THE BLUES FOUNDATION HONORS BLUES HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2024; INDUCTEES THIS YEAR INCLUDE LURRIE BELL, ODETTA, JIMMY RUSHING, SCRAPPER BLACKWELL, WILLIAM R. “BILL” FERRIS, SUGAR PIE DESANTO, LIL’ ED AND THE BLUES IMPERIALS, O.V. WRIGHT

   ~Induction Ceremony In Memphis On Could 8, 2024~

Landmark recordings by:  Junior Parker, Bobby Bland, Billy Boy Arnold, Jazz Gillum, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and Lil Inexperienced

People – Enterprise, Manufacturing, Media, Tutorial: William R. “Invoice” Ferris

To obtain Corridor of Fame recognition at The Blues Basis’s ceremony in Memphis.

The Blues Basis honors The Blues Corridor Of Fame Class Of 2024 (forty fourth class) with an Induction Ceremony going down at The Canon Heart For The Performing Arts, 255 N. Most important St., Wednesday, Could 8.  A Cocktail Reception honoring the BHOF Inductees and Blues Music Awards nominees will start at 5:30 p.m., with the formal inductions commencing at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, together with the Ceremony and Reception, are $75 every and obtainable with Blues Music Awards tickets. The Blues Corridor of Fame will showcase a number of particular gadgets representing the 2024 Class of inductees. These artifacts will probably be on show for public viewing starting the primary week of Could and can stay on view for customer enjoyment over the following twelve months. The Blues Basis’s companions and sponsors embrace ArtsMemphis, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Tourism, Tennessee Arts Fee, and BMI.

 The Blues Corridor Of Fame Class Of 2024 inductees embrace Chicago guitarist (and son of blues nice Carey Bell), Lurrie Bell; groundbreaking blues and jazz artist James Speeding, a/ok/a “Mr. 5 By 5;” Odetta, hailed as “The Mom Goddess of People Blues” by the New York Occasions; early twentieth-century guitar virtuoso, Scrapper Blackwell; famend writer, folklorist, professor, lecturer, and administrator, William R. “Invoice” Ferris; small-but-mighty vocalist extraordinaire, Sugar Pie Desanto; Tennessee-born vocal powerhouse, O.V. Wright; and one in all Chicago’s main blues exponents, fez-wearing Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials. 

  Getting into the Blues Corridor of Fame as a Traditional of Blues Literature is Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Vacation, by Angela Davis (Pantheon, 1998) chronicles Angela Davis, controversial activist, writer, and professor extensively identified for her revolutionary politics, argues towards some typical views of ladies and their songs within the blues.

Since its inception in 1980, The Blues Basis has inducted new members yearly into the Blues Corridor of Fame for his or her historic contribution, impression, and general affect on the Blues. Members are inducted into the Blues Corridor of Fame in 5 classes: Performers, People, Traditional of Blues Literature, Traditional of Blues Recording (Track), and Traditional of Blues Recording (Album). Through the years The Blues Basis has inducted over 400 trade professionals, recordings, and literature into the Blues Corridor of Fame.    

 MEET THE CLASS OF 2024   

Lurrie Bell, a outstanding determine within the blues world, follows within the footsteps of his late father, harmonica maestro Carey Bell, who was inducted into the Blues Corridor of Fame in 2023. Born on December 13, 1958, in Chicago, Lurrie developed into a unprecedented blues guitarist throughout the Seventies, displaying outstanding expertise whilst a teen. Regardless of going through private trauma and tragedy all through his life, Lurrie’s enduring ardour for music has carried him into his senior years with the identical youthful exuberance. Rising up in a musical surroundings, Lurrie drew inspiration from his father’s musical circle, notably guitarist Eddie Taylor. His early experiences included taking part in in a band with pianist Lovie Lee, the musician credited with bringing Carey Bell to Chicago from Mississippi. Lurrie’s childhood additionally concerned residing in Mississippi and Alabama, the place he performed gospel music in church alongside his Bell brothers, collectively often called “The Ding Dongs.” Lurrie’s journey into skilled music started in 1977 when he recorded on a session together with his father, Carey Bell, and performed bass on an Eddie C. Campbell album. That very same 12 months, he joined forces with Billy Department and different rising blues musicians within the “New Technology of Chicago Blues” bundle in Berlin. The collaboration with Department advanced into the Sons of the Blues (S.O.B.) band, solidifying Lurrie’s standing as one of many rising stars within the blues scene. His guitar expertise and innate understanding of the blues style gained recognition as he recorded with varied artists, together with Koko Taylor, Eddy Clearwater, Sunnyland Slim, and Louisiana Pink. Regardless of private challenges, together with durations of melancholy, isolation, and life on the streets, Lurrie’s musical abilities continued to captivate audiences. His life took a difficult flip with the passing of his associate, photographer Susan Greenberg, and the heartbreaking lack of their twin infants. Carey Bell’s dying in 2007 added to the hardships, but Lurrie’s distinctive musical skills served as a lifeline, bringing him again to a way of sanity. Through the years, Lurrie confronted private challenges, however his musical journey endured. Amberly Stokes, a loyal supporter and former Rosa’s Lounge worker, turned Lurrie Bell’s advocate. Below her care and administration, he discovered stability, a supportive residence life, and renewed worldwide approval for his outstanding expertise. Lurrie’s enduring contribution to the blues style, resilience, and  charming performances solidified his place within the Blues Corridor of Fame.

