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Country Blues => Weenie Campbell Main Forum => Topic started by: Johnm on July 31, 2020, 05:32:22 PM
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Hi all,
In working through the various songs recorded by Walter Vinson under his own name, or Leroy Carter, or "Sam Hill from Louisville", or Walter Jacobs it struck me that we've never had a thread in which we listed blues musicians who recorded under more than one name, and then listing those names. I thought it might be kind of fun to do such a thread.
I'll consider that I've started the ball rolling. If we confine ourselves to one musician and his/her recording monickers per post, more folks will be able to participate. Any takers?
All best,
Johnm
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I'll start with one of my favorites. Robert Lee McCollum recorded as Robert Lee McCoy and Robert Nighthawk.
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I'll start with one of my favorites. Robert Lee McCollum recorded as Robert Lee McCoy and Robert Nighthawk.
And as “Peetie’s Boy” for his two Decca 78s, including the great “Friar’s Point Blues.”
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Blind Willie McTell recorded under his own name and as Blind Sammie for Columbia,Georgia Bill for Okeh,Hot Shot Willie for Victor,Blind Willie for Vocalion and Bluebird,Barrelhouse Sammie for Atlantic and Pig & Whistle Red for Regal.
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Per B&GR:
"Joe McCoy"
"This artist never recorded under his own name, using instead the pseudonyms Kansas Joe, Big Joe, Hallelujah Joe, Mud Dauber Joe, Georgia Pine Boy, and Mississippi Mudder at various times. He also recorded many vocals with the Harlem Hamfats under the name Hamfoot Ham."
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"Though Memphis Minnie did have a brother-in-law named Joe Johnson, both aural evidence and the Victor files support that Victor and Bluebird sides credited to (Minnie) McCoy and (Joe) Johnson are in fact by Memphis. Minnie and Kansas Joe (McCoy). ... There is a strong possibility that the name Bill Wilber was also used as a pseudonym for Joe McCoy but this is not definite ... . Joe McCoy's real name is believed to be Wilber McCoy. It is also possible that Joe Williams on Vocalion 1457 is a pseudonym for Joe McCoy."
Wax
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I'll start with one of my favorites. Robert Lee McCollum recorded as Robert Lee McCoy and Robert Nighthawk.
And as “Peetie’s Boy” for his two Decca 78s, including the great “Friar’s Point Blues.”
And also as Rambling Bob with Speckled Red and Sonny Boy Williamson for Blue Bird at the Leland Hotel in Aurora Il. on Dec. 18 1938.
And sometimes just Lee McCoy.
Wax
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I think Willie Brown recorded as Kid Bailey.
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Didn't Charlie Patton also record for Paramount as The Masked Marvel?
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Didn't Charlie Patton also record for Paramount as The Masked Marvel?
Indeed he did. But this was probably a marketing scheme by Paramount Records. How much, if at all, Charlie Patton had a say to this or agreed to it at all, we'll never know.
Which brings us to an interesting (?) side note: which artists recorded with various pseudonyms on their own will, and which artists were labelled as someone else by the record companies? I remember reading that Brownie McGhee was labeled as "Blind Boy Fuller II" on some of his early recordings, and that he reportedly resented this.
On the other hand, some (later?) musicians like John Lee Hooker recorded with multiple pseudonyms for various small record companies to avoid breaching recording deals trying to "own" the artist.
This is again a very interesting thread, thanks Johnm, and might prove to be a great resource to us all.
Cheers,
Pan
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Big Bill Broonzy recorded as Sammy Sampson and Big Bill Johnson, IIRC--and also a few others.
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Interestingly enough, Big Bill Broonzy never had a record released under his full name before WWII. He was always just Big Bill. except:
Sammy Sampson for the dime store labels Perfect, Oriole, and Romeo
Big Bill Johnson for Gennett and Champion
Big Bill Broomsley for a 2 song session for Paramount
After the war, he was generally listed as Big Bill Broonzy, except for
A session for Hub in 1945 where he was Little Sam (a reference to Sammy Sampson?)
Big Bill for Columbia sessions from 1945 - 1947
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On the other hand, some (later?) musicians like John Lee Hooker recorded with multiple pseudonyms for various small record companies to avoid breaching recording deals trying to "own" the artist.
I think Buddy Guy recorded for Delmark once as "Friendly Chap" when he was already signed to Chess Records.
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Hi all,
I believe that some, if not all of Charlie Patton's religious numbers were released with him identified as "Elder Hadley".
All best,
Johnm
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John Lee Hooker as Texas Slim. Slim's Stomp is a great side.
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Patton as Elder J.J. Hadley as well for Prayer of Death, also likely a Paramount marketing ploy.
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Blind Lemon Jefferson as Deacon L.J. Bates and Elder JC Brown.
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On the other hand, some (later?) musicians like John Lee Hooker recorded with multiple pseudonyms for various small record companies to avoid breaching recording deals trying to "own" the artist.
