Georgia White

Georgia White (9 March 1903 – c.1980) was an American blues singer, most prolific in the 1930s and 1940s.

Little is known of her early life, but it has been suggested that she was born in Sandersville, Georgia. By the late 1920s she was singing in clubs in Chicago. She made her first recording, "When You're Smiling, the Whole World Smiles With You," with Jimmie Noone's orchestra in 1930. She returned to the studio in 1935, and over the next six years recorded over 100 tracks for Decca Records, usually accompanied by the pianist Richard M. Jones and also, in the late 1930s, by the guitarist Lonnie Johnson.

She also recorded under the name Georgia Lawson. Her tracks included "I'll Keep Sitting on It," "Take Me for a Buggy Ride," "Mama Knows What Papa Wants When Papa's Feeling Blue," and "Hot Nuts." Her best-known song was "You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now" (1935).

White formed an all-female band in the 1940s. She also performed with Bumble Bee Slim and Gassy Slaps. She joined Big Bill Broonzy's Laughing Trio in 1949 as pianist. "She was very easy to get along with," said Broonzy, "real friendly." She was a club singer in the 1950s, finally performing in 1959 in Chicago. She then resumed performing on weekends at the Blue Pub, a bar on Irving Park Road near the Kennedy Expressway, where she quickly won a loyal following. She sang many of her famous songs, including "Maybe I'm Wrong Again," a ballad from an early Bing Crosby movie.

One of her songs, "Alley Boogie" (recorded in 1937), was used as the theme music for the British romantic comedy drama series, Love Soup.

White's version of "Hot Nuts" was featured in the 2022 film, Jackass Forever.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 9, 1903 (Sandersville), Died 1980

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, piano

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 99 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick C5754 10-in. 5/16/1930 When you’re smiling Jimmie Noone’s Apex Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo vocalist  
Decca 60346 10-in. 1/16/1936 Can't read, can't write Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60347 10-in. 1/16/1936 Tell me baby Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60352 10-in. 1/17/1936 There ain't gonna be no doggone afterwhile Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60353 10-in. 1/17/1936 Someday sweetheart Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60354 10-in. 1/17/1936 River blues Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60374 10-in. 1/21/1936 If you can't get five, take two Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60375 10-in. 1/21/1936 Rattlesnakin' Daddy Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60401 10-in. 1/24/1936 Get 'em from the peanut man Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 60437 Feb. 1936 [Unknown title(s)] Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62637 10-in. 10/5/1937 Georgia man Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 62638 10-in. 10/5/1937 All night blues Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 62639 10-in. 10/5/1937 Away all the time Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 62640 10-in. 10/5/1937 The stuff is here Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 62641 10-in. 10/5/1937 Strewin' your mess Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 62642 10-in. 10/5/1937 Fare Thee honey fare Thee well Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 63543 10-in. 4/1/1938 I'm blue and lonesome Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 63547 10-in. 4/1/1938 Almost afraid to love Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 63548 10-in. 4/1/1938 Too much trouble Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 63549 10-in. 4/1/1938 Crazy blues Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 63550 10-in. 4/1/1938 T'ain't nobody's business if I do Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 63551 10-in. 4/1/1938 Holding my own Georgia White vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 65597 10-in. 5/18/1939 The way I'm feelin' Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 65598 10-in. 5/18/1939 Married woman blues Georgia White vocalist  
Decca 65599 10-in. 5/18/1939 How do you think I feel Georgia White vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 99 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "White, Georgia," accessed April 20, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110377.

White, Georgia. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 20, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110377.

"White, Georgia." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 20 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110377

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