HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Early Blues of Tampa Red

Birth of the Blues: Tampa Red

Tampa Red

Born Hudson Woodbridge (known and credited as Whittaker) in Smithville, Georgia, on 8 January 1903, Tampa Red, aka the Guitar Wizard, was a highly regarded guitarist who largely played slide. As a favored session musician, he contributed to the recording of about 335 tracks during his career. Red had been raised in Tampa, Florida, by his aunt and grandmother upon the death of his parents as a child. Known since childhood as Hudson Whittaker, he assumed the name, Tampa Red, upon moving to Chicago to commence his career as an accompanist for Ma Rainey.

Red's first recorded title is thought to have been his unaccredited composition, 'Through Train Blues', circa May 1928 toward Paramount 12685. He recorded the hokum blues title, 'It's Tight Like That' (Hudson Whittaker / Thomas Dorsey), in a couple of unissued sessions prior to that of October 24, that released with 'Grievin' Me Blues' on Vocalion 1216. Those were duets with Thomas Dorsey at piano. Hokum is a blues subgenre referring to songs with risqué or suggestive lyrics.

'Through Train Blues' Tampa Red

C May 1928 in Chicago Matrix 20544-2 Paramount 12685

Bass brass unknown Composition: Tampa Red

'Daddy Goodbye Blues' Tampa Red backing Ma Rainey

Sep 1928 in Chicago Matrix 20544-2 Paramount 12685

Piano: Georgia Tom (Thomas Dorsey) Composition: Ma Rainey

'It's Tight Like That' Tampa Red w Georgia Tom (Thomas Dorsey) at piano

19Sep 1928 in Chicago Matrix 20544-2 for Vocalion Unissued

Composition: Tampa Red / Thomas Dorsey

'Grievin' Me Blues' Tampa Red backing Georgia Tom (Thomas Dorsey)

16 Oct 1928 in Chicago Matrix C-2450 Vocalion 1216

Piano: Georgia Tom (Thomas Dorsey)

Composition: Tampa Red / Thomas Dorsey

Red and Dorsey recorded numerously together into the early thirties, documenting nearly 90 tracks with Dorsey often using the pseudonym, Georgia Tom. In the meantime Red otherwise recorded such as 'Good Gordon Gin' and 'Down the Alley' (Vocalion 1254) on October 31, 1928, with his Hokum Jug Band. Both Dorsey and Red performed with transvestite vaudeville performer, Frankie Half Pint Jaxon, as the Hokum Boys and the Black Hill Billies. They recorded such as 'It’s Red Hot', 'My Daddy Rocks Me with One Steady Roll' and 'Kunjine Baby' in 1929. Though Dorsey is credited with the composition of 'Kunjine Baby' on the record label, "Kunjine" likely refers to "Coonjine" originating from "Coon Giant" since before the Civil War [Little Brother Montgomery per Stephen Calt]. Identified as a musical theme as early as 1847, it found print as 'Coonjai' in 1867. Calt has it first recorded in 1921 by Anton Lada, drummer and manager for the Louisiana Five. It was known as 'Coonjai' by Riley Puckett (1925) and as 'Coonshine' by Skip James. Bessie Jones rendered it as "Coonshine" on 26 June and 26 September of 1961 as recorded by Alan Lomax.

'How Long How Long Blues' Tampa Red's Hokum Jug Band

9 Nov 1928 in Chicago Matrix C-2537-A Vocalion 1228

Piano: Georgia Tom (Thomas Dorsey) Guitar: Tampa Red / Martell Pettiford

Kazoo / washboard: Herman Brown Horn / jug: Carl Reid

Vocal: Frankie Half Pint Jaxon

Composition: Leroy Carr

'My Daddy Rocks Me with One Steady Roll' Tampa Red's Hokum Jug Band

13 April 1929 in Chicago Matrix C-3315 Vocalion 1274

Piano: ? Guitar: Tampa Red Washboard: Herman Brown

Upright bass: Bill Johnson Horn / jug: Carl Reid

Vocal: Frankie Half Pint Jaxon

Composition: J. Berni Barbour

'Kunjine Baby' Tampa Red w the Black Hill Billies

23 Dec 1929 in Chicago Matrix C-5043 Vocalion 1450

Piano: Georgia Tom (Thomas Dorsey) Guitar: Tampa Red

Vocals: Frankie Half Pint Jaxon / Tampa Red

Composition: Dorsey arrangement of traditional 'Coonjine' or Coon Giant'

