Memphis Minnie’s real name was Lizzie Douglas, birthed as the first born of thirteen children to Abe and Gertrude Douglas in Algiers, Louisiana on June 3, 1897. She and her family, relocated to Walls, Mississippi, just south of Memphis, when she was about seven years old, in 1904.
For Christmas in 1905 she received a guitar and swiftly learned how to play it, plus the banjo. She performed at local parties using “Kid Douglas” as her stage name. Lizzie ran away from home to play at Church’s Park for tips as a young teenager. She joined Ringling Brothers Circus and toured the South in the WWI era.
She returned to Memphis in the 20’s and its Beale Street blues scene, being discovered there by a Columbia Records talent scout in 1929, thus recording in the later part of the year as Memphis Minnie.
Accompanied by her second husband, guitarist Kansas Joe McCoy, her first song, Bumble Bee was a success. She recorded over one hundred sides before retiring in the late nineteen fifties. She composed hundreds of songs, numbered among them are Hoodoo Lady, I Want Something for You, Hole in the Wall, and Bumble Bee, which Muddy Waters later recorded as Honey Bee.
Her recording career lived through the various changes in the “blues style” for thirty years. Memphis Minnie swayed and impressed many important blues performers: Chuck Berry, Johnny Shines, Big Mama Thornton, and others.
In 1930, Minnie and Kansas Joe migrated to Chicago, where they speedily became part of the city’s expanding, blues scene. Minnie, Tampa Red, and Big Bill helped popularize the country blues style in an urban setting. In about twenty-five years, Minnie recorded for a number of labels, which included Vocalion, Decca, and Bluebird, and with talented blues men like Sunnyland Slim and Little Walter. For her recording sessions, Minnie employed a small combo or had a second guitarist accompany her.
Her health declined in 1958, which induced Minnie’s return to Memphis and retirement from performing and recording. She spent her latter years in a nursing home, where she died of a stroke in 1973. She is buried in New Hope Cemetery in Walls, Mississippi.
Memphis Minnie was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 1980, as one of the first twenty inductees picked in the inaugural W.C. Handy awards.
Memphis Minnie 1935-1941 - Vol 1
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Vocal acc. own (g), "Dennis" ….. (prob. Charlie Segar) (p).
Chicago, January 10, 1935.
1-01. C 9641-A Dirty Mother For You [Decca 7048]
1-02. C 9642-A Sylvester And His Mule Blues [Decca 7084]
1-03. C 9643-A When You're Asleep [Decca 7084]
1-04. C 9644-A You Can't Give It Away [Decca 7048]
GOSPEL MINNIE
Memphis Minnie vocal acc. own (g), unknown (p), unknown female (vo), unknown male (vo).
Chicago, January 15, 1935.
1-05. C 9657-A Let Me Ride [Decca 7063]
1-06. C 9658-A When The Saints Go Marching Home [Decca 7063]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Vocal acc. own (g), unknown 2nd g.
Chicago, May 27, 1935.
1-07. 90016-A Jockey Man Blues - g [Decca 7125]
1-08. 90017-A Weary Woman's Blues - g [Decca 7125]
1-09. 90018-A Reachin' Pete [Decca 7102]
90018-B Reachin' Pete (Take B) -- Too Late, Too Late Blues Vol 1
1-10. 90019-A Down In New Orleans - g [Decca 7102]
TEXAS TESSIE
Memphis Minnie vocal acc. own (g), unknown (g).
Chicago, July 27, 1935.
1-11. 91420-1 You Wrecked My Happy Home [Bluebird 6429]
1-12. 91421-1 I'm Waitin' On You [Bluebird 6141]
1-13. 91422-2 Keep On Going [Bluebird 6141]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Vocal or speech acc. own (g), Black Bob (p), Bill Settles (sb).
Chicago, August 22, 1935.
1-14. C 1098-B Ball And Chain Blues [Vocalion 3541]
1-15. C 1099-A He's In The Ring
1-16. C 1099-B He's In The Ring [Vocalion 3046]
1-17. C 1100-A Joe Louis Strut - sp [Vocalion 3046]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Vocal acc. own (g), Black Bob (p), Casey Bill Weldon (stg), Bill Settles (sb).
