Wc Handy Blind
620 west college st florence alabama 35630.
Wc handy blind. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the united states. One of many musicians who played the distinctively american blues music handy did not create the blues genre but was the first to publish music in the blues form thereby taking. The new york times archives.
Handy and wife reorganized the nonprofit. William christopher handy november 16 1873 march 28 1958 was a composer and musician who referred to himself as the father of the blues. Handy 1873 1958 singer composer cornet player w.
See the article in its original context from june 9 1958 page 26. This plus the royalties from his songs brought him considerable wealth. Handy in full william christopher handy born november 16 1873 florence alabama u s died march 28 1958 new york new york american composer who changed the course of popular music by integrating the blues idiom into then fashionable ragtime music.
Widely known as the father of the blues handy is recognized as one of the leaders in popularizing blues music. Handy s remarkable life started eight years after the conclusion o willie dixon dixon willie 1915 1992 blues singer songwriter bass player record producer willie dixon was a prolific blues songwriter with more than 500 compos. But in the 1930s his sight began to fail and by 1943 he was totally blind.
He died of pneumonia only months before his life story was played in movie theaters across the country in the film father of the blues which starred singer nat king cole as handy. Handy was an african american composer and a leader in popularizing blues music in the early 20th century with hits like memphis blues and st. Musician and composer william christopher w c handy was born on november 16 1873 in florence alabama.
Handy blues legacy foundation inc in keeping with the tradition his sole surviving grandson dr. In his later years he worked unceasingly for his w. Handy foundation for the blind and other charitable organizations.
Handy foundation for the blind incorporated is a new york foreign not for profit corporation filed on june 27 1949. Handy formed his own music publishing business in 1913. The company s filing status is listed as active and its file number is 68390.
Foundation for blind choir offers memorial program. Handy continued working steadily through the 1930s promoting blues and publishing collections of african american music until he became blind by the mid 1940s.
