Big Bill Broonzy
Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley; June 26, 1893 or 1903 – August 14, 1958) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African-American audiences. In the 1930s and 1940s, he navigated a change in style to a more urban blues sound popular with working-class black audiences. In the 1950s, a return to his traditional folk-blues roots made him one of the leading figures of the emerging American folk music revival and an international star. His long and varied career marks him as one of the key figures in the development of blues music in the 20th century. Broonzy copyrighted more than 300 songs, including adaptations of traditional folk songs and original blues songs. As a blues composer, he was unique in writing songs that reflected his rural-to-urban experiences. |
Birth and Death Data: Born June 26, 1893 (Scott County), Died August 14, 1958 (Chicago)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1953
Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, composer, lyricist, songwriter, speaker
Notes: Often billed as Big Bill; composer credits as Williard Broonzy.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 251 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-100941 | 10-in. | 8/5/1936 | Crazy about Nancy Jane | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and washboard | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-100942 | 10-in. | 8/5/1936 | Cherry Hill blues | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and washboard | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-100943 | 10-in. | 8/5/1936 | Levee blues | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and washboard | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-01882 | 10-in. | 12/21/1936 | I love all my women | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-01883 | 10-in. | 12/21/1936 | Out with the wrong woman | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-01884 | 10-in. | 12/21/1936 | Come on in | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-01885 | 10-in. | 12/21/1936 | Big woman | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-01886 | 10-in. | 12/21/1936 | Nashville, Tennessee | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-01887 | 10-in. | 12/21/1936 | Razor cuttin' man | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-020156 | 10-in. | 3/14/1938 | Just like Jesse James | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-020157 | 10-in. | 3/14/1938 | Reefer head woman | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-020158 | 10-in. | 3/14/1938 | Gillum's windy blues | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-020159 | 10-in. | 3/14/1938 | New "Sail on little girl" | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-020160 | 10-in. | 3/14/1938 | Sweet, sweet woman | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-020161 | 10-in. | 3/14/1938 | Boar hog blues | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034792 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | This time is my time | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034793 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | Booker T blues | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034794 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | Good old Easy Street | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034795 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | I believe I'll make a change | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034796 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | Wasn't he bad | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034797 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | Diggin' my potatoes | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034798 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | I love my baby | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034799 | 10-in. | 5/15/1939 | That will get it | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034810 | 10-in. | 5/17/1939 | Got to reap what you sow | Jazz Gillum ; Jazz Boys | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-034811 | 10-in. | 5/17/1939 | Big Katy Adam | Jazz Gillum ; Jazz Boys | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Broonzy, Big Bill," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
Broonzy, Big Bill. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
"Broonzy, Big Bill." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Big Bill Broonzy
Discogs: Big Bill Broonzy
Allmusic: Big Bill Broonzy
Grove: Big Bill Broonzy
IMDb: Big Bill Broonzy
Britannica: Big Bill Broonzy
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Broonzy, Big Bill, 1893-1958 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no88003463
Wikidata: Big Bill Broonzy - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q449239
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/10032630
MusicBrainz: Big Bill Broonzy - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/05bc49f8-3108-44c8-82b9-ac3254896a69
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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