Odetta, hailed as “The Mom Goddess of People Blues” by The New York Occasions, left an indelible mark on the world of people music for 5 many years. Her influential profession not solely showcased her extraordinary musical abilities but additionally paved the way in which for others, breaking boundaries as a lady and an African­ American within the folks milieu. Born Odetta Holmes on December 31, 1930, in Birmingham, Alabama, she spent most of her childhood in Los Angeles. Classically educated in faculty, Odetta possessed a flexible repertoire that spanned blues, spirituals, jazz, songs from varied folks and fashionable traditions, and unique topical songs reflecting her dedication as a civil rights activist. Though she sometimes labored the blues membership and pageant circuit, her blues credentials had been simple, evident in albums like “Odetta Sings Blues and Ballad,” “Odetta and the Blues,” “Blues In every single place I Go,” and “Lookin for a Residence,” a compilation that includes songs related to Lead Stomach. Her outstanding profession included performances in Martin Scorsese’s 2003 “Salute to the Blues” live performance, Divas movie in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and appearances on the Apollo Theater in Harlem and Blues Basis occasions. Odetta, who was as soon as married to blues singer Louisiana Pink, enchanted audiences along with her magnetic stage presence and highly effective voice, charming listeners whether or not singing solo or collaborating with symphony orchestras, jazz bands, ballet troupes, opera corporations, or all-star musical aggregations. Odetta’s dedication to social justice was evident as she sang at historic occasions just like the March on Washington and the Selma, Alabama March, in addition to at human rights and anti-war rallies. She used her voice not solely to entertain but additionally to advocate for change, acting at advantages, tribute concert events, and colleges. All through her illustrious profession, Odetta collaborated with luminaries resembling Harry Belafonte, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nina Simone, Maya Angelou, and Pete Seeger. Her affect prolonged to artists like Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Rhiannon Giddens, Eric Bibb, and numerous others. Honored by U.S. presidents, the Library of Congress, and quite a few organizations worldwide, Odetta continued to carry out even within the face of declining well being. She handed away in New York on December 2, 2008, abandoning a legacy that transcends music, resonating within the realms of humanitarianism and schooling.

Jimmy Speeding, affectionately often called “Mr. 5 By 5” on account of his stout stature, was a groundbreaking determine on this planet of blues and jazz. Born on June 15 or August 26, 1899 (although he usually cited a 1901 birth-date), in Oklahoma Metropolis, James Andrew Speeding pioneered the large band blues belting type, leaving an indelible mark on the style and influencing subsequent blues shouters like Large Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris, and Roy Brown. Impressed by an uncle, Speeding started his blues journey in California in 1923, the place he performed piano with Jelly Roll Morton earlier than returning to Oklahoma. He sang in varied territory bands, together with Walter Web page’s Blue Devils, and joined Bennie Moten’s Kansas Metropolis Orchestra, marking the start of his affiliation with legendary jazz figures. Speeding recorded or carried out with luminaries resembling Rely Basie, Buck Clayton, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl “Fatha” Hines, and others. He was the vocalist on the Johnny Otis orchestra’s inaugural file in 1945 and reunited with Otis on the 1970 Monterey Jazz Competition. Speeding’s pivotal recordings with the favored Basie band, beginning in 1935, catapulted him to nationwide prominence. Hits like “Good Morning Blues,” “Going to Chicago,” and “Despatched for You Yesterday and Right here You Come Right this moment” showcased his commanding vocal presence and marked him as a number one determine within the massive band period. He performed a major position in bringing blues to a broader viewers. After transferring to New York Metropolis within the Fifties, Speeding continued his prolific recording and touring profession. He labored with varied labels, together with Vanguard, Columbia, ABC BluesWay, and RCA, releasing albums like “Livin’ the Blues” and “The You and Me That Used to Be.” Regardless of battling leukemia in his remaining years, Speeding continued to obtain accolades, posthumously profitable a Down Beat journal ballot as Finest Male Singer shortly after his dying in June 1972. Speeding’s contributions to blues and jazz had been immeasurable, bridging the hole between the genres and influencing a wide selection of singers. Though recognition might have pale amongst extra current generations of blues fans, his impression on blues, jazz, pop, and rhythm & blues stays simple. Speeding’s profession reached far and vast, spreading the attraction of the blues to a broader viewers than ever imagined.

