Blues Ads from the Chicago Defender

An index, compiled by Elijah Wald

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For roughly ten years, from the dawn of the blues recording boom in 1920 until the Depression temporarily destroyed the "race record" industry, blues was the most popular music in black America, and the Chicago Defender was the principle venue for record advertisements aimed at African American consumers. These ads are striking evidence of the music's popularity, and a guide to trends and reputation within the industry. The following index was compiled while doing research for my book Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues. Due to the nature of that project, I did not begin keeping a comprehensive list until the arrival of the male singer-instrumentalists who began to rival the great blues queens around 1925. Thus, this index is not complete for earlier advertisements, and drastically understates the number of ads for records by artists like Ethel Waters, Alberta Hunter, Lucille Hegamin, and the host of Smiths. Fran Mironchik has stepped in and filled some holes, and if anyone else would care to lend a hand, that would be greatly appreciated. This list is pretty self-explanatory, with a couple of notes: "fp" means a full-page ad, and asterisks mark the handful of white performers who were advertised (in general, these performers were being passed off as black, and the pictures that accompany their records show black players, but there are a couple of exceptions, like the openly white yodeler Roy Evans). In the interests of completeness, I have included all record advertisements from the period covered. The fact that there are so few ads for records by the people known as jazz players -- Louis Armstrong being a notable exception -- is due to the trends of the times, not any personal focus on blues.

INDEX TO ADS IN THE CHICAGO DEFENDER
Compiled by Elijah Wald, with additions by Fran Mironchik

Garfield Akers -- 2/1/30

Hilda Alexander & Mamie McClure -- 5/18/29

Texas Alexander -- 10/8/27, 1/7/28, 4/7/28, 5/19/28, 12/29/28, 6/8/29, 5/24/30, 5/31/30, 9/6/30

Allen Brothers* -- 1/7/28

"Talking" Billy Anderson -- 7/23/27

Ed Andrews -- 6/21/24

“Arkansas Blues” (song ad mentioning recordings) 11/19/21, 12/24/21, 12/31/21, 1/21/22

Louis Armstrong -- 3/6/26, 5/1/26, 7/3/26, 8/14/26, 9/11/26, 10/23/26, 10/30/26, 1/8/27, 4/2/27, 7/16/27, 7/23/27, 8/27/27 (books), 2/25/28, 5/26/28, 8/18/28, 2/23/29, 4/6/29, 4/13/29, 5/25/29, 6/22/29, 6/29/29, 8/10/29, 9/14/29, 9/28/29, 11/2/29, 2/22/30, 3/1/30, 3/15/30, 3/29/30, 4/19/30, 7/5/30, 7/12/30, 10/4/30, 11/1/30, 2/14/31, 4/25/31, 5/23/31, 6/13/31, 7/11/31, 12/12/31

May Armstrong -- 11/12/27

Banjo Joe (Gus Cannon) -- 2/11/28

Barbecue Bob (s/a Robert Hicks) -- 5/21/27, 8/13/27, 10/29/27, 12/10/27, 12/31/27 (w/ Laughin' Charlie), 2/11/28, 4/21/28, 6/9/28, 8/4/28, 9/29/28, 1/19/29, 6/8/29, 12/21/29, 4/12/30, 5/31/30, 9/6/30, 11/1/30

Barefoot Bill -- 12/28/29, 4/26/30, 6/14/30, 8/23/30, 11/22/30

Walter Barnes & his Royal Creolians -- 6/1/29

Barrelhouse Pete* -- 5/26/28

Viola Bartlett -- 6/5/26

Beale Street Sheiks (s/a Frank Stokes) -- 9/17/27, 10/29/27, 1/14/28, 2/25/28, 5/25/29, 7/6/29

Ed Bell -- 10/8/27

Bennett's Swamplanders -- 11/8/30

Gladys Bentley -- 9/29/28

Jimmy Bertrand Washboard Wizards -- 9/18/26, 1/15/27, 8/13/27

Bessemer Sunset Four -- 5/18/29

Bethel Choir -- 10/2/26

George Bias -- 9/1/28, 5/4/29, 6/29/29, 11/16/29

Biddleville Quintette -- 10/5/29

Esther Bigeou -- 5/11/29 (beauty ad)

