News & Updates — Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie / June 3, 1897 - Aug 6, 1973
A birthday shout-out to one of the early female blues stars, Memphis Minnie. Guitarist, banjo player, singer, composer and a tobacco-chewing lady, she was born in Louisiana and spent her early years outside of Memphis. At 13 she was busking and turning tricks on Beale Street and for a while she joined the circus. Starting around '29 she recorded for a host of labels, including Columbia, Vocalion, Decca, Bluebird, Okeh and Checker, having a hit with "Bumble Bee". She found herself in Chicago by the mid '30s, winning cutting contests and working as a session musician. She often recorded with...