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Roosevelt Sykes

Roosevelt Sykes (January 31, 1906 – July 17, 1983) was an American blues musician, also known as "the Honeydripper".

Birth and Death Data: Born Arkansas, Died July 11, 1983 (New Orleans)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1952

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, vocalist, composer, lyricist, speaker, leader

Notes: Also known as Willie Kelly and as "The Honeydripper."

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

Recordings (Results 226-250 of 353 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W403323 10-in. 11/16/1929 Poor boy blues Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
OKeh W403324 10-in. 11/16/1929 Can't do no good blues James, Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh W403325 10-in. 11/16/1929 Kick that tune James, Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh W403330 10-in. 11/17/1929 Better times down the road James, Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh W403331 10-in. 11/17/1929 New Orleans blues James, Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick VO121 10-in. 2/10/1931 Cotton seed blues Tampa Red Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano composer, lyricist  
Brunswick C4669 10-in. 10/18/1929 The way I feel blues Lee Green Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano composer  
Brunswick C4670 10-in. 10/18/1929 All my money gone blues Lee Green Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano composer  
Brunswick TC4684 10-in. 10/11/1929 Henry Ford blues Pork Chops Vocal solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick C6474 10-in. 11/3/1930 Cotton seed blues Easy Papa Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Brunswick C6475 10-in. 11/3/1930 No good woman blues Easy Papa Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Brunswick C6476 10-in. 11/3/1930 Drinkin’ woman blues Easy Papa Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Brunswick C6477 10-in. 11/3/1930 Papa Sweetback blues Easy Papa Johnson Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Exclusive EXC-1060 10-in. 12/31/1948 Sunny road Charles Brown ; Three Blazers (Johnny Moore) ; Eddie Williams composer  
Gennett 15557 10-in. 9/27/1929 Fire detective blues Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Gennett 15559 10-in. 9/7/1929 Good chib blues Edith Johnson Female vocal solo, with trombone and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 15560 10-in. 9/7/1929 Can't make another day Edith Johnson Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 15561 10-in. 9/7/1929 Honey dripper blues Edith Johnson Female vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 15562 10-in. 9/7/1929 Little sow blues Dobby Bragg Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Gennett 15563 10-in. 9/7/1929 Single tree blues Dobby Bragg Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Gennett 15564 10-in. 9/7/1929 Lose your mind Teddy Darby Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 15565 10-in. 9/7/1929 My Laona blues Teddy Darby Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 15567 10-in. 9/7/1929 What am I to do Teddy Darby Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 18799 10-in. 9/22/1932 Mosby stomp Mosby and Sykes Violin and piano duet instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60502 10-in. 2/18/1936 D.B.A. Blues No.2 Roosevelt Sykes vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 226-250 of 353 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sykes, Roosevelt," accessed December 12, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105974.

Sykes, Roosevelt. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 12, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105974.

"Sykes, Roosevelt." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 12 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105974

External Sources

Wikipedia: The Honeydripper

Discogs: Roosevelt Sykes

Allmusic: Roosevelt Sykes

Grove: Roosevelt Sykes

IMDb: Roosevelt Sykes

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Sykes, Roosevelt - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n88613448

Wikidata: The Honeydripper - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q322236

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/74038954

MusicBrainz: The Honeydripper - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/cacfff98-7a13-4a02-95ed-c3ba32306ab9

Fast: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/224281 - http://id.worldcat.org/fast/224281

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