Big Bill Broonzy
Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley; June 26, 1893 or 1903 – August 14, 1958) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African-American audiences. In the 1930s and 1940s, he navigated a change in style to a more urban blues sound popular with working-class black audiences. In the 1950s, a return to his traditional folk-blues roots made him one of the leading figures of the emerging American folk music revival and an international star. His long and varied career marks him as one of the key figures in the development of blues music in the 20th century. Broonzy copyrighted more than 300 songs, including adaptations of traditional folk songs and original blues songs. As a blues composer, he was unique in writing songs that reflected his rural-to-urban experiences. |
Birth and Death Data: Born June 26, 1893 (Scott County), Died August 14, 1958 (Chicago)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1953
Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, composer, lyricist, songwriter, speaker
Notes: Often billed as Big Bill; composer credits as Williard Broonzy.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 201-225 of 251 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | D7VB-0377 | 10-in. | 3/28/1947 | Apple tree swing | Sonny Boy Williamson | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1078 | 10-in. | 10/16/1947 | Facing life | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) ; Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1079 | 10" | 10/16/1947 | No special rider | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) ; Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1080 | 10" | 10/16/1947 | Ramblin with that woman | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) ; Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1081 | 10-in. | 10/16/1947 | Love me or let me be | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) ; Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1132 | 10-in. | 11/4/1947 | She's just my size | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1133 | 10-in. | 11/4/1947 | You know how I feel | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1134 | 10-in. | 11/4/1947 | Fool about that woman | Washboard Sam | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-1135 | 10-in. | 11/4/1947 | Dollar is your best friend | Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) | Male vocal solo, with washboard band | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-2319 | 10-in. | 12/2/1947 | Rock me baby | Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Victor | D7VB-2362 | 10-in. | 12/10/1947 | Farewell, little girl | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-2363 | 10-in. | 12/10/1947 | Broke and hungry | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-2364 | 10-in. | 12/10/1947 | Illinois central | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-2365 | 10-in. | 12/10/1947 | Nappy head woman | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | D7VB-2390 | 10-in. | 12/31/1947 | Across the hall blues | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-2391 | 10-in. | 12/31/1947 | Walking with the blues | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-2392 | 10-in. | 12/31/1947 | Sweet Lucy blues | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | D7VB-2393 | 10-in. | 12/31/1947 | No whiskey blues | Dr. Clayton's Buddy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Brunswick | JK1039 | 10-in. | 4/8/1930 | I can’t be satisfied | Big Bil | Male vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist | |
Chess | U7508 | 10-in. | 1953 | Little city woman | Big Bill Broonzy | composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Chess | U7509 | 10-in. | 1953 | Lonesome | Big Bill Broonzy | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | ||
Chess | U7512 | 10-in. | 1953 | Bright eyes | Washboard Sam | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Chess | U7513 | 10-in. | 1953 | Diggin' my potatoes | Washboard Sam | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Gennett | 16569 | 10-in. | 5/2/1930 | I can't be satisfied | Big Bill Johnson | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Gennett | 16570 | 10-in. | 5/2/1930 | Bowleg blues | Big Bill Johnson | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Broonzy, Big Bill," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
Broonzy, Big Bill. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/108656.
"Broonzy, Big Bill." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Big Bill Broonzy
Discogs: Big Bill Broonzy
Allmusic: Big Bill Broonzy
Grove: Big Bill Broonzy
IMDb: Big Bill Broonzy
Britannica: Big Bill Broonzy
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Broonzy, Big Bill, 1893-1958 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no88003463
Wikidata: Big Bill Broonzy - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q449239
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/10032630
MusicBrainz: Big Bill Broonzy - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/05bc49f8-3108-44c8-82b9-ac3254896a69
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
Feedback
Send the Editors a message about this record.