Burton, W. E.
W. E. "Buddy" Burton (10 January 1890 – 6 July 1977) was a multi-instrumentalist and band leader who appeared on many 1920s Chicago South Side jazz and Blues 78 rpm Phonograph records as vocalist and drummer, and also played washboard, piano, celeste, and kazoo. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky and went to Chicago around 1922. He first recorded with Jelly Roll Morton and sessions that were led by Jimmy Blythe. Burton released five sides under his own name in 1928, six sides with Marcus Norman (as "Alabama Jim And George" which some experts have listed as being made with Bob Hudson, although Norman is credited with co-writing), two sides as a duo with Blythe and one with Irene Sanders. He also backed blues singers Tillie Johnson and Mae Mathews, and played with the Dixie Four and The Harlem Trio. Other than five numbers in 1929, duets with pianist Bob Hudson in 1932, and the duet with Sanders in 1936, little is known about Burton's life after the mid-thirties although he was probably somewhat active. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot word while living in senior housing in Louisville, Kentucky and was reported to be a 'retired musician and elevator operator'. |
Birth and Death Data: Born 1890 (Louisville), Died 1976
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1936
Roles Represented in DAHR: kazoo, vocalist, piano, washboard, drums, speaker, author, composer, traps
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-46 of 46 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gennett | 14071 | 10-in. | 7/18/1928 | Do right blues | Marie Grinter ; State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14072 | 10-in. | 7/18/1928 | St. Louis nightmare | State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14073 | 10-in. | 7/18/1928 | Yearning and blue | State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14074 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Tell me, cutie | Blythe's Blue Boys | Jazz/dance ensemble, with incidental singing | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14075 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Someday you'll know | Blythe's Blue Boys | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14076 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Five o'clock stomp | State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14077 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Barrel house baker | State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14078 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Handful of keys | State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14079 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Searching for a flat | State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14080 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | How would you like to be me | Blythe's Blue Boys | Jazz/dance ensemble, with incidental singing | instrumentalist, kazoo | |
Gennett | 14081 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Charleston blues | Marie Grinter | Female vocal solo, with piano | instrumentalist, piano | |
Gennett | 14082 | 10-in. | 7/19/1928 | Treated wrong blues | Marie Grinter | Female vocal solo, with piano | instrumentalist, piano | |
Gennett | 15159 | 10-in. | 6/7/1929 | St. Louis blues | The Harlem Trio | Piano, harmonica, and drums, with vocal | instrumentalist, piano | |
Gennett | 15160 | 10-in. | 6/7/1929 | Fuzzy wuzzy | Cliff Moore, Marcus H. Norman, and W. E. Burton | Instrumental trio | instrumentalist, piano | |
Gennett | 15161 | 10-in. | 6/7/1929 | Do do lady | Marcus Moman ; W. H. Burton | Piano and traps, with male vocal duet (scat) | instrumentalist, traps, vocalist | |
Gennett | 15162 | 10-in. | 6/7/1929 | Roll that jelly | Marcus Moman ; Cliff Moore ; W. H. Burton | Piano, traps, and bones | instrumentalist, traps | |
Gennett | 15180 | 10-in. | 6/10/1929 | Crossin' Beale Street (Crossin' Forest Avenue) | Marcus H. Norman and W. E. Burton | Male vocal duet, with piano and drums | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
Gennett | 15181 | 10-in. | 6/10/1929 | Memphis rhythm (Detroit rhythm) | Marcus H. Norman and W. E. Burton | Male vocal duet, with piano and drums | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
Gennett | 15182 | 10-in. | 6/10/1929 | Don't cry, Pearl | Alabama Jim and George | Male vocal duet, with piano and drums | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
Gennett | 15183 | 10-in. | 6/10/1929 | All over you | Alabama Jim and George | Male vocal duet, with piano and drums | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
Gennett | 15185 | 10-in. | 6/10/1929 | Leave town or be a clown | Marcus H. Norman | Male vocal solo, with piano and drums | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Burton, W. E.," accessed October 13, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107461.
Burton, W. E.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 13, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107461.
"Burton, W. E.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 13 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Burton, W. E. (W. Evans) - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n96077077
Wikidata: Buddy Burton - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4984829
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/26330796
MusicBrainz: Buddy Burton - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3b1b9f55-c281-4d37-a19a-583fd40effe5
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