Walter Roland
Walter Roland | |
---|---|
Born | December 20, 1902 or December 4, 1903 ARC, Banner Records |
Walter Roland (possibly December 20, 1902 – October 12, 1972) was an American blues, boogie-woogie and jazz pianist, guitarist and singer, noted for his association with Lucille Bogan, Josh White and Sonny Scott.[2] The music journalist Gérard Herzhaft stated that Roland was "a great piano player... as comfortable in boogie-woogies as in slow blues," adding that "Roland – with his manner of playing and his singing – was direct and rural."[3]
Biography
Roland was born in
Roland started playing on the Birmingham blues circuit in the 1920s. A competent and versatile pianist, his range covered slow blues to upbeat, jaunty boogie-woogie numbers. He was also skilled as a guitar player and had a forceful singing voice.
In addition to his solo output, Roland also recorded as an accompanist for other musicians. For example, the guitarist and singer
Lucille Bogan was usually accompanied by Roland on piano, although he sometimes played an acoustic guitar backing.[11] She was also in New York in 1933, and, apparently to conceal her identity, began recording as Bessie Jackson for Banner Records. She recorded over 100 songs between 1933 and 1935, including some of her biggest commercial successes such as "Seaboard Blues", "Troubled Mind", and "Superstitious Blues".
During this same period, Roland also accompanied Josh White on several tracks.[2]
Bogan's final recordings with Roland and White included two takes of "Shave 'Em Dry", recorded in New York on Tuesday, March 5, 1935. The unexpurgated alternate take is notorious for its explicit sexual references, a unique record of the lyrics sung in after-hours clubs.[12][13]
Roland did not record beyond this point and, by 1950, had become a farmer, then known by the
Roland died of lung cancer on October 12, 1972, in Fairfield.[1]
Apart from the musicians mentioned above, several notables recorded versions of Roland's songs, including
Roland's track "Every Morning Blues" (recorded August 2, 1934, in New York), appeared on the 1992 compilation album, Roots 'n Blues: The Retrospective 1925–1950. In 1994, Document Records released a twin set of all of Roland's solo recordings.
Discography
Selected compilation albums
Album title | Record label | Year of release |
---|---|---|
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order, vol. 1 (1933) | Document Records | 1994 |
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order, vol. 2, 1934–1935 | Document Records | 1994 |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e LaVere, Stephen C. "Munka Music: Walter Roland". Deltahaze.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Ankeny, Jason. "Walter Roland: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ^ ISBN 1-55728-452-0.
- ^ Walter Roland (1902–1972), Social Security Death Index.
- ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ISBN 978-0-306-80743-5.
- ^ a b "Walter Roland, Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1933)". AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "Alabama Blues". Sundayblues.org. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ISBN 1-84353-519-X
- ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ "Walter Roland: Songs". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ^ "Walter Roland: Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-31.