Big Bill Broonzy
Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley; June 26, 1893 or 1903 – August 14, 1958) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African-American audiences. In the 1930s and 1940s, he navigated a change in style to a more urban blues sound popular with working-class black audiences. In the 1950s, a return to his traditional folk-blues roots made him one of the leading figures of the emerging American folk music revival and an international star. His long and varied career marks him as one of the key figures in the development of blues music in the 20th century. Broonzy copyrighted more than 300 songs, including adaptations of traditional folk songs and original blues songs. As a blues composer, he was unique in writing songs that reflected his rural-to-urban experiences. |
Birth and Death Data: Born June 26, 1893 (Scott County), Died August 14, 1958 (Chicago)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1953
Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, composer, lyricist, songwriter, speaker
Notes: Often billed as Big Bill; composer credits as Williard Broonzy.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 76-100 of 251 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-049041 | 10-in. | 3/22/1940 | Sun gonna shine in my door | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo with instrumental trio | composer | |
Victor | BS-049340 | 10-in. | 7/29/1940 | Why did you do that to me? | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-049341 | 10-in. | 7/29/1940 | Digging my potatoes—no. 2 | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-049342 | 10-in. | 7/29/1940 | Chiselin' blues | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-049343 | 10-in. | 7/29/1940 | Morning dove blues | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-049344 | 10-in. | 7/29/1940 | Good time tonight | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-049345 | 10-in. | 7/29/1940 | Dissatisfied blues | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-049373 | 10-in. | 8/5/1940 | Just got to hold you | Washboard Sam's Band | Instrumental ensemble, with vocal | composer | |
Victor | BS-059127 | 10-in. | 1/16/1941 | Ain't you comin' out tonight? | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Female-male vocal duet,, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BS-059128 | 10-in. | 1/16/1941 | Come on back | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059129 | 10-in. | 1/16/1941 | Just to prove I love you | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059130 | 10-in. | 1/16/1941 | Every tub stands on its own bottom | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059131 | 10-in. | 1/16/1941 | She's makin' a fool out of me | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059132 | 10-in. | 1/16/1941 | She's a bad luck woman | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059150 | 10-in. | 1/22/1941 | Give your mama one smile | Lil Green Trio | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BS-059151 | 10-in. | 1/22/1941 | My mellow man | Lil Green Trio | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | composer, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059152 | 10-in. | 1/22/1941 | Knockin' myself out | Lil Green | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059153 | 10-in. | 1/22/1941 | I won't sell my love | Lil Green | Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059186 | 10-in. | 1/31/1941 | Little leg woman | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059187 | 10-in. | 1/31/1941 | She's all in my life | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059188 | 10-in. | 1/31/1941 | He's a creepin' man | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059189 | 10-in. | 1/31/1941 | I can beat you playing that hand | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059190 | 10-in. | 1/31/1941 | Down at the bad man's hall | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059191 | 10-in. | 1/31/1941 | Travelling man | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-059433 | 10-in. | 3/20/1941 | I'm still walking the highway | Jazz Gillum | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Broonzy, Big Bill," accessed May 9, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
Broonzy, Big Bill. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 9, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
"Broonzy, Big Bill." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 May 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Big Bill Broonzy
Discogs: Big Bill Broonzy
Allmusic: Big Bill Broonzy
Grove: Big Bill Broonzy
IMDb: Big Bill Broonzy
Britannica: Big Bill Broonzy
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Broonzy, Big Bill, 1893-1958 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no88003463
Wikidata: Big Bill Broonzy - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q449239
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/10032630
MusicBrainz: Big Bill Broonzy - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/05bc49f8-3108-44c8-82b9-ac3254896a69
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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