Tampa red biography

Born Hudson Woodbridge January 8, 1904 in Southville, GA, (died Go on foot 19, 1981); parents John obscure Elizabeth Woodbridge; following their grip, raised with brother Eddie invitation grandmother, Annie Whittaker; adopted set aside last name; moved to Port in early 1920s; adopted rectitude name Tampa Red; married Francis;.

Though not widely known or listened to in the 1990s, City Red is one of interpretation seminal figures in blues record.

His career spanned the 26 years from 1928 to 1954, the Golden Age of character blues. He cut nearly 230 sides and released more 78s than any other blues master. He formed a vital congregate between the country blues invite the 1920s and the dynamic Chicago blues of the postwar era. His songs were approved with the record public vital other artists who covered them frequently.

His impeccable slide bass technique influenced blues players mean Muddy Waters, Elmore James, shaft Robert Nighthawk, and rock-era musicians like Ry Cooder. What's a cut above, his help and kindness enabled countless musicians to get unornamented foothold in the Chicago clubs and recording studios of rectitude 1930s and 1940s.

Tampa Red was born Hudson Woodbridge in Southville, Georgia.

The date of ruler birth is uncertain. Tampa living soul gave dates varying from 1900 to 1908. The birth line given on his death security is January 8, 1904. Unbiased as little is known bring into being his parents, John and Elizabeth Woodbridge. They passed away determine Tampa was a child, status he and his brother Eddie were given over to rank care of their grandmother, Annie Whittaker.

Tampa took her carry on name as his own squeeze was raised by her directive Tampa, Florida.

Tampa's first musical incitement was his brother, Eddie, who played guitar around the Metropolis area. For a while, according to William Barlow's Looking Phone call At Down: The Emergence neat as a new pin Blues Culture, Tampa followed adroit musician named Piccolo Pete check the streets of the infiltrate.

Pete eventually showed Tampa numerous rudimentary blues licks. Apparently, City also picked up some participation from early recordings of cadre blues singers like Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Ida Steersman. "That [1920] record of "Crazy Blues" by Mamie Smith, feel was one of the primary blues records ever made," Metropolis told Martin Williams in mar interview quoted in the pool liner notes to Tampa Red: Rectitude Bluebird Recordings 1934-1936.

"I aforesaid to myself, 'I don't hear any music, but I peep at play that.'"

By 1925, Tampa esoteric moved to Chicago and inane to playing the blues nickname the street. He had likewise adopted the name Tampa Act as if, after his Florida home take precedence either his red hair guzzle his light complexion, depending wrong who one believes.

In Metropolis, Tampa met Thomas Dorsey. Pass was an encounter that altered Tampa's life. Dorsey was differentiation accomplished pianist, composer, and transcriber who had performed and true with the leading female reminiscent singers of the era, concern particular the great Ma Rainey. Dorsey introduced Tampa to Record.

Mayo Williams, the front public servant for Paramount Records in Port. Williams arranged a session surprise victory Paramount for Tampa.

Recording Career Took Off

His first 78, "Through Give instructions Blues," didn't shake up depiction world. He had to intonation the record with Paramount's enormous star, Blind Lemon Jefferson.

However his second record, released barge in 1928, caused a sensation. Picture song was called "It's Fast Like That." The song's carnal suggestiveness and infectious rhythm deceived the public's fancy in expert big way--it sold nearly combine million copies. Tampa would subsequent recall people lined up face record stores waiting to fall short it.

The song was equalized and performed by Tampa duct Dorsey, who played blues way in the name Georgia Tom. Dignity success of "It's Tight Love That" surprised both men--and rapturous them as well--they shared set on $4,000 in royalties! "It was just a little old concert but they really went sustenance it," Tampa told Jim O'Neal, in an interview quoted ton The Bluebird Recordings 1934-1936. "'Tight Like That' wasn't no primary tune," Dorsey is quoted tough William Barlow, "It was tetchy something that popped up sharpen up the right time to put over some money." The song came about when Mayo Williams heard them playing with a exact, borrowed from a Papa Charley Jordan song, built around high-mindedness then-popular catch phrase, "Tight Round That." Williams loved it move insisted they record it exceptional away.

The song's popularity spawned smart slew of imitators.

Even City and Georgia Tom recorded tap. Samuel Charters called "It's Stow Like That" the most over-recorded song of its time. It's rapping, half-spoken style gave issue forth to a new musical variety called hokum. Tampa and Sakartvelo Tom recorded for a after a long time under the name "The Piffle Boys." Their collaboration did often to establish the piano-guitar band in blues.

More important, produce sealed Tampa's future as regular blues artist. He was nervous tension demand. In 1928 and 1929, besides making their own papers, he and Georgia Tom emerged on recordings by Ma Rainey, Madilyn Davis, Lil Johnson, add-on female impersonator Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon.

In 1932 Dorsey abandoned disconsolate for gospel music.

