Peg Leg Howell

Joshua Barnes Howell, known as Peg Leg Howell (March 5, 1888 – August 11, 1966), was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist, who connected early country blues and the later 12-bar style. He was one of the first recorded artists of the Atlanta blues scene during the pre-war period, and he was also one of the first blues musicians to ever make a race record.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 5, 1888 (Eatonton), Died August 11, 1966 (Atlanta)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1929

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, leader, speaker

Notes: Original name: Joshua Barnes Howell.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Columbia	W143116	10-in.	11/8/1926	Coal man blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143117	10-in.	11/8/1926	Tishamingo blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143118	10-in.	11/8/1926	New prison blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143119	10-in.	11/8/1926	Fo' day blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143941	10-in.	4/8/1927	New Jelly Roll blues	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Male vocal solo ("blues singer") and male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143942	10-in.	4/8/1927	Beaver slide rag	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Violin and 2 guitars, with talk	instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143943	10-in.	4/8/1927	Moanin' and groanin' blues	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143944	10-in.	4/8/1927	Papa Stobb blues	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143945	10-in.	4/8/1927	Sadie Lee blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W143946	10-in.	4/8/1927	New jailhouse blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W145062	10-in.	11/1/1927	Too tight blues	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Male vocal solo ("blues singer") and male vocal trio, with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W145063	10-in.	11/1/1927	Moanin' and groanin' blues	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W145064	10-in.	11/1/1927	Hobo blues	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with fiddle (violin) and 2 guitars	leader, instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W145065	10-in.	11/1/1927	Peg Leg stomp	Peg Leg Howell and his Gang	Violin and 2 guitars, with male vocal solo ("blues singer")	leader, instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W145184	10-in.	11/9/1927	Doin' wrong	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W145185	10-in.	11/9/1927	Skin game blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W146159	10-in.	4/20/1928	Please ma'am	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W146160	10-in.	4/20/1928	Rock and gravel blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W146161	10-in.	4/20/1928	Low-down rounder blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W146162	10-in.	4/20/1928	Fairy blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W147322	10-in.	10/27/1928	Banjo blues	Eddie Anthony ; Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with fiddle (violin) and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W147343	10-in.	10/30/1928	Turkey buzzard blues	Eddie Anthony ; Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal duet ("blues singer[s]"), with fiddle (violin) and guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W147344	10-in.	10/30/1928	Turtle dove blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W147345	10-in.	10/30/1928	Walkin' blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W148236	10-in.	4/10/1929	Broke and hungry blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with fiddle (violin) and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W148237	10-in.	4/10/1929	Rolling mill blues	Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with fiddle (violin) and guitar	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W148270	10-in.	4/13/1929	Ball and chain blues	Jim Hill ; Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer") and talking, with guitar and mandolin	instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist
Columbia	W148271	10-in.	4/13/1929	Monkey man blues	Jim Hill ; Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer") and talking, with guitar and mandolin	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
Columbia	W148272	10-in.	4/13/1929	Chittlin' supper	Jim Hill ; Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer") and talking, with guitar and mandolin	instrumentalist, guitar, speaker
Columbia	W148273	10-in.	4/13/1929	Away from home	Jim Hill ; Peg Leg Howell	Male vocal solo ("blues singer") and talking, with guitar and mandolin	vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W402139	10-in.	8/13/1928	Canned heat blues	Sloppy Henry	Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W402140	10-in.	8/13/1928	Say I do it	Sloppy Henry	Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars	instrumentalist, guitar

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Howell, Peg Leg," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104119.

Howell, Peg Leg. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104119.

"Howell, Peg Leg." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.