Lee L. Blair

Lee L. Blair (October 10, 1903, Savannah, Georgia – October 15, 1966, New York City) was an American jazz banjoist and guitarist.

Blair was a left-handed autodidact on banjo, aside from a few lessons taken from Mike Pingitore, the banjoist for Paul Whiteman. He played and recorded in NYC with Thomas Morris's Seven Hot Babies in 1926, played with Charlie Skeete in 1926-28, then played and recorded with Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers in 1928-30. He played with Billy Kato in 1930-31, then played and recorded with Luis Russell (1934–35) and Louis Armstrong (1935-40). He worked part-time in music through the 1940s, then joined Wilbur De Paris's New New Orleans Jazz Band in the 1950s at Jimmy Ryan's Club on West 52nd Street in New York City. In the summer of 1957 he toured in Africa with the DeParis band for the State Department. In the 1960s he played less, concentrating on raising chickens on his farm in Belmore, Long Island, but appeared at the 1964 World's Fair in a trio with Danny Barker and Eddie Gibbs and freelanced around New York with Hank Duncan and others until he died. He never recorded as a leader, but appears on record with Morris, Morton, Russell, Armstrong, and De Paris, as well as with Dick Cary, Pee Wee Erwin, and Leonard Gaskin among others. He is honored in the jazz section of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon, GA.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 10, 1903 (Savannah), Died October 15, 1966 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, banjo

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 95 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-35762 10-in. 7/13/1926 Lazy drag Thomas Morris ; Morris' Hot Babies Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-35763 10-in. 7/13/1926 Jackass blues Thomas Morris ; Morris' Hot Babies Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-35764 10-in. 7/13/1926 Charleston stampede Thomas Morris ; Morris' Hot Babies Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-36047 10-in. 8/17/1926 Georgia grind Thomas Morris ; Morris' Hot Babies Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-36048 10-in. 8/17/1926 Ham gravy Thomas Morris ; Morris' Hot Babies Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-45619 10-in. 6/11/1928 Georgia swing Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-45620 10-in. 6/11/1928 Kansas City stomps Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-45621 10-in. 6/11/1928 Shoe shiner's drag Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-45622 10-in. 6/11/1928 Boogaboo Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-45626 10-in. 6/11/1928 Sidewalk blues Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-48433 10-in. 12/6/1928 Everybody loves my honey now Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-48434 10-in. 12/6/1928 Red hot pepper Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-48435 10-in. 12/6/1928 Deep creek Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-48436 10-in. 12/6/1928 You oughter see my gal Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-62182 10-in. 6/2/1930 Oil well Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-62183 10-in. 6/2/1930 Load of coal Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-62184 10-in. 6/2/1930 Crazy chords Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-62185 10-in. 6/2/1930 Primrose stomp Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Decca 60021 10-in. 10/3/1935 I'm in the mood for love Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 60022 10-in. 10/3/1935 You're my lucky star Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 60023 10-in. 10/3/1935 La cucaracha Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 60024 10-in. 10/3/1935 Got a brand new suit Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 60155 10-in. 11/21/1935 I've got my fingers crossed Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 60156 10-in. 11/21/1935 Old man Mose (is dead)-1 Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 60157 10-in. 11/21/1935 I'm shooting high Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 95 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Blair, Lee L.," accessed March 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110316.

Blair, Lee L.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110316.

"Blair, Lee L.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110316

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