'Boogie Woogie Dance' Tampa Red

28 Jan 1931 in Chicago Matrix VO-107 Vocalion 1619

Composition: Tampa Red

'You Can't Get That Stuff No More' Tampa Red w Georgia Tom (Thomas Dorsey) at piano

3 Feb 1932 in NYC Matrix 11226-B Numerous labels including Vocalion 1706

Composition: Tampa Red

'Denver Blues' Tampa Red

23 March 1934 in Chicago Matrix CP-1047-1 Vocalion 02774

Composition: Tampa Red

'Wrong Idea' Tampa Red (piano) w Willie B. James (guitar)

11 Oct 1937 at the Leland Hotel in Aurora IL Matrix 014330 Bluebird B-7276

Composition: Willie B. James aka Willie Bee

'It Hurts Me Too' Tampa Red w Blind John Davis (piano)

10 May 1940 in Chicago Matrix 044980 Bluebird B-8635 / Montgomery Ward M-8926

Composition: Tampa Red

'This Ain't No Place For Me' Tampa Red

10 May 1940 in Chicago Matrix 053685 Bluebird B-8744

Composition: Tampa Red

Tampa Red placed several releases into high positions on Billboard's R&B charts. 'Let Me Play with Your Poodle' reached #4 in 1942, that his overall best-selling title. Come 'Detroit Blues' in 1946 at #5, that his second-best seller. 'When Things Go Wrong with You' reached #9 in 1949, that his fourth-best seller. 'Pretty Baby Blues' rose to #7 in 1951, that his third-best seller.

'Let Me Play With Your Poodle' Tampa Red

6 Feb 1942 in Chicago Matrix 074048-1 Bluebird 34-0700 R&B charts: #4

Piano: Big Maceo Merriweather Drums: Richard Snags Jones

Composition: Tampa Red

'Detroit Blues' Tampa Red (guitar / kazoo)

15 Dec 1944 in Chicago Matrix D4AB 337 Bluebird 34-0731 R&B charts: #5

Piano: Blind John Davis Upright bass: Ransom Knowling

Composition: Tampa Red

'When Things Go Wrong With You' Tampa Red (guitar / kazoo)

15 Dec 1944 in Chicago Matrix D4AB 337 RCA Victor 22-0035

Piano / vocal back: Johnny Jones

Upright bass: Ransom Knowling Drums: Odie Payne

Composition: Tampa Red

'Pretty Baby Blues' Tampa Red

20 March 1951 in Chicago Matrix E1VB 492 RCA Victor 22-0136 R&B charts: #7

Piano: Johnny Jones Upright bass: Ransom Knowling Drums: Odie Payne

Composition: Tampa Red

'Boogie Woogie Woman' Tampa Red

28 July 1951 in Chicago Matrix E1VB 2247 RCA Victor 20-4275

Piano: Johnny Jones Upright bass: Ransom Knowling Drums: Odie Payne

Composition: Tampa Red

'She's a Cool Operator' Tampa Red (guitar / kazoo)

28 July 1951 in Chicago Matrix E1VB 2248 RCA Victor 20-4399

Piano: Johnny Jones Upright bass: Ransom Knowling Drums: Odie Payne

Composition: Tampa Red

'So Crazy About You Baby' Tampa Red backing Johnny Jones

1 Sep 1953 in Chicago Matrix E3VB 0269-1 RCA Victor 20-5523

Harmonica: Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller)

Piano / vocal: Johnny Jones Guitar: Willie Lacey

Upright bass: Ransom Knowling Drums: Odie Payne

Composition: Tampa Red

Upon his wife's passing in 1953 Red began to drink to fill the void, yet continued recording variously throughout the fifties. Wirz traces him to as late as a couple of albums gone down in 1961 or 1962, one titled 'Don't Tampa With The Blues' on Prestige Bluesville BV 1030, the other called 'Don't Jive Me' on Prestige Bluesville BV 1043 [dates at Discogs differ].