Chicago, October 31, 1935.
1-18. 96226-1 When The Sun Goes Down [Bluebird 6187]
1-19. 96227 Hustlin' Woman Blues - stg [Bluebird 6202]
1-20. 96228-1 Selling My Pork Chops [Bluebird 6199]
1-21. 96229-1 Doctor Doctor Blues [Bluebird 6199]
Memphis Minnie 1935-1941 - Vol 2
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Vocal acc. own (g), Black Bob (p), prob. Bill Settles (sb).
Chicago, December 16, 1935.
2-01. C 1183-2 Biting Bug Blues [Vocalion 3144]
2-02. C 1184-1 Minnie's Lonesome Song [Vocalion 3187]
2-03. C 1185-1 You Ain't Done Nothing To Me [Vocalion 3144]
2-04. C 1186-1 Ain't Nobody Home But Me
2-05. C 1186-2 Ain't Nobody Home But Me [Vocalion 3187]
BUMBLE BEE SLIM AND MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, February 6, 1936.
2-06. C 1227-2 New Orleans Stop Time [Vocalion 3197]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, February 18, 1936.
2-07. C 1263-1 Ice Man (Come On Up) [Vocalion 3222]
2-08. C 1264-1 Hoodoo Lady [Vocalion 3222]
2-09. C 1265-1 My Strange Man [Vocalion 3285]
2-10. C 1266-1 I'm A Gamblin' Woman [Vocalion 3258]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, May 27, 1936.
2-11. C 1384-1 I'm A Bad Luck Woman [Vocalion 3541]
2-12. C 1385-2 Caught Me Wrong Again [Vocalion 3258]
2-13. C 1386-1 Black Cat Blues [Vocalion 3581]
2-14. C 1386-2 Black Cat Blues
2-15. C 1387-1 Good Morning [Vocalion 3436]
2-16. C 1388-2 Man, You Won't Give Me No Money [Vocalion 3474]
2-17. C 1389-1 If You See My Rooster [Vocalion 3285]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, November 12, 1936.
2-18. C 1667-2 I Don't Want You No More [Vocalion 3436]
2-19. C 1668-1 Out In The Cold [Vocalion 3398]
2-20. C 1669-2 Dragging My Heart Around [Vocalion 3398]
2-21. C 1670-1 Moonshine [Vocalion 3894]
2-22. C 1671-1 It's Hard To Be Mistreated [Vocalion 3474]
2-23. C 1672-1 Haunted House
2-24. C 1672-2 Haunted House [Vocalion 3581]
Memphis Minnie 1935-1941 - Vol 3
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, June 9, 1937.
3-01. C 1925-1 Hot Stuff
3-02. C 1925-2 Hot Stuff [Vocalion 3651]
3-03. C 1926-1 Living The Best I Can [Vocalion 3768]
3-04. C 1927-1 You Can't Rule Me [Vocalion 3697]
3-05. C 1928-1 No Need You Doggin' Me [Vocalion 3697]
3-06. C 1929-1 Look What You Got
3-07. C 1929-2 Look What You Got [Vocalion 3612]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, June 17, 1937.
3-08. C 1936-1 My Baby Don't Want Me No More [Vocalion 3894]
3-09. C 1936-2 My Baby Don't Want Me No More
3-10. C 1937-2 Wants Cake When I'm Hungry [Vocalion 3768]
3-11. C 1938-1 Down In The Alley [Vocalion 3612]
3-12. C 1938-2 Down In The Alley
3-13. C 1939-3 Blues Everywhere [ARC 7-09-66]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, June 22, 1937.
3-14. C 1942-1 Keep On Sailing [Vocalion 3651]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, December 15, 1937.
3-15. C 2052-1 Please Don't Stop Him
3-16. C 2053-1 Walking And Crying Blues [Vocalion 3966]
3-17. C 2054-1 I'm Going Don't You Know
3-18. C 2055-1 Running And Dodging Blues
C 2055-2 Running And Dodging Blues (Test) -- Too Late, Too Late Blues Vol 1
3-19. C 2056-1 New Caught Me Wrong Again [Vocalion 3966]
3-20. C 2057-1 Stop Lying On Me
Memphis Minnie 1935-1941 - Vol 4
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, June 23, 1938.
