Irene Scruggs
Irene Scruggs (born Irene Smith, December 7, 1901 – July 20, 1981) was an American Piedmont blues and country blues singer, who was also billed as Chocolate Brown and Dixie Nolan. She recorded songs such as "My Back to the Wall" and "Good Grindin'" and worked with Clarence Williams, Joe "King" Oliver, Lonnie Johnson, Little Brother Montgomery, Blind Blake, Albert Nicholas, and Kid Ory. Scruggs achieved some success but today is largely forgotten. |
= 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia | W143690 | 10-in. | 3/19/1927 | Sorrow Valley blues | Martha Copeland | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano | lyricist, composer | |
OKeh | S-72486 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Everybody's blues | Irene Scruggs ; Clarence Williams | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto, songwriter | |
OKeh | S-72487 | 10-in. | Apr. 1924 | Why he left me, I don't know | Irene Scruggs ; Clarence Williams | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
OKeh | S-72497 | 10-in. | May 1924 | Cruel papa but a good man to have around | Irene Scruggs ; Clarence Williams | Female vocal solo, with piano | lyricist, vocalist, contralto | |
OKeh | S-72498 | 10-in. | May 1924 | My daddy's calling me | Irene Scruggs ; Clarence Williams | Female vocal solo, with piano | lyricist, vocalist, contralto | |
OKeh | W80817 | 10-in. | 5/2/1927 | Lonesome valley blues | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, contralto, composer, lyricist | |
OKeh | W80818 | 10-in. | 5/2/1927 | Outsider blues | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, contralto | |
OKeh | W80819 | 10-in. | 5/2/1927 | Smokey rattler | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, contralto | |
OKeh | W80820 | 10-in. | 5/2/1927 | Sorrow Valley blues | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | lyricist, vocalist, contralto, composer | |
Brunswick | C228-C229 | 10-in. | 4/23/1926 | Home town blues | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto, lyricist, composer | |
Brunswick | C230-C231 | 10-in. | 4/23/1926 | Sorrow Valley blues | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto, lyricist, composer | |
Gennett | 16970 | 10-in. | 8/30/1930 | You've got what I want | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Gennett | 16973 | 10-in. | 8/30/1930 | I want you to give me some | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Gennett | 16975 | 10-in. | 8/30/1930 | My back to the wall | Artists vary | Female vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, contralto | |
Gennett | 16977 | 10-in. | 8/30/1930 | Borrowed love | Irene Scruggs | Female vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, contralto | |
Gennett | 16980 | 10-in. | 8/30/1930 | The voice of the blues | Artists vary | Female vocal solo, with guitar | vocalist, contralto |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Scruggs, Irene," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/107426.
Scruggs, Irene. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/107426.
"Scruggs, Irene." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Scruggs, Irene - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n96049224
Wikidata: Irene Scruggs - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6069235
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/23863391
MusicBrainz: Irene Scruggs - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/365c0269-894e-418b-acbd-cec2bfd66b32
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