Bman's Blues Report

Blind John Davis (December 7, 1913 — October 12, 1985) was an African American, blues, jazz and boogie-woogie pianist and singer. He is best remembered for his recordings including "A Little Every Day" and "Everybody's Boogie" Davis was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, but he relocated with his family to Chicago at the age of two. Seven years later he had lost his sight. In his early years Davis backed Merline Johnson, and by his mid-twenties he was a well known and reliable accompanying pianist. Between 1937 and 1942, Davis recorded with Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Tampa Red, Merline Johnson, and others, playing on many recordings of that time. He also waxed several efforts of his own, using his own lightweight voice. After playing on various earlier recording sessions with him, in the 1940s Davis teamed up with Lonnie Johnson. Recording later on his own, "No Mail Today" (1949) became a minor hit for Davis. Most of Doctor Clayton...

The piano work of John Davis was featured on blues records by the score during the '30s and '40s. His accompaniments to Tampa Red, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Bill Broonzy, and others brought him fame as a blues musician, but like his piano compatriot Little Brother Montgomery, Davis did not care to be typecast as such and often expressed a preference for the sweet, sentimental favorites he played in countless piano lounges. But as with Montgomery, most of Davis's own recording opportunities came from blues companies, and he never failed to acquit himself well when it came to blues and boogie-woogie. He was the first pianist to do a European blues tour (with Broonzy in 1952), returning to the continent frequently as a solo act during the '70s and '80s. With blues-piano appreciation in Europe being what it is and has been, it's not surprising that most of the albums of Blind John Davis were recorded there and not in Chicago, his home from the age of two until his d...

Blind John Davis (December 7, 1913 — October 12, 1985) was an African American, blues, jazz and boogie-woogie pianist and singer.= He is best remembered for his recordings including "A Little Every Day" and "Everybody's Boogie" Davis was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, but he relocated with his family to Chicago at the age of two. Seven years later he had lost his sight. In his early years Davis backed Merline Johnson, and by his mid-twenties he was a well known and reliable accompanying pianist. Between 1937 and 1942, Davis recorded with Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Tampa Red, Merline Johnson, and others, playing on many recordings of that time. He also waxed several efforts of his own, using his own lightweight voice. After playing on various earlier recording sessions with him, in the 1940s Davis teamed up with Lonnie Johnson. Recording later on his own, "No Mail Today" (1949) became a minor hit for Davis. Most of Doctor Clayton...