William Christopher (W.C.) Handy

Born November 16, 1873, in Florence, Alabama

William Christopher (W.C.) Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was born in Florence, Alabama. W.C. Handy has been called "the Father of the Blues," having single-handedly introduced a new style of music to the world. He acknowledged that he did not invent the blues but merely transcribed them and presented them to a worldwide audience. The first composition of this type was a campaign song that Handy composed for E. H. Crump, a Memphis candidate for mayor who was running on a reform platform. The song,"Mr. Crump," was later titled "Memphis Blues" and became very popular.

"Memphis Blues" was such a huge success that Handy published it in 1912. Although he sold the rights to the song for a mere $100, his musical style had been asserted and in 1914, at the age of 40, he published his most famous composition, "St. Louis Blues." Handy began to write and publish prolifically, and his popularity soared. He opened his own publishing business and worked steadily throughout the 1920s and 1930s despite problems with his vision. His eyes had been sensitive since childhood, and the heavy demands of his career took their toll on his vision. In 1943, he lost his balance and fell from a subway station, which caused him to go totally blind.

In addition to composing, Handy worked laboriously at compiling blues tunes, which he published in a book called Blues: An Anthology in 1926. He later published Negro Authors And Composers of the United States (1935) and Unsung Americans Sung (1944). His biography, Father of the Blues, was published in 1941.

Handy's wife, Elizabeth, died in 1937. Handy later married Irma Louise Logan in 1954 at the age of 80. He suffered a stroke one year later and was confined to a wheelchair. There have been many honors bestowed upon Handy since his death. In Memphis, a city park is named after him, and in his hometown of Florence, Alabama, the log cabin where he was born has been restored and turned into a museum that houses mementos from his life. The city of Florence also holds an annual music festival in his honor.