Blind Connie Williams
Blind Connie Williams | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | c. 1915 Florida, U.S. |
Died | after 1974 |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | |
Years active | early 1930s[1] - 1974 |
Blind Connie Williams (born c.1915 – fl. 1974) was an American
Little is known about Williams's personal life. According to Welding's notes, Williams was born in Florida sometime in 1915.
In 1961, when Williams was residing in a predominantly black neighborhood on Lombard Street in Philadelphia, Welding observed his performance of sanctified numbers with accordion accompaniment.[2] After striking up a friendship with the producer, Williams explained that he had begun to play the accordion for its audibility, while also limiting his physical activity, both important characteristics for the aging musician.[4][7] For the recording sessions he agreed to participate with Welding at radio station WHYY on May 5, 1961. Welding bought him a guitar, and Williams reacquainted himself with it. The influence of Reverend Davis is evident throughout the 23 numbers recorded, but Williams had his own style, marked by bass string slapping and bottleneck techniques.[4]
None of the recordings were released at the time; however, 16 of the songs were compiled on the album Blind Connie Williams: Traditional Blues, Spirituals and Folksongs in 1974 on Welding's Testament Records. Williams' best-known song, his early 1930s rendition of a song that was adopted by Thomas A. Dorsey's "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" was performed in a traditional eight-bar blues format, which was his preferred style. Not much is known about Williams following his sessions with Welding, although he was still living in Philadelphia by 1974.[2] In 1995, his album, retitled Philadelphia Street Singer, was distributed, with seven tracks from the 1961 sessions that were not included on the 1974 version.[3][4]
Discography
- Traditional Blues, Spirituals and Folksongs, Testament Records T-2225, 1974
- Philadelphia Street Singer, Testament Records TCD-5024, 1995 reissue[8]
References
- ^ a b Bastin, Bruce (1995). Red River Blues: The Blues Tradition in the Southeast. University of Illinois Press. p. 320.
blind connie williams.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
- ^ a b "Blind Connie Williams: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Welding, Pete (1995), Philadelphia Street Singer, CD booklet, Testament Records
- ^ Zack, Ian (2015). Say No to the Devil: The Life and Musical Genius of Gary Davis. University of Chicago Press. p. 70.
- ^ Young, Alan (1997). Woke Me Up This Morning: Black Gospel Singers and the Gospel Life. University Press of Mississippi. p. 13.
- ^ "Blind Street Singer". Recordfiend.com. Retrieved September 2, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Blind Connie Williams: Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-03-28.