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Walter Davis

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

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".

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

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1947

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

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 200 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-76804 10-in. 8/2/1933 Life boat blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-76805 10-in. 8/2/1933 Night creepin' Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76806 10-in. 8/2/1933 Evil woman Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-76807 10-in. 8/2/1933 Red Cross blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76808 10-in. 8/2/1933 L and N blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist, composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-76809 10-in. 8/2/1933 Moonlight blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-76810 10-in. 8/2/1933 Life boat blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76811 10-in. 8/2/1933 Night creepin' Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76812 10-in. 8/2/1933 Evil woman Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-77281 10-in. 12/9/1933 You don't smell right Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano and talking vocalist  
Victor BS-77282 10-in. 12/9/1933 All worn out Walter Davis ; Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Victor BS-77283 10-in. 12/9/1933 Oil field blues Walter Davis ; Willie Kelly Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-77284 10-in. 12/9/1933 What's the use of worrying Walter Davis ; Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-77285 10-in. 12/9/1933 Stormy weather blues, part 1 Walter Davis ; Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Victor BS-77286 10-in. 12/9/1933 Stormy weather blues, part 2 Walter Davis ; Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Victor BS-77287 10-in. 12/9/1933 What you got on your mind Walter Davis ; Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-77315 10-in. 12/11/1933 Poor grinder blues Walter Davis ; Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-77316 10-in. 12/11/1933 Red Cross blues, part 2 Walter Davis ; Roosevelt Sykes Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-85479 10-in. 2/25/1935 Sloppy drunk again Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with 2 guitars and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-85480 10-in. 2/25/1935 Travelin' this lonesome road Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with 2 guitars and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-85481 10-in. 2/25/1935 Sad and lonesome blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with 2 guitars and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-85482 10-in. 2/25/1935 Minute man Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-85483 10-in. 2/25/1935 Minute man Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-85484 10-in. 2/25/1935 Sweet sixteen Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-85485 10-in. 2/25/1935 Wonder where my baby's gone Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
(Results 26-50 of 200 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Davis, Walter," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107423.

Davis, Walter. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107423.

"Davis, Walter." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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