Image Source: Wikipedia

Blind Lemon Jefferson

Lemon Henry "Blind Lemon" Jefferson (September 24, 1893 – December 19, 1929) was an American blues and gospel singer-songwriter and musician. He was one of the most popular and successful blues singers of the 1920s and has been called the "Father of the Texas Blues".

Due mainly to his high-pitched voice and the originality of his guitar playing, Jefferson's performances were distinctive. His recordings sold well, but he was not a strong influence on younger blues singers of his generation, who could not imitate him as easily as they could other commercially successful artists. Later blues and rock and roll musicians, however, did attempt to imitate both his songs and his musical style.

Jefferson had an intricate and fast style of guitar playing and a particularly high-pitched voice. He was a founder of the Texas blues sound and an important influence on other blues singers and guitarists, including Lead Belly and Lightnin' Hopkins.

He was the author of many songs covered by later musicians, including the classic "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean". Another of his songs, "Matchbox Blues", was recorded more than 30 years later by the Beatles, in a rockabilly version credited to Carl Perkins, who did not credit Jefferson on his 1955 recording. Fellow blues artist B.B. King credited Jefferson as one of his biggest musical influences, next to Lonnie Johnson, Louis Jordan and T-Bone Walker.

Birth and Death Data: Born Wortham (town in Freestone County, Texas, United States) , Died December 12, 1929 (Chicago (city and county seat of Cook County, and largest city in State of Illinois, United States of America) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1948

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, composer, lyricist

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 26 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W143480 10-in. 2/16/1927 The black snake moan Martha Copeland Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano composer, lyricist  
Columbia W145348 10-in. 12/9/1927 Long lonesome blues Rube Lacy Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with guitar composer, lyricist  
OKeh W80523 10-in. 3/14/1927 Black snake moan Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer, lyricist  
OKeh W80524 10-in. 3/14/1927 Match box blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer, lyricist  
OKeh W80525 10-in. 3/14/1927 'Stillery blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80526 10-in. 3/14/1927 Woman's labor man Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80527 10-in. 3/14/1927 My easy rider Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80528 10-in. 3/14/1927 Elder Green's in town Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80529 10-in. 3/14/1927 English stop time Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W80536 10-in. 3/15/1927 Laboring man away from home Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Brunswick DAL211 10-in. 6/6/1937 Match box blues Roy Newman and his Boys String band, with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Brunswick DAL663 10-in. 12/1/1938 Match box blues Roy Newman and his Boys Male vocal solo, with violin and 2 guitars composer, lyricist  
SD SD-107-A 10-in. 1948 Hometown skiffle i The Hokum Boys instrumentalist, guitar  
SD SD-107-B 10-in. 1948 Hometown skiffle ii The Hokum Boys instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15664 10-in. 9/24/1929 Bed spring blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15665 10-in. 9/24/1929 Yo yo blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15666 10-in. 9/24/1929 Mosquito moan Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15667 10-in. 9/24/1929 Southern woman blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15668 10-in. 9/24/1929 Bakershop blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15669 10-in. 9/24/1929 Pneumonia blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15670 10-in. 9/24/1929 Long distance moan Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15671 10-in. 9/24/1929 That crawlin' baby blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15672 10-in. 9/24/1929 Fence breakin' yellin' blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15673 10-in. 9/24/1929 Cat man blues Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15674 10-in. 9/24/1929 The cheaters spell Blind Lemon Jefferson Male vocal solo, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 26 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jefferson, Blind Lemon," accessed December 26, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104663.

Jefferson, Blind Lemon. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 26, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104663.

"Jefferson, Blind Lemon." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 26 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104663

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.