Topic: Musicians who recorded under more than one name

[dj]

Roosevelt Sykes made the rounds of record companies in 1929 and 1930, with a different pseudonym for each one.

   Rossevelt Sykes on Okeh
   Dobby Bragg on Paramount
   Willie Kelly on Victor
   Easy Papa Johnson on Melotone

After he settled down with Decca, his records were released as The Honey Dripper (Roosevelt Sykes) or Rosevelt Sykes (The Honey Dripper), though there was a one-side session in 1933:

  St. Louis Johnny on Champion

I know I'm kidding myself, but I like to think that J.K. Rowling is a blues fan and got the name for Dobby the house elf from Dobby Bragg.   

[dj]

This doesn't really count as a "recorded under", but since King Solomon Hill is current in the Lyric board, it's worth noting that Whoopee Blues/Down On My Bended Knee was released on the Varsity label as by the Down South Boys.

Releases of the same sides on Paramount and Crown were as by King Solomon Hill.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I know that Sam Collins also had records released as Salty Dog Sam, and he may have had them released under other names, too. Does anyone know any of his other recording monickers?
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

You're right, John.

  Sam Collins on Gennett
  Salty Dog Sam on Banner and associated dime store labels
 
Some of the Gennett titles were released as

   Big Boy Woods on Bell
   Jim Foster on Champion, Silvertone, and Superior
   Jelly Roll Hunter on some Superior titles

[Johnm]

Thanks for those additional names, dj. I'm thinking this whole topic might make for a good Weeniepedia entry that would really be interesting, and I hope folks will continue to add names to this list.  Here's one--Alec Seward also recorded as Guitar Slim.

[dj]

I just stumbled on the fact that while Jaybird Coleman recorded and was released under his own name by Gennett and Columbia, some of the Gennett recordings were sold/leased to other companies and came out under the following names:

   Rabbits Foot Williams on Champion Silvertone, and Black Patti
   George Alexander on Conqueror

[Johnm]

Hi all,
How about Bo Weavil Jackson and Sam Butler?
All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

Absolute!

A man named James Jackson recorded for Paramount in Chicago in Aug of 1926 as Bo Weavil Jackson. He then recorded, a month or so later, for Vocalion in NYC as Sam Butler.

I didn't realize that BWJ was recorded so early, and then again in another city a month later. Would love to know the stories behind that. Granted Lemon Jefferson had multiple sessions in Chicago by late '26, but it speaks to a the possibility that there were networks of awareness, between performers and record company agents. Anyway, interesting.

Wax

[dj]

Bill "Jazz" Gillum recorded for his entire commercial career for Bluebird under variants of his name except for:

   Bill McKinley for two two-song sessions for ARC.

[dj]

Frank Brasswell recorded under his own name for Banner abd associated labels in April of 1930, and then a month later as Western Kid for Gennett.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I believe that Edward Thompson also recorded as Tenderfoot Edwards.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Didn't Big Joe Williams get recorded as Poor Joe Williams or Poor Joe early in his recording career?
All best,
Johnm

[jpeters609]

Hi John,
For his pre-war recordings, Big Joe Williams appeared as "Joe Williams" and, less frequently, as "Big Joe."

For his post-war recordings, he recorded primarily as "Joe Williams," but also as "Joe Lee Williams" on one of his Trumpet-label records and as "Po Joe Williams" on his Vee-Jay record.

I believe he was "Big Joe Williams" on the majority (if not all) of his rediscovery-era recordings.
Jeff

[dj]

Buddy Moss was credited as Jim Miller on the Vocalion disks issued from his first recording session (January 16 - 19 in New York City).

[btasoundsradio]

still wonder if Blind Willie Johnson was Blind Texas Marlin