Josh White

Joshua Daniel White (February 11, 1914 – September 5, 1969) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names Pinewood Tom and Tippy Barton in the 1930s.

White grew up in the South during the 1920s and 1930s. He became a prominent race records artist, with a prolific output of recordings in genres including Piedmont blues, country blues, gospel music, and social protest songs. In 1931, White moved to New York, and within a decade his fame had spread widely. His repertoire expanded to include urban blues, jazz, traditional folk songs, and political protest songs, and he was in demand as an actor on radio, Broadway, and film.

However, White's anti-segregationist and international human rights political stance presented in many of his recordings and in his speeches at rallies were subsequently used by McCarthyites as a pretext for labeling him a communist to slander and harass him. From 1947 through the mid-1960s, White was caught up in the anti-communist Red Scare, and as a consequence his career suffered. Nonetheless, White's musical style would go on to influence several generations of musical artists. In 2023, he was inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born Greenville, Died September 5, 1969 (Manhasset)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, speaker

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 166 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia CO27414 10-in. 6/4/1940 Chain gang boun' Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27415 10-in. 6/4/1940 Nine foot shovel Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27416 10-in. 6/4/1940 Trouble Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27417 10-in. 6/4/1940 Told my cap'n Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27418 10-in. 6/4/1940 Goin' home, boys Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27419 10-in. 6/4/1940 Cryin' who? cryin' you! Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27420 10-in. 6/4/1940 Cryin' who? cryin' you! Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27421 10-in. 6/4/1940 Jerry (Lord, dis timber got to roll) Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27806 10-in. 8/6/1940 I don't care where dey bury my body Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27807 10-in. 8/6/1940 Glory to his name Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27808 10-in. 8/6/1940 Lord, have mercy Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27809 10-in. 8/6/1940 King Jesus knows I'm comin' Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27810 10-in. 8/6/1940 Moan, chillun, moan Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27811 10-in. 8/6/1940 I wonder will my mother be on dat train Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27812 10-in. 8/6/1940 Son in de mornin' Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia CO27813 10-in. 8/6/1940 I want Jesus to walk with me Carolinians ; Josh White Male vocal chorus, with guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 30482 10-in. 5/16/1941 I lay a-dreamin' Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 30483 10-in. 5/16/1941 Gotta go Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 30484 10-in. 5/16/1941 Eve's apple tree Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 30485 10-in. 5/16/1941 No good woman Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 30486 10-in. 5/16/1941 She's a married woman Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 30487 10-in. 5/16/1941 No good buddy Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Gennett 15555 10-in. 9/6/1929 Wang-wang harmonica blues Carver Boys ; Josh White Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 70561 10-in. 3/23/1942 Baby baby Libby Holman instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 70562 10-in. 3/23/1942 Hansom Winsome Johnny ; Old smokey Libby Holman instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 166 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "White, Josh," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/210959.

White, Josh. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/210959.

"White, Josh." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/210959

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