Victoria Spivey

Victoria Regina Spivey (October 15, 1906 – October 3, 1976), sometimes known as Queen Victoria, was an American blues singer and songwriter. During a recording career that spanned 40 years, from 1926 to the mid-1960s, she worked with Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Clarence Williams, Luis Russell, Lonnie Johnson, and Bob Dylan. She also performed in vaudeville and clubs, sometimes with her sister Addie "Sweet Peas" (or "Sweet Pease") Spivey (August 22, 1910 – 1943), also known as the Za Zu Girl. Among her compositions are "Black Snake Blues" (1926), "Dope Head Blues" (1927), and "Organ Grinder Blues" (1928).

Birth and Death Data: Born Houston, Died October 3, 1976 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1937

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer, lyricist, songwriter, piano, director

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 102 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-48103 10-in. 10/30/1928 No papa no Duke Ellington Orchestra Jazz/dance band (take 1); with female vocal solo (take 2) composer  
Victor BVE-55853 10-in. 9/24/1929 Funny feathers blues Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra ; Victoria Spivey Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-55854 10-in. 9/24/1929 How do they do it that way Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-56732 10-in. 10/1/1929 Blood hound blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-56733 10-in. 10/1/1929 Dirty T. B. blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-56734 10-in. 10/1/1929 Moaning the blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-56735 10-in. 10/1/1929 Telephoning the blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-57555 10-in. 11/25/1929 Heartbreakin' blues Sweet Peas Spivey Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-57556 10-in. 11/25/1929 Leavin' you baby Sweet Peas Spivey Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-57557 10-in. 11/25/1929 Longin' for home Sweet Peas Spivey Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-59142 10-in. 2/4/1930 New York blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-59143 10-in. 2/4/1930 Lonesome with the blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-59144 10-in. 2/4/1930 Showered with blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-59145 10-in. 2/4/1930 Haunted by the blues Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BVE-62291 10-in. 6/26/1930 Gotta have what it takes Harold Grey [i.e., Porter Grainger] ; Victoria Spivey Female-male vocal duet, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-62292 10-in. 6/26/1930 Gotta have what it takes Harold Grey [i.e., Porter Grainger] ; Victoria Spivey Female-male vocal duet, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-62293 10-in. 6/26/1930 Baulin' water blues Harold Grey [i.e., Porter Grainger] ; Victoria Spivey Female-male vocal duet, with guitar and piano vocalist, songwriter  
Victor BVE-62294 10-in. 6/26/1930 Baulin' water blues Harold Grey [i.e., Porter Grainger] ; Victoria Spivey Female-male vocal duet, with guitar and piano vocalist, songwriter  
Columbia W142608 10-in. 9/14/1926 Black snake blues Martha Copeland Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano songwriter  
Columbia W145561 10-in. 1/21/1928 T. B. blues Willie Jackson Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano composer, lyricist  
Columbia C1449 10-in. 8/20/1936 Dreaming of you Jane Lucas ; State Street Four Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Columbia C1450 10-in. 8/20/1936 I can't last long Jane Lucas ; State Street Four Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Columbia C1508 10-in. 10/1/1936 Mr. Freddy blues Jane Lucas ; State Street Four Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Columbia C1509 10-in. 10/1/1936 Trouble in mind Jane Lucas ; State Street Four Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Columbia C1567 10-in. 10/15/1936 Hollywood stomp Chicago Four ; Victoria Spivey Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 102 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Spivey, Victoria," accessed December 11, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105213.

Spivey, Victoria. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 11, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105213.

"Spivey, Victoria." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 11 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105213

External Sources

Wikipedia: Victoria Spivey

Discogs: Victoria Spivey

Allmusic: Victoria Spivey

Grove: Victoria Spivey

IMDb: Victoria Spivey

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Spivey, Victoria - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85376797

Wikidata: Victoria Spivey - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q543443

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/94114578

MusicBrainz: Victoria Spivey - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0b9f1797-12ca-4db4-8e0d-d9dc2b90a3da

Fast: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/183620 - http://id.worldcat.org/fast/183620

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