Earl McDonald

Earl McDonald (October 2, 1885 – April 28, 1949) was an American singer and jug blower, noted as a pioneer in creating and recording jug band music.

He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He formed his first jug band in 1902 and toured widely, performing in New York City and Chicago by 1914. Later he established the Original Louisville Jug Band and the Old Southern Jug Band, which recorded in 1924 with the singer Sara Martin and the fiddle player Clifford Hayes, joining with Hayes to form the Dixieland Jug Blowers for recordings. In the 1920s and early 1930s, he performed regularly with his band, the Ballard Chefs, on radio station WHAS, helping to popularize jug band music, and made over 40 recordings.

McDonald died in Louisville in 1949 and was buried in an unmarked grave. A gravestone was provided in 2009 at the instigation of supporters of the annual Jug Band Jubilee.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 2, 1885, Died April 28, 1949

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1931

Roles Represented in DAHR: jug, composer, leader, vocalist, songwriter, speaker

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 51 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W143808 10-in. 3/30/1927 Rocking chair blues Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band ; Earl McDonald Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader, composer  
Columbia W143809 10-in. 3/30/1927 Mama's little sunny boy Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band Instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia W143810 10-in. 3/30/1927 She won't quit but she'll slow down Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band Instrumental ensemble leader, composer  
Columbia W143811 10-in. 3/30/1927 Under the chicken tree Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo and male vocal quartet leader, composer, vocalist  
Columbia W143812 10-in. 3/30/1927 Melody march call Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band Instrumental ensemble leader, composer  
OKeh 9139 10-in. May 1925 Louisville bluezees Clifford's Louisville Jug Band ; Cora Gray Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh 9140 10-in. May 1925 Wakin' up blues Clifford's Louisville Jug Band Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh 9141 10-in. May 1925 I don't want you blues Clifford's Louisville Jug Band ; Cora Gray Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh 9142 10-in. May 1925 Get it fixed blues Clifford's Louisville Jug Band Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh 9143 10-in. May 1925 Mammy o' mine blues Clifford's Louisville Jug Band ; Cora Gray Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh 9144 Not documented May 1925 [Unknown title(s)] Clifford's Louisville Jug Band Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh 9145 10-in. May 1925 Struttin' the blues Clifford's Louisville Jug Band Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh 9146 10-in. May 1925 Dancing blues Clifford's Louisville Jug Band Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh S-72824 10-in. 9/16/1924 Blue devil blues Sara Martin's Jug Band Instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug, composer  
OKeh S-72825 10-in. 9/16/1924 Jug band blues Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug, songwriter  
OKeh S-72831 10-in. 9/19/1924 Jug band blues Sara Martin's Jug Band Instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug, composer  
OKeh S-72832 10-in. 9/16/1924 Don't you quit me, daddy Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh S-72833 10-in. 9/16/1924 I got the crying blues Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh S-72834 10-in. 9/19/1924 I ain't got no man Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh S-72835 10-in. 9/22/1924 Blues, please go away Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh S-72836 10-in. 9/22/1924 Come back, daddy, and ease my aching heart Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh S-72837 10-in. 9/22/1924 I'm gonna be a lovin' old soul Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh S-72838 10-in. 9/22/1924 Papa, papa blues Sara Martin Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, jug  
OKeh W80796 10-in. 4/29/1927 Chicken tree Whistler and his Jug Band Instrumental quartet composer  
Brunswick 14358-14359 10-in. 11/24/1924 Hatchet head blues Old Southern Jug Band Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, jug  
(Results 26-50 of 51 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McDonald, Earl," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112702.

McDonald, Earl. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112702.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112702

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