Scrapper Blackwell, born Francis Hillman Blackwell, left an indelible mark on the blues scene as a virtuoso guitarist and collaborator with Blues Corridor of Famer Leroy Carr. Although widely known for his position within the iconic Carr-Blackwell duo throughout their recording zenith from 1928 to 1935, Blackwell’s musical prowess prolonged far past accompaniment. Born on February 21, 1903 (although delivery particulars stay unsure, with some proof pointing to Indianapolis in 1904), Blackwell, of Cherokee and African-American descent, started his inventive journey crafting makeshift guitars as a toddler. His entry into the blues enviornment was catalyzed when he joined forces with Leroy Carr in 1928. The duo’s periods yielded timeless classics, with hits like “How Lengthy—How Lengthy Blues” making them a family title. Regardless of their success, Carr’s premature dying in 1935 led Blackwell to retreat from music, solely to be rediscovered by native followers within the Fifties. His uncooked expertise and distinctive guitar type had been showcased in solo recordings and collaborations with rising musicians. Yazoo Information acknowledged his unparalleled guitar expertise, emphasizing his means to mix heavy bass sections and complex treble-string runs. Within the Fifties, Indianapolis jazz scholar Duncan Schiedt reintroduced Blackwell to a brand new era of followers who admired his previous recordings. Regardless of going through durations of unemployment, Blackwell continued to play in native taverns and mentor aspiring musicians. His surprising encounters with previous admirers led to live performance performances and recordings, contributing to the folk-blues revival of the late Fifties and early Nineteen Sixties. Nicknamed “Scrapper” for his youthful inclination for tussles, Blackwell’s life was marked by each musical triumphs and private challenges. His journey got here to an unlucky finish on October 7, 1962, when he was found in an Indianapolis alley, having succumbed to 2 .22 caliber bullets. Regardless of the tragic circumstances surrounding his dying, Scrapper Blackwell’s legacy endures by way of his timeless contributions to the blues style.

William R. “Invoice” Ferris, aprominent determine on this planet of blues, is well known for his multifaceted contributions as an writer, folklorist, professor, lecturer, and administrator. Born on February 5, 1942, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Ferris has performed a pivotal position in documenting and preserving the wealthy cultural heritage of the American South, notably within the realms of blues, gospel, and storytelling. Ferris initiated his work within the Nineteen Sixties by recording, photographing, and filming blues musicians, gospel singers, and storytellers in Mississippi. His household’s farm in Vicksburg served because the backdrop for his early documentation efforts. Ferris targeted not solely on the musical elements of the artists however delved into the broader context of their lives, folks traditions, and tales, offering a novel and complete perspective on the cultural significance of the music inside their communities. Having earned a number of faculty levels, together with a PhD in Folklore from the College of Pennsylvania, Ferris launched into a profession as an educator. He taught at establishments resembling Jackson State College and Yale College within the Seventies. Ferris co-founded the Heart for Southern Folklore in Memphis and later directed the Heart for the Examine of Southern Tradition on the College of Mississippi. His involvement in preserving blues historical past included internet hosting the “Freeway 61” radio present and releasing recordings on the Southern Tradition label. Ferris’s contributions prolonged to the acquisition of Dwelling Blues journal and vital supplies, together with B.B. King’s file assortment, which fashioned the core of the Blues Archive on the College of

Mississippi. He took on a job on the College of North Carolina in 2002 as a professor and Affiliate Director of the Heart for the Examine of the American South. His literary works, notably Blues From the Delta (1970) and Give My Poor Coronary heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi Blues (2009), showcase his dedication to exploring the social and cultural dimensions of the blues. Ferris’s complete efforts acquired widespread acclaim, with Blues From the Delta incomes recognition as a Traditional of Blues Literature by the Blues Corridor of Fame in 1998. One in all Ferris’s outstanding achievements is the Mud-to-Digital field set Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris, which received a GRAMMY in 2019. This in depth challenge consists of multi-media displays that includes dwell performances from famend artists like Bobby Rush, Sharde Thomas, and Luther and Cody Dickinson, additional solidifying Ferris’s impression on the preservation and celebration of Southern musical heritage.  

