Memphis Minnie
Lizzie Douglas (June 3, 1897 – August 6, 1973), better known as Memphis Minnie, was a blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter whose recording career lasted for over three decades. She recorded around 200 songs, some of the best known being "When the Levee Breaks", "Me and My Chauffeur Blues", "Bumble Bee" and "Nothing in Rambling". |
Birth and Death Data: Born June 3, 1897 (Louisiana), Died August 6, 1973 (Memphis)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1936
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar, composer, songwriter, leader, lyricist
Notes: Also known as Texas Tessie, Minnie McCoy, Memphis Minnie McCoy, and Minnie Douglas; born Lizzie Douglas. Also sings with Kansas Joe (Joe McCoy).
See Also: McCoy, Memphis Minnie
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 119 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BVE-59992 | 10-in. | 5/26/1930 | I'm going back home | McCoy and Johnson | Female-male vocal duet, with 2 guitars | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Victor | BVE-59993 | 10-in. | 5/26/1930 | Bumble bee blues | Memphis Jug Band ; Memphis Minnie | Instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo | vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Victor | BVE-59994 | 10-in. | 5/26/1930 | Meningitis blues | Memphis Jug Band ; Memphis Minnie | Instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo | vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Victor | BVE-62506 | 10-in. | 5/26/1930 | I am in the heavenly way | Washington White [i.e., Bukka White] | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and female vocals | vocalist | |
| Victor | BVE-62508 | 10-in. | 5/26/1930 | The promise true and grand | Washington White [i.e., Bukka White] | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and female vocal accompaniment | vocalist | |
| Victor | BVE-62537 | 10-in. | 5/29/1930 | Midnight special | Bessie McCoy ; Memphis Minnie | Female vocal duet, with 2 guitars | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, songwriter | |
| Victor | BVE-62538 | 10-in. | 5/29/1930 | I never told a lie | McCoy and Johnson | Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, songwriter | |
| Victor | BVE-62539 | 10-in. | 5/29/1930 | Don't want no woman (T'have t'give my money to) | McCoy and Johnson | Female-male vocal duet, with 2 guitars and dialogue | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, songwriter | |
| Victor | BVE-62540 | 10-in. | 5/29/1930 | Georgia skin | McCoy and Johnson | Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, songwriter | |
| Victor | BS-91419 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | Good mornin' | Texas Tessie | Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-91420 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | You wrecked my happy home | Texas Tessie | Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-91421 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | I'm waitin' on you | Texas Tessie | Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-91422 | 10-in. | 7/27/1935 | Keep on goin' | Texas Tessie | Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars | vocalist, composer | |
| Victor | BS-96226 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | When the sun goes down—Part 2 | Memphis Minnie | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-96227 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | Hustlin' woman blues | Memphis Minnie | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | composer, vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-96228 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | Selling my pork chops | Memphis Minnie | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | composer, vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-96229 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | Doctor doctor blues | Memphis Minnie | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with instrumental quartet | composer, vocalist | |
| Columbia | W148707 | 10-in. | 6/18/1929 | I want that | Kansas Joe ; Memphis Minnie | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | W148708 | 10-in. | 6/18/1929 | That will be alright | Kansas Joe ; Memphis Minnie | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | W148709 | 10-in. | 6/18/1929 | Goin' back to Texas | Kansas Joe ; Memphis Minnie | Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | W148710 | 10-in. | 6/18/1929 | Frisco Town | Memphis Minnie ; Memphis Minnie | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | W148711 | 10-in. | 6/18/1929 | When the levee breaks | Kansas Joe ; Memphis Minnie | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | W148712 | 10-in. | 6/18/1929 | Bumble bee | Kansas Joe ; Memphis Minnie | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | W148717 | 10-in. | 6/19/1929 | No mo' cherry ball | Kansas Joe ; Memphis Minnie | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| Columbia | W148718 | 10-in. | 6/19/1929 | You can't do it to me | Kansas Joe ; Memphis Minnie | Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar | instrumentalist, guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Memphis Minnie," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106296.
Memphis Minnie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106296.
"Memphis Minnie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Memphis Minnie
Discogs: Memphis Minnie
Allmusic: Memphis Minnie
Grove: Memphis Minnie
Britannica: Memphis Minnie
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Memphis Minnie, 1897-1973 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n90724280
Wikidata: Memphis Minnie - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q464728
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/74038299
MusicBrainz: Memphis Minnie - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ff748426-8873-4725-bdc7-c2b18b510d41
ISNI: 0000 0000 7977 8528 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000079778528
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