicago in 1930); of Billy Boy Arnold; Jerome Arnold; Fred Below Jr.; Rev. James Cleveland;
Chicago was the most important prewar center for blues and gospel recording. Although not all the following were based at Chicago permanently, the following list of performers is set out by the year of their first recordings made at Chicago.
1923: Charles Anderson (OKeh); John Churchill (Paramount); Ida Cox (Paramount); Edmonia Henderson (Paramount); Alberta Hunter (Paramount); Monette Moore (Paramount); Anna Oliver (Paramount); G. Payne (OKeh); Ma Rainey (Paramount); Edna Taylor (Paramount); Sippie Wallace (OKeh);
1924: Lottie Beaman (Paramount); Anna Lee Chisholm (Paramount); Julia Davis (Paramount); Ford & Ford (Paramount); Edna Hicks (Paramount); Papa Charlie Jackson (Paramount); Thelma La Vizzo (Paramount); Sodarisa Miller (Paramount); Priscilla Stewart (Paramount); Sunset Four (Paramount); Ukulele Bob Williams (Paramount);
1925: Viola Bartlette (Paramount); Blanche Calloway (OKeh); Ruth Coleman (Paramount); Bertha “Chippie” Hill (OKeh); Ray Logan (Paramount); Ozie McPherson (Paramount); Mme. C. M. F. Moore (Paramount); Grace Outlaw (Paramount); Sam Robinson (OKeh); Hersal Thomas (OKeh); Hociel Thomas (OKeh); C. A. Tindley Bible Class Singers (Paramount); Rev. W. A. White (Paramount); Leola B. Wilson (Paramount); Woods Famous Blind Jubilee Singers (Paramount);
1926: Katherine Adkins (OKeh #8363); Eloise Bennett (Paramount/Black Patti ’27); Biddleville Quintette (Paramount #12396); Blind Blake (Paramount); Ardelle Bragg (Paramount); Ada Brown (Vocalion #1009); Ethel Bynum (Columbia unreleased); Lillie Delk Christian (OKeh); Rev. E.W. Clayborn (Vocalion); Henryette Davis (OKeh); Wilmer Davis (Vocalion); Rev. Mose Doolittle (Victor); Arizona Dranes (OKeh); John Erby (Columbia); Rev. J. M. Gates (Victor); Marie Grinter (OKeh); George Hannah (Vocalion); Bo Weavil Jackson (Paramount); Blind Lemon Jefferson (Paramount); Kansas City Blues Strummers (Vocalion); Willie Lewis (Paramount); Hattie McDaniels (OKeh); Baby Mack (OKeh); Hazel Meyers (OKeh); Lillian Miller (OKeh); “Dad” Nelson (Paramount); Old Pal Smoke Shop Four (Vocalion); Biddy Paige (Vocalion); Paramount Ladies Four (Paramount); Eva Parker (Victor); The Pebbles (Vocalion); Kathryn Perry (Columbia); Teddy Peters (Vocalion); Elzadie Robinson (Paramount); Irene Scruggs (Vocalion); Trixie Smith (Paramount); Freddie Spruell (OKeh); Sweet Papa Stovepipe (Paramount); Nolan Welsh (OKeh); Arnold Wiley (OKeh); Deacon A. Wilson (Victor);
1927: Mozelle Alderson (Gennett / Black Patti / Brunswick 1930); Ray Allen (Gennett unreleased); Blind Joe Amos (Vocalion #1116); Rev. James Beard (Paramount); Blind James Beck (Gennett unreleased); Ed Bell (Paramount); Ida Bennett (Gennett unreleased); Big Bill (Paramount); Rev. Johnnie Blakey (Paramount); Lucille Bogan (Paramount); Marie Bradley (Paramount); Lil & Will Brown (Black Patti); Ora Brown (Paramount); Gus Cannon (Paramount); Powell Casey (Gennett unreleased); Rev. W. M. Clark (Paramount); Sam Collins (Gennett); Erna Mae Cunningham (Paramount); Katie Daniels (Paramount); Cow Cow Davenport (Paramount); Madlyn Davis (Paramount); Mattie Dorsey (Paramount); Side Wheel Sallie Duffie (Paramount); Will Ezell (Paramount); Hattie Garland (Gennett); Rev. M. L. Gipson (Paramount); Bobby Grant (Paramount); Lucius Hardy (Paramount); Evangelist R. H. Harris (Gennett); Bert Hatton (Vocalion); Buddy Boy Hawkins