Sippie Wallace
Sippie Wallace (born Beulah Belle Thomas; November 1, 1898 – November 1, 1986) was an American blues singer, pianist, and songwriter. She began her career in tent shows and earned the nickname “The Texas Nightingale.” Between 1923 and 1927, she recorded more than 40 songs for Okeh Records. Many of these songs were written by her or her brothers, George and Hersal Thomas.
Alberta Hunter
Alberta Hunter was born on April 1, 1895, and passed away on October 17, 1984. She was an American singer and songwriter who performed jazz and blues music from the early 1920s until the late 1950s. After working as a nurse for twenty years, Hunter began singing again in 1977.
Memphis Minnie
Lizzie Douglas, born on June 3, 1897, and died on August 6, 1973, was also known as Memphis Minnie. She was a blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Her music career lasted more than 30 years.
Tampa Red
Hudson Whittaker (born Hudson Woodbridge; January 8, 1903 – March 19, 1981), better known as Tampa Red, was an American Chicago blues musician. His unique single-string slide guitar style, songwriting, and bottleneck technique inspired other Chicago blues guitarists, including Big Bill Broonzy, Robert Nighthawk, Muddy Waters, and Elmore James. Over a career lasting more than 30 years, he also recorded pop, R&B, and hokum songs.
Big Bill Broonzy
Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley; June 26, 1893 or 1903 – August 14, 1958), later known as William Lee Broonzy, was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he performed country music for African-American audiences. In the 1930s and 1940s, he changed his style to a more urban blues sound that appealed to working-class Black people.
Lightnin’ Hopkins
Samuel John “Lightnin'” Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist, and sometimes played piano. He was born in Centerville, Texas. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine listed him as number 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Buddy Guy
George “Buddy” Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is an expert in Chicago blues and has influenced many famous guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr., and John Mayer. In the 1960s, Guy worked as a session guitarist with Muddy Waters at Chess Records and formed a musical partnership with blues harmonica expert Junior Wells.
T-Bone Walker
Aaron Thibeaux “T-Bone” Walker (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues musician, composer, songwriter, and bandleader. He helped create and improve the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues styles. In 2018, Rolling Stone magazine listed him as number 67 on its list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”
Willie Dixon
William James Dixon (July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. He was skilled at playing the upright bass and guitar, and he sang with a unique voice. However, he is most famous for being one of the most productive songwriters of his time.
Charley Patton
Charlie Patton (born around April 1891 – died April 28, 1934), often spelled Charley Patton, was an American Delta blues musician and songwriter. Many people call him the “Father of the Delta Blues” because he created a long-lasting collection of American music and influenced most Delta blues musicians. A music expert named Robert Palmer believed Patton was one of the most important American musicians of the twentieth century.