Sugar Pie DeSanto packed astonishing energy and loads of persona right into a tiny body. Her spunk and vigor impressed bandleader and producer Johnny Otis sufficient to signal her to her first recording session in 1955 after witnessing her efficiency at a San Francisco expertise present. It was Otis who named her Sugar Pie in place of utilizing her given title, Peylia Balinton. A ballet scholar as a little one, she was born in Brooklyn on October 16, 1935, to a Filipino father and African American mom, however grew up within the Bay Space and continued to dwell there apart from a spell in Chicago when she was with Chess Information within the Nineteen Sixties. After her 1955 debut for Federal Information, Sugar Pie recorded a couple of extra singles, usually along with her husband, guitarist Alvin Parham, aka Pee Wee Kingsley, buying the DeSanto moniker from producer/DJ/membership proprietor Don Barksdale. Her greatest hit, “I Need to Know,” produced by Bob Geddins on the Veltone label, rose to No. 4 on Billboard’s R&B chart in 1960 and led to a contract with Chess. The DeSanto magic additionally energized the already dynamic James Brown revue for 2 years. Throughout her tenure with Chess, she had some hits on the subsidiary Checker label, together with “Slip-In Mules,” a solution to Tommy Tucker’s “Hello-Heel Sneakers, and “Within the Basement” on the Cadet imprint, a duet with longtime good friend Etta James, who was usually on the Balinton residence as a teen. Sugar Pie’s data additionally clicked with the Northern Soul crowd in England, sufficient in order that she left the all-star forged of the 1964 American People Blues Competition’s European tour to make U.Okay. appearances of her personal. Below varied names together with Peylia Parham and P. Parham DeSanto she started writing songs for different artists at Chess, together with Billy Stewart, Fontella Bass, and Little Milton. Sugar Pie took her act again to Oakland and remained energetic and nonetheless saucy even into her octogenarian years, a neighborhood favourite in addition to a world traveler. When instances had been sluggish, she labored as a paralegal. The Rhythm & Blues Basis offered help after she misplaced her husband Jessie Davis in a fireplace at their house. The Basis additionally introduced her with a Pioneer Award, one in all a number of honors she has earned from varied sponsors, together with the Arhoolie Basis and Blues Blast journal. She discovered a recording residence along with her supervisor James C. Moore’s Jasman label, which started releasing DeSanto’s output in 1972, sprinkling her catalog with titles befitting her persona resembling Sugar Is Salty, Refined Sugar, and Sugar’s Suite.

O.V. Wright, acknowledged for his highly effective fusion of blues, soul, and gospel, introduced unparalleled emotion-drenched depth to his music. Born Overton Vertis Wright on October 9, 1939, in Lenow, Tennessee, close to Memphis, he started his musical journey singing church music and later professionally with the Sundown Vacationers. Regardless of his deep roots in gospel, O.V. Wright transitioned to secular music, making a major impression together with his distinctive mix of blues. Wright’s early success got here with the Goldwax label in Memphis, the place his debut R&B file, “That’s How Sturdy My Love Is,” showcased his spectacular vocal prowess. Nevertheless, authorized battles ensued over contractual obligations, finally main him to the Again Beat label owned by Don Robey of Peacock Information. Again Beat turned the platform for a lot of of Wright’s notable recordings, together with hits like “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry” and “Eight Males, 4 Girls.” Willie Mitchell and the Hello Rhythm Part performed an important position in shaping the sound of Wright’s music, resulting in a number of profitable collaborations within the ’70s, resembling “Ace of Spade” and “A Nickel and a Nail.” Mitchell, identified for his work with Al Inexperienced, praised Wright as his most constant artist within the studio. Onstage, O.V. Wright delivered dynamic performances usually likened to that of a preacher, seamlessly.

mixing verses from the blues and the Bible. Whereas he discovered success on the chitlin circuit, well being points, a legal file, and a narcotics conviction hindered his profession. In his remaining years, Wright continued performing, leaving an enduring mark on phases throughout the nation. He handed away on November 16, 1980, whereas acting at Joe’s Supper Membership in Grand Bay, Alabama. His legacy lives on by way of a core world following that features hip-hop artists who’ve sampled his music. In 2008, a bunch of followers honored him with a gravestone, acknowledging his profound impression on the worlds of blues, soul, and gospel. Johnny Rawls and Otis Clay recorded a tribute CD, “Remembering O.V.,” guaranteeing that O.V. Wright’s contributions to music endure.

Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials stand as a testomony to the enduring energy of tight-knit, infectiously cheerful blues bands. Led by singer and slide guitar maestro Lil’ Ed Williams, the group, which incorporates his half-brother and bassist James “Pookie” Younger, together with Mike Garrett on guitar and Kelly Littleton on drums, has been making music collectively for over thirty-five years. Their energetic model of boogie blues finds its roots within the legacy of one other Chicago slide grasp, Ed’s uncle and mentor J.B. Hutto, a Blues Corridor of Fame inductee in 1985. The Blues Imperials, impressed by a TV business for Imperial margarine, burst onto the scene in 1986 when Alligator Information proprietor Bruce Iglauer invited them to file two songs for a compilation. In true Chicago blues lore trend, the session became a full of life get together, leading to 30 songs in three hours and securing Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials a contract for his or her debut album, “Roughhousin’.” This milestone allowed Lil’ Ed to bid farewell to his job at a neighborhood automotive wash. Born on April 4, 1955, in Chicago, Ed Williams passionately embraced a method harking back to his uncle J.B., each vocally and instrumentally. Mirroring Hutto’s iconic look, Ed even dons a fez throughout performances. His acrobatic showmanship and humorous stage presence introduced a good-time ingredient to the blues, charming audiences and incomes him a devoted following of fez-wearing “Ed Heads.” Regardless of a quick hiatus within the Nineties for solo initiatives, Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials regrouped, rejoining Alligator Information, and solidifying their standing as label mainstays. With 9 albums to their credit score, the core quartet, sometimes that includes saxophonist Eddie McKinley, has constantly delivered upbeat dwell reveals and recordings, embodying the trademark “Real Houserocking Music” related to

Alligator Information. The band’s energetic performances proceed to perpetuate the spirit of their influences, together with Hound Canine Taylor and the HouseRockers, guaranteeing that the legacy of Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials stays synonymous with high-octane blues that genuinely rocks the home.

The Blues Basis’s 2024 Blues Corridor of Fame Inductees

Performers:

• Jimmy Speeding
• Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials
• Lurrie Bell
• O. V. Wright
• Odetta
• Scrapper Blackwell
• Sugar Pie DeSanto
• People – Enterprise, Manufacturing, Media, Tutorial:
• William R. “Invoice” Ferris
• Traditional of Blues Literature:
• Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Vacation, by Angela Davis (Pantheon, 1998)
• Traditional of Blues Recording – Album:
• Right here’s the Man!!! – Bobby Bland (Duke, 1962)
• Classics of Blues Recording – Single or Album Monitor
• “Driving Wheel” – Junior Parker (Duke, 1961)
• “I Ain’t Bought You”- Billy Boy Arnold (Vee-Jay, 1955)
• “Key to the Freeway” – Jazz Gillum (Bluebird, 1940)
• “Okie Dokie Stomp”- Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (Peacock, 1954)
• “Why Don’t You Do Proper?” – Lil Inexperienced (Bluebird, 1941)

ABOUT THE BLUES FOUNDATION

 The Blues Basis is a world-renowned Memphis-based group whose mission is to protect blues heritage, have fun blues recording and efficiency, broaden worldwide consciousness of the blues, and guarantee the way forward for this uniquely American artwork kind. Based in 1980, the Basis has roughly 4,000 particular person members and 180 affiliated blues societies representing one other 50,000 followers and professionals worldwide.

    The BF’s signature honors and occasions — the Blues Music Awards, Blues Corridor of Fame Inductions, Worldwide Blues Problem, and Conserving the Blues Alive Awards — make it the worldwide hub of blues music. Its HART Fund gives the blues group with medical help for musicians in want, whereas Blues within the Faculties packages and Technology Blues Scholarships expose new generations to blues music. The Blues Corridor of Fame Museum, situated in Downtown Memphis, provides the chance for blues lovers of all ages to work together with blues music and historical past.