Sylvester Weaver

Sylvester Weaver (July 25, 1897 – April 4, 1960) was an American blues guitar player and a pioneer of country blues. He was the son of Walter and Mattie (nee Embers or Embry) Weaver. Walter Weaver's 1952 Kentucky death certificate indicates that he was born in Port Gibson, Mississippi. That area's economy was heavily agricultural, relying on African American labor to produce a profitable cotton crop. After Walter Weaver migrated to Louisville, Kentucky, Port Gibson would play a role in the preservation and dissemination of a blues tradition indigenous to the Mississippi Delta. This tradition, in the form in which Walter Weaver experienced it, likely was a foundation upon which Sylvester Weaver built his unique performance style.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 25, 1897 (Louisville), Died April 4, 1960 (Louisville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1927

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, composer, songwriter, banjo-guitar, lyricist

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

Recordings (Results 51-69 of 69 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W81404 10-in. 8/31/1927 Soft steel piston Walter Beasley ; Sylvester Weaver Guitar duet instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81868 10-in. 11/26/1927 Chittlin' rag blues Sylvester Weaver Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
OKeh W81872 10-in. 11/26/1927 Cross-eyed blues Helen Humes Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81873 10-in. 11/26/1927 Garlic blues Helen Humes Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81875 10-in. 11/27/1927 Railroad porter blues Sylvester Weaver Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
OKeh W81876 10-in. 11/27/1927 Me and my tapeworm Sylvester Weaver Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81877 10-in. 11/27/1927 Rock pile blues Sylvester Weaver Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81878 10-in. 11/27/1927 Devil blues Sylvester Weaver Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81879 10-in. 11/27/1927 Polecat blues Sylvester Weaver Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81880 10-in. 11/27/1927 Alligator blues Helen Humes Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81881 10-in. 11/27/1927 Nappy headed blues Helen Humes Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81882 10-in. 11/27/1927 Race horse blues Helen Humes Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81883 10-in. 11/27/1927 Bottle neck blues Walter Beasley ; Sylvester Weaver Guitar duet instrumentalist, guitar, composer  
OKeh W81884 10-in. 11/27/1927 St. Louis blues Walter Beasley ; Sylvester Weaver Guitar duet instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81897 10-in. 11/30/1927 Georgia skin Walter Beasley Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81898 10-in. 11/30/1927 Southern man blues Walter Beasley Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81899 10-in. 11/30/1927 Toad frog blues Walter Beasley Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81900 10-in. 11/30/1927 Sore feet blues Walter Beasley Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W81901 10-in. 11/30/1927 Black spider blues Sylvester Weaver Male vocal solo, with guitar duet instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, composer, lyricist  
(Results 51-69 of 69 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Weaver, Sylvester," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110648.

Weaver, Sylvester. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110648.

"Weaver, Sylvester." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110648

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