Blind Alfred Reed
Blind Alfred Reed (June 15, 1880 – January 17, 1956) was an American folk, country, and old-time musician and singer-songwriter. He was one of the artists who recorded at the Bristol Sessions in 1927, alongside more famous names such as Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family. He played the fiddle along with his son Arville, who played the guitar. He is perhaps most well known for the songs "The Wreck of the Virginian" and "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?", the latter of which has been covered many times, including versions by Bruce Springsteen, Ry Cooder, and the New Lost City Ramblers. |
Birth and Death Data: Born June 15, 1880 (Floyd County), Died January 17, 1956
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1929
Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal, violin, composer
= 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 | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-39725 | 10-in. | 7/28/1927 | The wreck of the Virginian | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-39726 | 10-in. | 7/28/1927 | I mean to live for Jesus | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-39727 | 10-in. | 7/28/1927 | You must unload | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-39728 | 10-in. | 7/28/1927 | Walking in the way with Jesus | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-40790 | 10-in. | 12/19/1927 | Explosion in the Fairmount mines | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-40791 | 10-in. | 12/19/1927 | Fate of Chris Lively and wife | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-40792 | 10-in. | 12/19/1927 | Why do you bob your hair, girls | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-40793 | 10-in. | 12/19/1927 | Always lift him up and never knock him down | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-40794 | 10-in. | 12/19/1927 | The prayer of the drunkard's little girl | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57571 | 10-in. | 12/3/1929 | Woman's been after man ever since | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57572 | 10-in. | 12/3/1929 | Why don't you bob your hair girls, no. 2 | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57573 | 10-in. | 12/3/1929 | There'll be no distinction there | Blind Alfred Reed ; Orville Reed | Male vocal duet, with violin and guitar | composer, vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, violin | |
Victor | BVE-57574 | 10-in. | 12/3/1929 | We've just got to have 'em, that's all | Blind Alfred Reed ; Orville Reed | Male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin) and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57575 | 10-in. | 12/3/1929 | Beware | Blind Alfred Reed ; Orville Reed | Male vocal duet, with violin and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57576 | 10-in. | 12/3/1929 | The railroader | Blind Alfred Reed ; Orville Reed | Male vocal duet, with violin and guitar | instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57742 | 10-in. | 12/4/1929 | The old fashioned cottage | Blind Alfred Reed ; Orville Reed | Male vocal duet, with violin and guitar | instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57743 | 10-in. | 12/4/1929 | How can a poor man stand such times and live | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57744 | 10-in. | 12/4/1929 | Black and blue blues | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57745 | 10-in. | 12/4/1929 | Bonnie little girl | Blind Alfred Reed ; Orville Reed | Male vocal duet, with violin and guitar | instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57746 | 10-in. | 12/4/1929 | You'll miss me | Blind Alfred Reed ; Orville Reed | Male vocal duet, with violin and guitar | instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal | |
Victor | BVE-57747 | 10-in. | 12/4/1929 | Money cravin' folks | Blind Alfred Reed | Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin) and guitar | composer, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist, baritone vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Reed, Blind Alfred," accessed November 6, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/111395.
Reed, Blind Alfred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/111395.
"Reed, Blind Alfred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Blind Alfred Reed
Discogs: Blind Alfred Reed
Allmusic: Blind Alfred Reed
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Reed, Blind Alfred - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no99044448
Wikidata: Blind Alfred Reed - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q884114
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/51324015
MusicBrainz: Blind Alfred Reed - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b73930f3-bdad-436c-b7b0-40260056836b
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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