Shirley Griffith

Shirley Griffith (April 26, 1907 – June 18, 1974)[1][2] was an American blues singer and guitarist, mainly based in Indianapolis. He is best known for his recordings, "Walkin' Blues" and "Bad Luck Blues".[3]

Griffith was born in Brandon, Mississippi.[2] He learned to play the guitar in the 1920s with Tommy Johnson. He settled in Indianapolis, where he lived for the rest of his life, and performed regularly with Scrapper Blackwell in the 1930s. He worked in automotive factories, but re-emerged as a musician in the 1960s to record with J. T. Adams and play at festivals with Yank Rachell.[4] He recorded two albums, Saturday Blues (1965), and Mississippi Blues (1973)[5]

He died from heart disease in Indianapolis in June 1974, at the age of 67.[3] He had three children Elonza Griffith (deceased), Walter James Griffith and Mary T. Griffith. His first wife was Addie B. McNeil (deceased) and his second wife Elizabeth (deceased). He was the second child born to Willie and Maggie Griffith. He had five sisters and three brothers, one brother Robert Griffith and one sister Bealuah Griffith-Myers are living.

References

  1. ↑ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 219. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. 1 2 Allmusic.com - accessed February 2010
  3. 1 2 Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed February 2010
  4. ↑ Erin Stapleton-Corcoran, "Shirley Griffith", in The Blues Encyclopedia, Routledge, 2004, p.381
  5. ↑ Shirley Griffith Discography, wirz.de. Retrieved 30 September 2016

External links


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