Edmonia Henderson

Edmonia Henderson
Birth name Jennie Katherine Edmonia Henderson
Also known as Catherine Henderson[1]
The Melodious Blues Singer[2]
Born 1900
Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States
Origin United States
Died February 17, 1947
Louisville, Kentucky
Genres Classic female blues
Occupation(s) Singer (contralto),[3] evangelist
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1920s
Labels Vocalion, Okeh, Paramount

Edmonia Henderson (1900 – February 17, 1947)[1] was an African American classic female blues singer.[4] She was active as a recording artist in the mid-1920s, and recorded at least 14 songs between 1924 and 1926.[5] She later became an evangelist.[6]

At various times, Henderson sang accompanied by Jelly Roll Morton, Tommy Ladnier, Lovie Austin, Eddie Heywood, and Johnny Dodds.[6]

Career

She was born Jennie Katherine Edmonia Henderson, in Jefferson County, Kentucky (present-day Louisville), United States.[6][7]

Henderson appeared in vaudeville, both as a solo artist and as part of Joe Clark's Revue, playing in a range of Theater Owners Booking Association locations, including Baltimore, Maryland, Chicago, Illinois, and Nashville, Tennessee.[3][8] In 1925, she performed in Radio Girls, another vaudeville revue which included Bessie Williams, Mamie Jefferson, and Baby Badge.[9]

Henderson's first recording took place in 1924. "Dead Man Blues", a 1926 recording, featured the vocals of Henderson accompanied by its songwriter, Jelly Roll Morton, on piano.[10] In 1927, she had a gramophone record released in the United Kingdom by the British record label, Oriole, as part of its 'Race Series' under licence from Vocalion. The series also included work by Rosa Henderson and Viola McCoy.[11]

By 1928, she was teaching and giving gospel concerts at the Griffith Conservatory of Music in Louisville. In 1932, she married and became the Reverend Edmonia Buckner.[6]

Her work has appeared on various compilation albums, including The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records 1917-1927, Volume 1 (2013).[12]

She is no relation to Fletcher, Horace, Katherine, or Rosa Henderson.

Henderson died on February 17, 1947 in Louisville and was interred in Louisville Cemetery.[7]

Selected discography

Year A-side
(Songwriter)		 B-side
(Songwriter)		 Notes
1924 "Jelly Roll Blues"[13]
(Jelly Roll Morton)		 "Lazy Daddy Blues"[13]
(Jay Guy Suddoth)		 Accompanied by Tommy Ladnier, Lovie Austin, Johnny Dodds[14]
1924 "Black Man Blues"[15]
(Lovie Austin)		 "Worried 'Bout Him Blues"[15]
(Robert Warfield)
1924 "Brown Skin Man"[15]
(Boots Hope)		 "Traveling Blues"[15]
(Pearl White)
1924 "Hateful Blues"[15]
(Perry Bradford, E. Johnson)		 "Mama Don't Want Sweet Man Anymore"[15]
(Alex Blythe)
1925 "Four-Thirty Blues"[15]
(Edmonina Henderson)		 "Sweet De Papa Blues"[15]
(Edmonina Henderson)		 As Catherine Henderson; accompanied by Eddie Heywood
1926 "Nobody Else Will Do"[15]
(Lovie Austin)		 "Who's Gonna Do Your Lovin' (When Your Good Man's Gone Away)"[15]
(Lovie Austin)
1926 "Georgia Grind"[15]
(Spencer Williams)		 "Dead Man Blues"[15]
(Jelly Roll Morton)		 Recorded in Chicago, on July 21, 1926[16]

[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club : 1950s and earlier". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  2. ↑ Oliver, Paul (1969). The Story of the Blues. Barrie & Jenkins, London. ISBN 3-85445-092-3.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Edmonia Henderson Charms With Voice And Smile". Baltimore Afro-American. May 30, 1925. p. 4. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  4. ↑ Stewart-Baxter, Derrick (1970). Ma Rainey and the classic blues singers. London: Studio Vista. p. 91. OCLC 250212516.
  5. ↑ "Big Road Blues : Edmonia Henderson". Sundayblues.org. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Henderson, Edmonia". Nkaa.uky.edu. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kleber, John E. (ed.) (2001). The Encyclopedia of Louisville. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky. p. 380. ISBN 0-8131-2100-0. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  8. ↑ Kelley, Norman (2002). R&B, Rhythm and Business: The Political Economy of Black Music (First ed.). New York, United States: Akashic Books. p. 107/8. ISBN 1-888451-68-8.
  9. ↑ Peterson, Bernard L. (1993). A Century of Musicals in Black and White (First ed.). Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 283. ISBN 0-313-26657-3.
  10. ↑ "Dead Man Blues". Malcolmloweryatthe19thhole.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  11. ↑ Wynn, Neil A. (2007). Cross the Water Blues: African American Music in Europe (First ed.). New York: University Press of Mississippi. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-57806-960-6.
  12. ↑ "Edmonia Henderson Discography". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 ""Jelly Roll Blues" / "Lazy Daddy Blues"". Rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  14. ↑ "Various – I'm Coming From Seclusion". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 15.9 15.10 15.11 "Edmonia Henderson". Rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  16. ↑ "Various – Junkshop Special". Discogs. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  17. ↑ "Edmonia Henderson : Songs". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-09-12.

External links