Tallahassee Tight
Louis Washington (reportedly born Louis Jackson, October 1895 – after 1934), also known by his bluesman name, Tallahassee Tight, was an American musician, performing both gospel music and blues. According to researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc, he was born in Wadesboro, Florida, in 1895. His limited output was all recorded, as far as is known, by the American Record Corporation in New York in 1934, and is essentially limited to one relatively modern release: East Coast Blues & Gospel Songs, Document Records DOCD-5387, 1995. This recording also includes the work of his contemporary, Spark Plug Smith. Washington used his real name for his gospel singing, but apparently preferred to use Tallahassee Tight when singing blues. It is believed that he was from northwest Florida, based not only on his choice of nicknames, but also from several of his songs: "Tallahassee Women", "Quincy Wimmens", and "Coast Line Blues". Quincy, Florida is approximately 20 miles from Tallahassee, and the Coast Line refers to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad which passes through Tallahassee. In 1995, an album was released by Document Records of the music of Louis Washington/Tallahassee Tight and Spark Plug Smith. The album indicates that the music was originally recorded in 1933 and 1934. According to Bruce Bastin, "Of limited musical interest, but completely within the guitar traditions of the Southeast, Louis Washington may have the distinction of being the one recorded resident Florida Bluesman of the period of commercial blues recording". |
Birth and Death Data: Born (Wadesboro (human settlement in Florida, United States of America))
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, guitar
Notes: Tallahassee Tight is a pseudonym for Louis Washington, and according to Dixon/Godrich/Rye, secular titles are under the name Tallahassee Tight while spirituals are under the name Louis Washington.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARC | 14593 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Had a dream that troubled me | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14594 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Run sinner run | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14595 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Tell the world about this | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14596 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Standin on a rock | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14597 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | You better run | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14598 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Death bed | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14599 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | When I get there | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14604 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Lord have mercy | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14605 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Slow water blues | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14606 | 10-in. | 1/15/1934 | Lonesome and worried blues | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14634 | 10-in. | 1/18/1934 | Ramblin' wind blues | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14635 | 10-in. | 1/18/1934 | Black gal | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14636 | 10-in. | 1/18/1934 | Quincey wimmens | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14637 | 10-in. | 1/18/1934 | Tallahassee women | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14638 | 10-in. | 1/18/1934 | Coast line blues | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14676 | 10-in. | 1/24/1934 | Black snake blues | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14677 | 10-in. | 1/24/1934 | Screaming woman | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14678 | 10-in. | 1/24/1934 | You reap what you sow | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14679 | 10-in. | 1/24/1934 | Home sick blues | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14680 | 10-in. | 1/24/1934 | Where you goin' sinner | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14681 | 10-in. | 1/24/1934 | Heaven in my view | Louis Washington | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar | |
| ARC | 14682 | 10-in. | 1/24/1934 | Jealous maw | Tallahassee Tight | Male vocal solo, with guitar (self-accompaniment) | instrumentalist, guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Tallahassee Tight," accessed January 3, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/401801.
Tallahassee Tight. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/401801.
"Tallahassee Tight." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 3 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Discogs: Tallahassee Tight
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Tallahassee Tight (Musician) - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no98018323
Wikidata: Louis Washington - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6688359
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/75928308
MusicBrainz: Louis Washington - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/2afc4e8b-207a-43b1-95e7-5addc12a0cb1
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