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 126-150 of 251 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-064740 | 10-in. | 7/24/1941 | Maybe you'll love me too | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with washtub band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-064741 | 10-in. | 7/24/1941 | It looks bad for you | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with washtub band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-064742 | 10-in. | 7/24/1941 | Me and my buddy | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with washtub band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070196 | 10-in. | 1/21/1942 | 99 blues | Lil Green Trio | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070197 | 10-in. | 1/21/1942 | Don't know what I will do | Lil Green Trio | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070198 | 10-in. | 1/21/1942 | You got me to the place | Lil Green Trio | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070199 | 10-in. | 1/21/1942 | Keep your hand on your heart | Lil Green Trio | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BS-070375 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | Let me play your vender | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070376 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | Broadcast blues | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070377 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | Gonna hit the highway | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070378 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | I've been treated wrong | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070379 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | Evil blues | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070380 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | Get down brother | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070381 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | Lovers' Lane blues | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070382 | 10-in. | 11/4/1941 | You stole my love | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070440 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | It's all over now | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070441 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | War time blues | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070442 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | You are doing me wrong | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070443 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | One letter home | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070444 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | Down South blues | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070445 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | You drink too much whiskey | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070446 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | No friend blues | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070447 | 10-in. | 12/5/1941 | From now on | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070458 | 10-in. | 12/8/1941 | Don't you know me | Kansas Katie | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-070459 | 10-in. | 12/8/1941 | I can't let you go | Kansas Katie | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | instrumentalist, guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Broonzy, Big Bill," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
Broonzy, Big Bill. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
"Broonzy, Big Bill." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 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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