I think Buddy Guy recorded for Delmark once as "Friendly Chap" when he was already signed to Chess Records.
Friendly Chap was the guitarist on the Junior Wells album Hoodoo Man Blues (Delmark 612). I have it in mind that Mr Chap was also a sideman on a West Coast session that also included Muddy Waters under pseudonym ("Clear Creek", I think; I cld be wrong) but I can't put my hand on the record right now.
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Gus Cannon was Banjo Joe for his 1927 Paramount session.
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Hi all,
I think Josh White's early solo religious numbers were released as being made by "Joshua White, the singing Christian" and his blues were released as being made by Pinewood Tom.
All best,
Johnm
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Patton as Elder J.J. Hadley as well for Prayer of Death, also likely a Paramount marketing ploy.
Charlie's Herwin sides also issued as Charlie Peters
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William Harris:
"William Harris" on Gennett
"Alonzo Boone" on Supertone
"Bud Johnson" on Champion
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I'll nominate Kansas City Kitty. Thomas Dorsey told interviewers she was Mozelle Alderson. He also stated that Jane Lucas was the same singer. She also recorded as Hannah May when recording with the Famous Hokum Boys.
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Charlie Jordan was Uncle Skipper for an unissued Decca session in 1935 and for his final Decca session in 1937.
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Ed Bell:
Ed Bell for Paramount and his final Columbia session
Sluefoot Joe for QRS
Barefoot Bill for his first 2 Columbia sessions, and possibly for Paramount session for which the issued record has never been found.
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Hi all,
I believe that when Cecil Barfield was first recorded, he gave his name as William Robertson.
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
I know Kokomo Arnold also had records released as Gitfiddle Jim. Did he have any other recording monickers?
All best,
Johnm
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John, DGR lists Gitfiddle Jim for his first two recorded sides on Victor in 1930, all subsequent ones are on Decca as Kokomo Arnold. I don't know if he recorded after 1943.
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He reputedly did a recording session with Willie Dixon in the 60's but it was never released.
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Teddy Darby:
Teddy Darby on Paramount and Victor
Blind Squire Turner on Bluebird
Blind Darby on Vocalion
Blind "Blues" Darby on Decca
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Booker T. Washington White:
Washington White for his 1930 Victor sessions
Washington (Barrelhouse) White For the Library of Congress in 1939
Bukka White for Vocalion/Okeh on 1937 and 1939
By the way, White recorded 14 songs for Victor on May 26, 1930. Only 4 were issued. I sure wish someone would stumble over the 10 unissued masters in the corner of a warehouse somewhere!
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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. :D
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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Hi all,
How about Bo Weavil Jackson and Sam Butler?
All best,
Johnm
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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
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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.
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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.
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Hi all,
I believe that Edward Thompson also recorded as Tenderfoot Edwards.
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
Didn't Big Joe Williams get recorded as Poor Joe Williams or Poor Joe early in his recording career?
All best,
Johnm
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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
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Buddy Moss was credited as Jim Miller on the Vocalion disks issued from his first recording session (January 16 - 19 in New York City).
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still wonder if Blind Willie Johnson was Blind Texas Marlin
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Don't know about that one, but Anchor reissued Motherless Children as by the Blind Pilgrim.
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Per B&GR, Lucille Bogan (nee Anderson) was recorded as Bessie Jackson from 1933 onward.
Wax
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Good one, Wax, and you made me think of another woman singer I can't remember if we got earlier in this thread:
Lottie Beamon/Lottie Kimbrough.
All best,
Johnm
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another woman singer I can't remember if we got earlier in this thread: Lottie Beamon/Lottie Kimbrough.
Kimbrough was her maiden name, Beaman her married name. She also got released on various dime store labels as:
Lena Kimbrough
Lottie Everson
Lottie Brown
Martha Jackson
Mae Moran
Clara Cary
And Paramount listed her as "Lottie Beaman (The Kansas City Butterball)"
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Hi all,
Long Cleve Reed and Papa Harvey Hull had records released under the following names:
* Long "Cleve" Reed And Little Harvey Hull (The Down Home Boys)
* Papa Harvey Hull And The Down Home Boys
* Sunny Boy And His Pals
* Daddy Moon Hayes And His Boys
* Original Louisiana Entertainers
Only the first two names were used by their original record label, Black Patti--the others were used when their songs were licensed to Gennett and Champion.
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
We've been dealing in the Lyrics board with the many recording names of the Cincinnati musician who was recorded variously as:
* Kid Cole
* Walter Cole
* Walter Coleman
* Bob Coleman
* Sweet Papa Tadpole
Most of these monickers have a "hiding in plain sight" sort of quality to them, but Sweet Papa Tadpole is really out of left field, as Eric noted.
All best,
Johnm
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Hi all,
The St. Louis pianist Lee Green had records released as:
* Leothus Green
* Pork Chop Green
* Pork Chop Johnson
* Pork Chop Jackson
* L. Green
* Pork Chops
* Perry Weston
All best,
Johnm