4-01. C 2280-1 I Hate To See The Sun Go Down [Vocalion 4356]
4-02. C 2281-1 Long As I Can See You Smile [Vocalion 4506]
4-03. C 2282-1 Has Anyone Seen My Man [Vocalion 4250]
4-04. C 2283-1 Good Biscuits [Vocalion 4295]
4-05. C 2284-1 I've Been Treated Wrong [Vocalion 4250]
4-06. C 2285-1 Keep On Walking [Vocalion 4356]
4-07. C 2286-1 Keep On Eating [Vocalion 4295]
4-08. C 2287-1 I'd Rather See Him Dead [Vocalion 4506]
LITTLE SON JOE
Little Son Joe (vo, g), prob. Memphis Minnie (g), poss. Fred Williams (dm).
Chicago, February 3, 1939.
4-09. C 2446-1 Diggin' My Potatoes [Vocalion 4707]
4-10. C 2447-1 A.B.C Blues [Vocalion 4776]
4-11. C 2448-1 Boneyard Blues [Vocalion 4776]
4-12. C 2449-1 My Black Buffalo [Vocalion 4978]
4-13. C 2450-1 Tuff Luck Blues [Vocalion 4707]
4-14. C 2451-1 Key To The World [Vocalion 5004]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, February 3, 1939.
4-15. C 2452-1 Black Widow Stinger [Vocalion 4695]
4-16. C 2453-3 Good Soppin' [Vocalion 4694]
4-17. C 2456-1 Poor And Wonderin' Woman Blues [Vocalion 5004]
4-18. C 2457-1 Bad Outside Friends [Vocalion 4797]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, February 6, 1939.
4-19. C2454-1 Worried Baby Blues [Vocalion 4898]
4-20. C2455-1 Call The Fire Wagon [Vocalion 4858]
4-21. C2458-1 Low Down Man Blues [Vocalion 4797]
4-22. C2459-1 Don't Lead My Baby Wrong [Vocalion 4898]
4-23. C2460-1 Keep Your Big Mouth Closed [Vocalion 4858]
Memphis Minnie 1935-1941 - Vol 5
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, June 27, 1940.
5-01. WC 3166-A Lonesome Shark Blues [Okeh 5728]
5-02. WC 3167-A Nothing In Rambling [Okeh 5670]
5-03. WC 3168-A Boy Friend Blues [Okeh 5670]
5-04. WC 3169-A Fingerprint Blues [Okeh 5811]
5-05. WC 3170-A It's Hard To Please My Man [Okeh 5728]
5-06. WC 3171-A Ma Rainey [Okeh 5811]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, May 21, 1941.
5-07. C 3764-1 In My Girlish Days [Okeh 6410]
5-08. C 3765-1 Me And My Chauffeur Blues [Okeh 6288]
5-09. C 3766-1 Down By The Riverside [Conqueror 9936]
5-10. C 3767-1 I Got To Make A Change Blues [Conqueror 9935]
5-11. C 3768-1 Pigmeat On The Line [Okeh 6505]
5-12. C 3769-1 My Gage Is Going Up [Okeh 6410]
5-13. C 3770-1 This Is Your Last Chance [Okeh 6505]
5-14. C 3771-1 Can't Afford To Lose My Man [Okeh 6288]
MEMPHIS MINNIE
Chicago, December 19, 1944.
5-15. C 4090-1 I'm Not A Bad Gal [Okeh 6624]
5-16. C 4091-1 You Got To Get Out Of Here [Columbia 30134]
5-17. C 4092-1 Don't Turn The Card
5-18. C 4093-1 Looking The World Over [Okeh 6707]
5-19. C 4094-1 It Was You Baby [Okeh 6624]
5-20. C 4095-1 You Need A Friend
5-21. C 4096-1 I Am Sailin'
5-22. C 4097-1 Remember Me Blues
LITTLE SON JOE
Chicago, December 19, 1944.
5-23. C 4098-1 Black Rat Swing [Okeh 6707]
5-24. C 4099-1 Just Had To Holler
