Red McKenzie
William 'Red' McKenzie (October 14, 1899 – February 7, 1948) was an American jazz vocalist and musician who played a comb as an instrument. He played the comb-and-paper by placing paper, sometimes strips from the Evening World, over the tines and blowing on it, producing a sound like a kazoo. |
Birth and Death Data: Born St. Louis (independent city in Missouri, United States), Died February 7, 1948 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1937
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, comb, leader, composer, washboard, director
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 76-100 of 107 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decca | 60219 | 10-in. | 12/12/1935 | Eeney meeney miney mo | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60295 | 10-in. | 1/3/1936 | The broken record | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60296 | 10-in. | 1/3/1936 | The broken record | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60311 | 10-in. | 1/8/1936 | I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60312 | 10-in. | 1/8/1936 | Mama don't allow it | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60313 | 10-in. | 1/8/1936 | (If I had) Rhythm in my nursery rhymes | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60314 | 10-in. | 1/8/1936 | I hope Gabriel likes my music | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60365 | 10-in. | 1/20/1936 | Sing an old-fashioned song | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60368 | 10-in. | 1/20/1936 | I'm building up an awful letdown | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60444 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | Don't count your kisses | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60445 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | When love has gone | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60446 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | I don't know your name | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60447 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | Moon rose | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60481 | 10-in. | 2/17/1936 | You hit the spot | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, washboard | ||
| Decca | 60482 | 10-in. | 2/17/1936 | Spreadin' rhythm around | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, washboard | ||
| Decca | 60483 | 10-in. | 2/17/1936 | Saddle your blues to a wild mustang | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, washboard | ||
| Decca | 60484 | 10-in. | 2/17/1936 | Wah-hoo! | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, washboard | ||
| Decca | 60485 | 10-in. | 2/17/1936 | I'm gonna clap my hands | Mound City Blue Blowers | instrumentalist, washboard | ||
| Decca | 60977 | 10-in. | 4/3/1936 | I can't get started with you | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| Decca | 60978 | 10-in. | 4/3/1936 | I can pull a rabbit out of my hat | Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings | vocalist, instrumentalist, comb | ||
| ARC | 10194 | 10-in. | 10/30/1930 | Girls like you were meant for boys like me | Red McKenzie ; Mound City Blue Blowers | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
| ARC | 10195 | 10-in. | 10/30/1930 | Arkansas blues | Red McKenzie ; Mound City Blue Blowers | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
| ARC | 17515 | 10-in. | 5/9/1935 | What's the reason (I'm not pleasin' you) | Red McKenzie ; Mound City Blue Blowers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, comb, vocalist | |
| ARC | 17516 | 10-in. | 5/9/1935 | She's a Latin from Manhattan | Red McKenzie ; Mound City Blue Blowers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, comb, vocalist | |
| ARC | 17517 | 10-in. | 5/9/1935 | You've been taking lessons in love (From somebody new) | Red McKenzie ; Mound City Blue Blowers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, comb, vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McKenzie, Red," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109742.
McKenzie, Red. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109742.
"McKenzie, Red." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Red McKenzie
Discogs: Red McKenzie
Allmusic: Red McKenzie
Grove: Red McKenzie
IMDb: Red McKenzie
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: McKenzie, Red, 1899-1948 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no93028465
Wikidata: Red McKenzie - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1600338
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/54335634
MusicBrainz: Red McKenzie - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/042db999-bffd-43bb-b34e-1560aa586530
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/329059 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/329059
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