Cow Cow Davenport

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Charles Edward "Cow Cow" Davenport (born April 23, 1894 in Anniston, Alabama; died December 3, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio) was a boogie woogie piano player. He also played the organ and sang. Arnold Caplin, on the liner notes to the LP "Hot Pianos 1926-1940" reports that Mr. Davenport started playing the piano at age 12. His family objected strongly to his musical aspirations and sent him to a theological seminary, where he was expelled for playing ragtime.

His best-known song was "Cow Cow Blues". He claimed to have been the composer of "Mama Don't Allow It". He also said he had written the Louis Armstrong hit "I'll be Glad When Youi're Dead (You Rascal You)", but sold the rights and credit to others.

Davenport's career began in the 1920s when he joined Banhoof's Traveling Carnival, a medicine show. His first fame came as accompanist to blues musicians Dora Carr and Ivy Smith. He also performed with Tampa Red. He recorded for many labels, and was a talent scout and artist for Vocalion Records. He suffered a stroke in the early 1930s and lost movement in his hands. He was washing dishes when he was found by jazz pianist Art Hodes in 1938. Hodes assisted in his rehabilitation and helped him find new recording contracts.

He is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Cripple Clarence Lofton called him a major influence.

The 1940s hit song "Cow Cow Boogie" was probably named for him, but he did not write it. This song is a Tin Pan Alley number combining the then-popular "Western song" craze (exemplified by Johnny Mercer's "I'm an Old Cowhand") with the big-band boogie-woogie fad.