Bill & Jesse (McKenzie & Crump) -- 10/5/29

Billy Bird -- 1/12/29, 5/18/29

Birmingham Jubilee Singers -- 4/13/29

Birmingham Quartet -- 9/25/26, 11/13/26, 3/12/27, 8/20/27, 10/8/27

Black Patti records -- 5/21/27

Black Patti spirituals -- 7/30/27

Blind Blake -- 10/2/26, 10/9/26 (w/lw), 2/26/27, 4/30/27, 5/21/27, 7/16/27, 12/31/27, 2/4/28, 3/10/28, 4/21/28, 6/16/28, 7/14/28, 8/25/28, 10/6/28, 11/3/28, 12/1/28, 3/16/29, 4/13/29, 5/11/29, 6/15/29, 8/24/29, 10/26/29, 12/21/29, 3/15/30

Blind Sammie (pseudonym for Willie McTell) -- 9/27/30

Blue Belle (s/a Bessie Mae Smith)-- 8/13/27, 4/7/28, 7/28/28, 3/9/29

Scrapper Blackwell -- 6/29/29

Jimmy Blythe -- 7/31/26, 6/9/28 (Washboard Wizards)

Perry Bradford -- 1/1/27, 4/16/27

Marie Bradley -- 3/19/27

Ardell Shelly Bragg -- 11/27/26

Ada Brown -- 5/8/26, 6/26/26

Bill Brown & his Brownies -- 10/8/27

Lil &Will Brown -- 7/9/27

Liza Brown & Ann Johnson (s/a Ozie McPherson) -- 11/2/29, 11/23/29 (Eliza Brown solo), 12/14/29

Ora Brown -- 5/28/27

Brunswick records -- 4/20/29

Bud & Sam -- 10/6/28

Teddy Bunn & Spencer Williams -- 6/7/30, 6/14/30, 10/18/30

Rev. J.C. Burnett -- 11/6/26, 11/20/26, 11/27/26, 1/22/27, 10/22/27

Sam Butler -- 12/4/26

Butterbeans & Susie -- 7/11/25, 8/29/25, 10/10/25, 10/31/25, 4/17/26 (fp), 5/29/26, 7/10/26, 8/28/26, 11/27/26, 2/5/27, 2/18/28, 4/21/28

Cannon's Jug Stompers (s/a Banjo Joe) -- 6/16/28

Leroy Carr -- 9/1/28, 9/8/28, 9/22/28, 10/27/28, 12/1/28, 1/19/29, 2/16/29, 3/2/29, 5/11/29, 5/25/29, 7/27/29, 8/10/29, 8/17/29, 8/31/29, 10/5/29, 10/12/29, 11/2/29, 11/30/29, 12/21/29, 1/11/30, 2/22/30 (w/sb)

Bo Carter -- 2/28/31, 5/9/31, 7/11/31, 8/15/31, 11/7/31, 12/12/31

Chicago Foot Warmers -- 10/13/28

Chocolate Dandies -- 11/17/28, 2/2/29, 11/16/29 (Little CD)

E.W. Clayborn -- 3/5/27, 6/4/27, 8/6/27, 10/15/27, 6/2/28, 8/4/28

Clifford's Louisville Jug Band -- 12/5/25

Club Ambassadors (s/a Jimmy Noone) -- 9/21/29

Junie C. Cobb -- 11/17/28, 2/8/30

Oliver Cobb -- 11/9/29

Bob Coleman -- 4/6/29

Jaybird Coleman -- 7/26/30

Gene & Della Collins -- 6/12/26

Sam Collins -- 7/2/27

Columbia Records -- 9/19/25 (fp), 1/28/28, 2/21/31, 7/11/31

Columbia sacred records -- 12/18/26

Martha Copeland -- 11/6/26, 3/5/27, 4/16/27, 6/4/27

Cotton Belt Quartet -- 5/22/26, 9/4/26

Cotton Club Orchestra -- 2/20/26

Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers -- 12/21/29

Ida Cox -- 6/6/25 (w/pcj), 9/5/25, 10/17/25, 11/21/25, 1/16/26, 3/20/26, 4/24/26, 9/11/26, 6/18/27, 8/6/27, 9/10/27, 11/12/27, 12/10/27, 1/28/28, 9/8/28, 10/13/28 (skin cream), 11/24/28, 1/5/29

