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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 1-25 of 251 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-80388 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Friendless blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80389 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Milk cow blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80390 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Hungry man blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80391 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | I'll be back home again | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80392 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Bull cow blues—Part 2 | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80393 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Serve it to me right | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80394 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Starvation blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80395 | 10-in. | 3/23/1934 | Mississippi River blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80611 | 10-in. | 6/14/1934 | Early in the morning | B. Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80612 | 10-in. | 6/14/1934 | Harmonica stomp | B. Gillum | Harmonica and guitar duet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80613 | 10-in. | 6/14/1934 | At the break of day | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-80614 | 10-in. | 6/14/1934 | I want to go home | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-85517 | 10-in. | 2/26/1935 | The Southern blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-85518 | 10-in. | 2/26/1935 | Good jelly | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-91423 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | Mountain blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-91424 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | Bad luck blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-91425 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | I can't make you satisfied | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-91426 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | I'm just a bum | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-96230 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | Keep your hands off her | Big Bil | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-96231 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | Sun gonna shine in my door some day | Big Bil | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-96232 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | Good liquor gonna carry me down | Big Bil | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-96233 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | Down the line blues | Big Bil | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar, piano, and string bass | vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-100315 | 10-in. | 4/2/1936 | You done tore your playhouse down | Washboard Sam's Band | Instrumental trio, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-100316 | 10-in. | 4/2/1936 | Don't 'low | Washboard Sam's Band | Instrumental trio, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-100940 | 10-in. | 8/5/1936 | Give me lovin' | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and washboard | instrumentalist, guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Broonzy, Big Bill," accessed May 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
Broonzy, Big Bill. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
"Broonzy, Big Bill." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 May 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
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