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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 51-75 of 200 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-85486 10-in. 2/25/1935 Lay around on your DBA Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-91429 10-in. 7/28/1935 Dentist blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-91430 10-in. 7/28/1935 Root man blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-91431 10-in. 7/28/1935 Pearly May Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-91432 10-in. 7/28/1935 What have I done wrong? Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-91433 10-in. 7/28/1935 I can tell by the way you smell Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-91434 10-in. 7/28/1935 Santa Claus Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-96234 10-in. 10/31/1935 Moonlight is my spread Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-96235 10-in. 10/31/1935 Don't the clouds look lonesome Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-96236 10-in. 10/31/1935 Katy blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-96237 10-in. 10/31/1935 Ashes in my whiskey Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-96238 10-in. 10/31/1935 Blues at midnight Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-96239 10-in. 10/31/1935 Can't get along with you Walter Davis Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-100332 10-in. 4/3/1936 Feel myself sinkin' down Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-100333 10-in. 4/3/1936 Just wondering Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-100334 10-in. 4/3/1936 Fallin' rain Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-100335 10-in. 4/3/1936 Well diggin' papa Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-100336 10-in. 4/3/1936 Carpenter man Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-100337 10-in. 4/3/1936 Jacksonville Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano composer, lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-100338 10-in. 4/3/1936 Jacksonville Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano composer, lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-100339 10-in. 4/3/1936 Think you need a shot Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BS-07641 10-in. 5/5/1937 Angel child Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-07642 10-in. 5/5/1937 Fifth Avenue Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-07643 10-in. 5/5/1937 I ain't got changing clothes Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-07644 10-in. 5/5/1937 West Coast blues Walter Davis Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano vocalist, composer  
(Results 51-75 of 200 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Davis, Walter," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107423.

Davis, Walter. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107423.

"Davis, Walter." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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