Wilton Crawley -- 10/1/27, 3/10/28, 11/3/28

Jesse Cryor -- 11/24/28

Dallas String Band -- 3/24/28, 1/17/31 (w/cj)

Cow Cow Davenport -- 11/14/25 (w/Dora Carr), 10/20/28 (w/Iva Smith)

Henryette Davis & Clarence Black -- 11/6/26

Deacon Leon Davis -- 1/29/27, 1/21/28

Texas Bill Day -- 2/22/30

Tom Dickson -- 6/9/28

Dixie Rhythm Kings -- 2/1/30

Dixie Washboard Band -- 5/29/26, 6/5/26

Calvin P. Dixon -- 1/30/26, 3/6/26

Mary Dixon -- 5/11/29, 8/10/29, 10/12/29, 7/5/30

Perry Dixon -- 6/7/30

Johnny Dodds -- 1/7/28

Mattie Dorsey -- 9/24/27

Down Home Boys (Long Cleve Reed & Papa Harvey Hull)-- 5/28/27, 7/23/27

Arizona Dranes -- 8/14/26

Side Wheel Sally Duffie -- 10/1/27

Johnny Dunn -- 5/19/28

Dunn's Gin Bottle Four -- 6/15/29

Eddie & Sugar Lou's Hotel Tyler Orchestra -- 3/1/30

Elgar's Creole Orchestra -- 12/18/26

Duke Ellington -- 2/12/27

Seger Ellis* -- 1/12/29

Sharlie English -- 4/28/28

John Estes -- 4/26/30

Roy Evans* -- 6/16/28, 8/11/28, 10/27/28

Will Ezell -- 11/17/28

Farina -- 8/21/26

Troy Ferguson -- 1/4/30

Four Pods of Pepper -- 10/12/29

William Francis & Richard Sowell -- 5/28/27

Frenchy's String Band -- 1/19/29

Hattie Garland -- 6/4/27

Rev. J.M. Gates -- 8/7/26, 8/21/26, 9/4/26, 10/2/26 (2x), 10/16/26, 10/30/26, 11/13/26, 5/14/27, 11/26/27, 12/10/27, 12/17/27, 3/17/28, 5/12/28, 7/14/28, 10/20/28, 12/15/28, 7/13/29, 9/21/29, 2/8/30, 4/26/30, 5/3/30, 5/10/30, 5/17/30, 7/19/30, 9/20/30, 11/15/30

Georgia Jumpers (inc Benny Nawahi)-- 6/27/31

Clifford Gibson -- 4/26/30

Emery Glen -- 2/25/28

Lillian Glinn -- 4/28/28, 6/30/28, 11/3/28, 7/13/29, 2/15/30, 5/24/30

Porter Grainger -- 1/14/28

Coot Grant & Kid Socks Wilson -- 11/7/25, 12/12/25, 11/10/28

Roosevelt Graves -- 11/2/29

Eddie Green -- 10/12/29

Lee Green -- 9/14/29, 12/14/29 (as Leothus G)

Gulf Coast Seven -- 1/16/26

Rev. A.A. Gundy -- 3/1/30

George Hannah -- 7/20/29

Willie Harris -- 9/14/29

Happy Bud Harrison -- 8/3/29

Buddy Boy Hawkins -- 5/14/27, 6/25/27

Lucille Hegamin – 4/30/21 (Frances Clifford Music Publishers), 5/28/21 (Vendome Music Shop), 6/4/21 (VMS), 6/11/21 (VMS), 6/18/21 (VMS), 6/25/21 (VMS), 11/19/21, 11/26/21, 12/3/21, 12/10/21, 12/17/21, 12/24/21, 12/31/21

