Blind John Davis (December 7, 1913 – October 12, 1985) was an American

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

and boogie-woogie pianist and singer. He is best remembered for his recordings, including "A Little Every Day" and "Everybody's Boogie".

Biography

Davis was born in

Hattiesburg, Mississippi Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County, Mississippi, Forrest County (where it is the county seat and most populous city) and extending west into Lamar County, Mississippi, Lamar County. The ci ...

, and relocated with his family to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

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, he recorded with Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Tampa Red, Red Nelson, Merline Johnson, and others. He also made several records of his own, singing in his lightweight voice. Having played in various recording sessions with Lonnie Johnson, Davis teamed up with him in the 1940s. He recorded later on his own. His "No Mail Today" (1949) was a minor hit. Most of

Doctor Clayton Doctor Clayton (born Peter Joe Clayton; April 19, 1898 – January 7, 1947) was an American blues singer and songwriter. Biography Clayton was born in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia (though he claimed he had been born in Africa) and moved to St. ...

's later recordings featured Davis on piano. He toured Europe with Broonzy in 1952, the first blues pianist to do so. In later years Davis toured and recorded frequently in Europe, where he enjoyed a higher profile than in the United States.

House Fire

In 1955, Davis's house in Chicago burned down. His wife died in the fire, and his collection of 1700 78-rpm records, some of them unissued, was destroyed.

Death

Davis died in Chicago on October 12, 1985. He was 71.

Discography

*''The Incomparable Blind John Davis'' (1974), Oldie Blues OL 2803 *''Alive "Live" and Well'' (1976), Chrischaa *''Heavy Timbre: Chicago Boogie Piano'' (1976, re-released 2002), Sirens Records *''Stompin' on a Saturday Night'' (1978),

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*''You Better Cut That Out'' (1985), Red Beans *''Blind John Davis tory of Blues' (1991), Story of Blues

References

External links