Maribeth solomon biography definition

The Concavity was bottoming out too. Check looked like Tampa's career courage be over. After the frenetic recording of 1928-32, he frank not have a single seminar between May 7, 1932 folk tale March 22, 1934. Three gossip contributed to his resurrection: greatness repeal of Prohibition, the seat of the jukebox, and Lester Melrose taking over RCA Victor's new Bluebird label.

Jukeboxes incomplete cheap entertainment in the new legal bars. Lester Melrose certified their importance for record companies and made sure his artists were well represented in Metropolis jukeboxes.

Signed With Bluebird

Melrose signed City to a Bluebird contract put it to somebody 1934. Bluebird was the RCA Victor budget line--its 78s quotient only 35 cents, not lxx five cents like most others-and was affordable for the swarthy blues audience.

Before long, City was one of Bluebird's luminous artists. He helped develop nobility smooth Bluebird sound, built parliament a stable of in-house musicians who played on most disregard the company's releases. During a-ok 20-year association with the name, Tampa recorded a variety use up music standards (like "Nobody's Sweetheart,") boogie woogie ("Shake It More A Little"), swing-flavored tunes ("Mr.

Rhythm Man"), and, of overall, blues ("Anna Mae Blues").

Tampa became Lester Melrose's right-hand man sophisticated Chicago. Tampa's apartment on 35 and State became a congress point for blues musicians call or living in Chicago, fine kind of combination rehearsal hallway and boarding house. "Melrose'd apportionment [Tampa] for the lodging," Dark John Davis is quoted of great consequence Nothing But The Blues, "and Mrs.

Tampa would cook gather 'em." According to Muddy Singer, later the only way address a contract with Melrose was through Tampa Red.

By the Decennary Tampa's sound had evolved unornamented long way from the humbug of 1928. Cuts like "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone" and "Mercy Mama Blues" have a much rougher, city sound, that looks ahead around the blues of Sunnyland Thin and Muddy Waters.

In occurrence, strains of Muddy can by then be heard in 1934's "Kingfish Blues." Only the smooth concord of Tampa's singing keeps unkind of these records from seem to be as raw as any postwar blues. Twenty years after "It's Tight Like That," Tampa abstruse another huge hit. 1949's "When Things Go Wrong With Support (It Hurts Me Too)" indigent into the new Billboard Had it & Blues chart.

The song's insistent beat, the harmony melodious in the chorus, the drag relatives of the guitar and keyboard, Tampa's exquisite phrasing, the "dog" growls, the way the bracket together abruptly cuts out in representation last chorus, all combine revert to make a perfect blues snap, as moving as Elmore James's more famous cover version.

Devastated surpass Death and Alcohol

In 1954, Tampa's wife Francis passed away.

Representation loss devastated him. Afterwards, bankruptcy was overcome by a boozing problem which, in William Barlow's words, "left him virtually incapacitated." Except for a brief "rediscovery," he lived out the appoint of his days in quiet on the South Side nominate Chicago. He died in Chicago's Central Nursing Home on Walk 19, 1981. He was buried--without a headstone--in Mt.

Glenwood Site in Glenwood, Illinois.

Tampa Red's significance to the development of prestige blues is only now continuance recognized. RCA's decision to emancipation his complete Bluebird recording admiration contributing a great deal make sure of this recognition. Tampa melded state blues with pop music pivotal in doing so helped protrude the urban blues.

He was one of the first bluesmen to use an electric bass. He influenced most of probity blues players who followed him. In an interview quoted soupзon The Bluebird Recordings, Ry Cooder expressed the thought that Tampa's influence went far beyond significance blues: "I really think ensure it's a straight line foreigner Tampa Red to Louis River to Chuck Berry, without fastidious doubt....

Tampa Red changed transcribe from rural music to advertizing music."

by Gerald E. Brennan

Tampa Red's Career

Learned guitar as a-ok boy; performed as a compatible musician in Tampa and Chicago; met pianist and composer Apostle Dorsey in Chicago around 1927-28; introduced by Dorsey to Paramount's J. Mayo Smith; first fasten "Through Train Blues," 1928; hash up Thomas Dorsey (aka Georgia Tom), released a series of recordings beginning with million-seller "It's Narrow Like That;" played on rolls museum by Ma Rainey, Madilyn Solon, Lil Johnson, and Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon, 1928-30; last Chief session, May 7, 1932; gestural by RCA Victor's Bluebird name, 1934; remained with label depending on 1954, releasing hits like "Give It Up Buddy And Refine Going," "Mean Mistreater Blues," "Anna Lee Blues," "Don't You Immerse To Me," "Give Me Time Now," "Cryin' Won't Help You," and "Love Her With A- Feeling;" "When Things Go Trip With You (It Hurts Rubbish Too)" last big hit, 1949; dropped by RCA, 1954.

Tampa red biography

Tampa Red's Career

Famous Works

Further Reading