Charles Segar

Charlie Segar was an American blues pianist and occasional singer, who is best known for being the first to record the blues standard, "Key to the Highway" (1940). Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Segar has been dubbed the "Keyboard Wizard Supreme". He relocated to Chicago, where he made recordings with other blues artists, such as Bumble Bee Slim and Memphis Minnie, as well as being the featured artist.

Segar recorded eight known songs under his own name between 1934 and 1940 for Decca Records and Vocalion Records:

  • "Cuban Villa Blues" / "Southern Hospitality" (Decca 7027)
  • "Cow Cow Blues" / "Boogie Woogie" (Decca 7075)
  • "Key to the Highway" / "Stop and Fix It Mama" (Vocalion 05441)
  • "Lonesome Graveyard Blues" / "Dissatisfied Blues" (Vocalion 05539)

These are included on Piano Blues, Vol. 2: 1927–1956, the Document Records compilation album of piano tunes by various artists. In an album review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow noted Segar's recordings as "including four excellent piano solos".

In 2018 the Killer Blues Headstone Project placed a headstone for Charlie Segar at Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

Birth and Death Data: Died December 10, 1957

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, vocalist, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 30 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-074065 10-in. 2/10/1942 Stop and fix it Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band songwriter  
Columbia CP1120 10-in. 9/14/1934 Teapot dome Charles Segar Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia CP1121 10-in. 9/14/1934 Darktown strutters ball; High society Charles Segar Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia WC2957 10-in. 2/23/1940 Key to the highway Charles Segar Male vocal solo, with piano and drums instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Columbia WC2958 10-in. 2/23/1940 Stop and fix it mama Charles Segar Male vocal solo, with piano and drums instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Columbia WC2959 10-in. 2/23/1940 Lonesome gravey and blues Charles Segar Male vocal solo, with piano and drums instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Columbia WC2960 10-in. 2/23/1940 Dissatisfied blues Charles Segar Male vocal solo, with piano and drums instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Decca 90634 10-in. 3/24/1936 Little red dress Jimmie Gordon instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 90635 10-in. 3/24/1936 I'm gonna have my fun (when I get my bonus) Carl Martin ; Charlie (Chuck) Segar instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 90701 10-in. 4/30/1936 Sweet jelly rollin' Jimmie Gordon instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 90702 10-in. 4/30/1936 Baker man Jimmie Gordon instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9289 10-in. 8/13/1934 I got to have a little more Mississippi Mudder [i.e. Joe McCoy] instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9290 10-in. 8/13/1934 Someday I'll be in the clay Mississippi Mudder [i.e. Joe McCoy] instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9291 10-in. 8/13/1934 Candy man blues Charlie McCoy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9292 10-in. 8/13/1934 Charity blues Charlie McCoy instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9432 10-in. 9/10/1934 Cuban villa blues Charlie (Chuck) Segar instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9433 10-in. 9/10/1934 Southern hospitality Charlie (Chuck) Segar instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9645 10-in. 1/11/1935 Cow cow blues Charlie (Chuck) Segar instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9646 10-in. 1/11/1935 Boogie woogie Charlie (Chuck) Segar instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9681 10-in. 1/20/1935 My black gal blues, part 1 Bumble Bee Slim instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9682 10-in. 1/20/1935 My black gal blues, part 2 Bumble Bee Slim instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9683 10-in. 1/20/1935 Bleeding heart blues Bumble Bee Slim instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9684 10-in. 1/20/1935 Let's pitch a boogie woogie Bumble Bee Slim instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9685 10-in. 1/20/1935 Tired of your low down nasty ways Bumble Bee Slim instrumentalist, piano  
Decca C 9686 10-in. 1/20/1935 Good evening blues Bumble Bee Slim instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 1-25 of 30 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Segar, Charles," accessed January 4, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/342965.

Segar, Charles. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 4, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/342965.

"Segar, Charles." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 4 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/342965

External Sources

Discogs: Charles Segar

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Segar, Charlie - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2013053023

Wikidata: Charlie Segar - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5085501

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/6149365867985600105

MusicBrainz: Charles Segar - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b337ffc8-bd6e-4ce4-891f-36388987936d

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