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Walter Davis

Walter Davis (March 1, 1911 or 1912 – October 22, 1963) was an African-American blues singer, pianist, and songwriter who was one of the most prolific blues recording artists from the early 1930s to the early 1950s.

Davis had a rich singing voice that was as expressive as the best of the Delta blues vocalists. His best-known recording, a version of the train blues standard "Sunnyland Blues", released in 1931, is more notable for the warmth and poignancy of his singing than for his piano playing. His best-known songs included "Come Back Baby", "Ashes in My Whiskey" and "Blue Blues". Davis was sometimes billed as "Hooker Joe".

He was unrelated to the jazz pianist Walter Davis, Jr.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 1st, 1912 (Grenada), Died October 22nd, 1963 (St. Louis)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1941

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 192 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-62905 10-in. 6/12/1930 Mr. Davis' blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-62906 10-in. 6/12/1930 Blue sea blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-62907 10-in. 6/12/1930 M. & O. blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-62908 10-in. 6/12/1930 Broke and hungry Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67573 10-in. 9/29/1931 M. & O. blues no. 2 (My baby's come back) Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67574 10-in. 9/29/1931 Mr. Davis' blues no. 2 Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67575 10-in. 9/29/1931 Southeast Missouri blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67576 10-in. 9/29/1931 Strange land blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67577 10-in. 9/29/1931 Pleading to my baby blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67578 10-in. 9/29/1931 Engineer's blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67579 10-in. 9/29/1931 Howling wind blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-67580 10-in. 9/29/1931 Road man blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-69414 10-in. 6/10/1931 Sunny land blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-69415 10-in. 6/10/1931 You don't worry my mind Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-69416 10-in. 6/10/1931 That stuff you sell ain't no good Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-69417 10-in. 6/10/1931 What made me love you so? Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-70673 10-in. 2/10/1932 Lonesome hill blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BVE-70674 10-in. 2/10/1932 Mama, why don't you be yourself? Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BVE-70675 10-in. 2/10/1932 Worried man blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BVE-70676 10-in. 2/10/1932 M & O blues, no. 3 Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BVE-70677 10-in. 2/10/1932 Hijack blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BVE-70678 10-in. 2/10/1932 Blue ghost blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76801 10-in. 8/2/1933 Red Cross blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76802 10-in. 8/2/1933 L & N blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-76803 10-in. 8/2/1933 Moonlight blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
(Results 1-25 of 192 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Davis, Walter," accessed November 23, 2020, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107423.

Davis, Walter. (2020). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 23, 2020, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107423.

"Davis, Walter." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2020. Web. 23 November 2020.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107423

External Sources

Wikipedia:

Discogs: Davis, Walter

Allmusic: Davis, Walter

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n96045843

Wikidata: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1481905

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/19871670/

MusicBrainz: https://musicbrainz.org/artist/2cc09627-ac51-46e1-bc1f-92e49ace09d5

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