Burton, W. E.

W. E. "Buddy" Burton (10 January 1890 – 6 July 1977) was a multi-instrumentalist and band leader who appeared on many 1920s Chicago South Side jazz and Blues 78 rpm Phonograph records as vocalist and drummer, and also played washboard, piano, celeste, and kazoo. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky and went to Chicago around 1922. He first recorded with Jelly Roll Morton and sessions that were led by Jimmy Blythe. Burton released five sides under his own name in 1928, six sides with Marcus Norman (as "Alabama Jim And George" which some experts have listed as being made with Bob Hudson, although Norman is credited with co-writing), two sides as a duo with Blythe and one with Irene Sanders. He also backed blues singers Tillie Johnson and Mae Mathews, and played with the Dixie Four and The Harlem Trio. Other than five numbers in 1929, duets with pianist Bob Hudson in 1932, and the duet with Sanders in 1936, little is known about Burton's life after the mid-thirties although he was probably somewhat active. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot word while living in senior housing in Louisville, Kentucky and was reported to be a 'retired musician and elevator operator'.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1890 (Louisville), Died 1976

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1936

Roles Represented in DAHR: kazoo, vocalist, piano, washboard, drums, speaker, author, composer, traps

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 46 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-100321 10-in. 4/2/1936 New block and tackle Burton, W. E. ; Irene Sanders Comic dialogue, with 2 pianos speaker, composer, instrumentalist, piano, author  
Victor BS-100322 10-in. 4/2/1936 Electric man Burton, W. E. ; Irene Sanders Comic dialogue, with female-male vocal duet and 2 pianos composer, author, instrumentalist, piano, speaker  
Gennett 13508 10-in. 3/2/1928 Ham-fatchet blues, part 1 Buddy Burton Male vocal solo, with piano. instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Gennett 13509 10-in. 3/2/1928 Ham-fatchet blues, part 2 Buddy Burton Male vocal solo, with piano. vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13605 10-in. 3/21/1928 My baby Tillie Johnson Female vocal solo, with piano and kazoo instrumentalist, kazoo  
Gennett 13606 10-in. 3/23/1928 Chicago man blues Tillie Johnson Female vocal solo, with piano and kazoo instrumentalist, kazoo  
Gennett 13607 10-in. 3/23/1928 Dirty woman blues Johnnie Mae Matthews Female vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13608 10-in. 3/23/1928 Satisfied blues Johnnie Mae Matthews Female vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13610 10-in. 3/23/1928 Time enough W. E. Burton Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13682 10-in. 4/17/1928 Dustin' the keys Blythe and Burton Piano duet instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13683 10-in. 4/18/1928 Block and tackle blues Blythe and Burton Piano duet instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13684 10-in. 4/18/1928 Silvery moon William E. "Buddy" Burton Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13685 10-in. 4/18/1928 It's no one but you William E. "Buddy" Burton Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 13686 10-in. 4/18/1928 My baby Blythe's Blue Boys Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, washboard  
Gennett 13687 10-in. 4/18/1928 Oriental man Blythe's Blue Boys Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, washboard  
Gennett 13688 10-in. 4/18/1928 Pleasure mad Blythe's Blue Boys Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, washboard  
Gennett 13689 10-in. 4/18/1928 Shanghai honeymoon State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] Jazz/dance ensemble, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, washboard  
Gennett 13690 10-in. 4/18/1928 Some do and some don't Blythe's Blue Boys Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, washboard  
Gennett 13691 10-in. 4/18/1928 Tack it down Blythe's Blue Boys Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, washboard  
Gennett 14065 10-in. 7/18/1928 Endurance stomp Blythe's Blue Boys Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, kazoo  
Gennett 14066 10-in. 7/18/1928 Tuxedo stomp State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] Jazz/dance ensemble, with incidental singing instrumentalist, kazoo  
Gennett 14067 10-in. 7/18/1928 Brown skin mama Blythe's Blue Boys Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, kazoo  
Gennett 14068 10-in. 7/18/1928 Road house blues Marie Grinter ; State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, kazoo  
Gennett 14069 10-in. 7/18/1928 St. Louis man Marie Grinter ; State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, kazoo  
Gennett 14070 10-in. 7/18/1928 West Virginia blues Marie Grinter ; State Street Ramblers [Blythe's Blue Boys] Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, kazoo  
(Results 1-25 of 46 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Burton, W. E.," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107461.

Burton, W. E.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107461.

"Burton, W. E.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107461

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