Elzadie Robinson
| Elzadie Robinson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Elzadie Wallace |
| Also known as |
Bernice Drake Blanche Johnson Elzadie Henderson |
| Born |
April 24, 1897 (or 1900) Logansport, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States |
| Died |
January 17, 1975 (age 74-77) Flint, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Classic female blues[1] |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1926–1929 |
| Labels | Paramount, Broadway |
Elzadie Robinson (possibly April 24, 1897 – January 17, 1975)[2] was an American classic female blues singer and songwriter. She recorded 34 songs between 1926 and 1929.[3] Unusually for the time, Robinson composed or co-composed most of her work. Details of her life outside of the recording studio are sketchy.
AllMusic noted that "Robinson was a second-level blues singer whose voice seemed to get stronger with time".[4]
Biography
Music researchers Bob Eagle and Eric S. LeBlanc suggest that she was born Elzadie Wallace in Logansport, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States, in 1897, although 1900 is also possible.[2]
She relocated to Chicago, Illinois, to make her recordings, and remained in the city for some while thereafter. Her recordings spanned the years from 1926 until 1929. Robinson's piano accompanist varied over that period, but these included Bob Call, and her most regular accompanist William Ezell. Robinson chiefly recorded for Paramount Records, but also cut several sides for Broadway Records using the alias of Bernice Drake.[1] On two of her recordings, the pianist Bob Call or guitarist Johnny St. Cyr replaced Ezell, plus on two occasions in 1926, B.T. Wingfield or Shirley Clay played the cornet, with either Tiny Parham or Richard M. Jones on piano. In 1928, she was backed by the clarinetist Johnny Dodds, guitarist Blind Blake and either pianist Jimmy Blythe or Jimmy Bertrand on xylophone.[3]
To add to the variation, two of her sides (Galveston Blues" and "2:16 Blues") were released under the name of Blanche Johnson, another pseudonym.[5]
Little is known of her life after her recording career ended.[1] She is thought to have married Perry Henderson in Flint, Michigan, in 1928, and to have died there in 1975.[2]
In 1994, Document Records issued two anthologies incorporating all of her known recorded work.[3][4]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 Joslyn Layne. "Elzadie Robinson | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- 1 2 3 Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. pp. 302–303. ISBN 978-0313344237.
- 1 2 3 Scott Yanow (1994-07-12). "Complete Works, Vol. 1 (1926-1928) - Elzadie Robinson | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- 1 2 Scott Yanow (1994-07-12). "Complete Works, Vol. 2 (1928-1929) - Elzadie Robinson | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ↑ "Galveston Blues 91 Blanche Johnson 93 by Elzadie Robinson". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved 2016-11-15.