Eddie Head -- 9/13/30

Bertha Henderson -- 9/3/27, 7/21/28

Edmonia Henderson -- 6/26/26, 11/27/26

Fletcher Henderson -- 3/12/27, 2/16/29

Rosa Henderson -- 7/17/26, 8/14/26, 6/16/28, 11/28/31

Slim Henderson & John Mason -- 9/24/27

Robert Hicks (sanctified Barbecue Bob) -- 9/3/27, 6/28/30 (w/Charlie Hicks)

Chippie Hill -- 4/10/26, 5/22/26, 6/12/26, 7/31/26, 9/25/26, 1/8/27, 2/26/27

Jessie May Hill -- 9/24/27

Mattie Hite -- 3/15/30

Hokum Boys -- 4/27/29, 6/15/29, 6/29/29, 8/17/29, 9/28/29, 10/19/29, 12/7/29

Rosa Holley -- 5/26/28

"Hometown Skiffle" -- 2/22/30

Hound Dog Henry -- 12/15/28, 3/30/29

Peg Leg Howell -- 1/8/27, 4/9/27, 6/11/27, 1/21/28, 7/7/28, 7/27/29, 9/28/29, 11/30/29

Howell, Horsley & Bradford -- 12/4/26

Sister Clara Hudson -- 3/14/31

Hattie Hudson -- 2/18/28

Helen Humes -- 1/14/28

Alberta Hunter -- 1/30/26 (fp), 5/15/26, 11/13/26, 5/21/27, 8/31/29

I.C. Glee Club Quartet -- 11/29/30

"Jackass Blues" -- 5/1/26

Bo Weavil Jackson -- 10/16/26

Papa Charlie Jackson -- 8/23/24, 2/7/25, 5/9/25, 6/6/25 (w/Ida Cox) 7/11/25, 8/15/25, 9/12/25, 11/14/25, 12/5/25, 2/6/26, 3/13/26, 4/10/26, 5/15/26, 6/12/26, 8/7/26, 9/18/26, 1/22/27, 4/16/27, 7/23/27, 11/26/27, 9/1/28, 10/20/28, 12/15/28, 3/2/29, 6/8/29

Dewey Jackson's Peacock Orchestra -- 8/28/26, 10/9/26

Jim Jackson -- 12/3/27, 12/31/27, 1/14/28, 2/11/28, 2/18/28, 3/10/28, 3/17/28 (fp), 3/24/28, 3/31/28, 4/7/28, 4/21/28, 5/12/28, 7/28/28, 7/13/29, 7/20/29, 12/14/29 (Jamboree w/Tampa Red, Georgia Tom, Speckled Red)

Lulu Jackson -- 8/18/28

Willie Jackson -- 3/3/28, 7/6/29

Frankie Jaxon -- 8/27/27, 1/12/29 (w/tr), 1/19/29 (w/tr), 4/27/29 (w/tr), 5/4/29, 7/6/29 (w/tr), 8/24/29, 12/28/29

Blind Lemon Jefferson -- 4/3/26, 5/1/26, 5/22/26, 7/3/26, 7/10/26, 7/24/26, 8/21/26, 8/28/26, 10/23/26, 12/4/26, 1/1/27, 1/29/27, 3/5/27, 4/9/27, 4/23/27, 6/11/27, 7/2/27, 7/30/27, 8/27/27, 11/5/27, 12/3/27, 1/21/28, 3/3/28, 4/7/28, 4/14/28, 5/19/28, 6/9/28, 7/7/28, 8/4/28, 8/11/28, 9/15/28, 10/27/28, 12/8/28, 3/23/29, 4/20/29, 5/18/29, 6/22/29, 8/31/29, 11/9/29, 12/28/29, 1/4/30, 2/8/30, 2/15/30, 3/29/30

Alec Johnson -- 12/29/28

Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band -- 5/25/29

Billiken Johnson -- 4/6/29

Edith Johnson -- 11/16/29, 1/18/30

Elizabeth Johnson -- 9/22/28

Elnora Johnson -- 8/13/27

James P. Johnson – 1/29/21 (Q.R.S Music Company)

Lil Johnson -- 10/19/29, 11/9/29

Lonnie Johnson -- 2/6/26, 2/27/26, 6/5/26, 6/19/26, 10/9/26, 12/18/26, 6/18/27, 9/17/27 (2x), 10/8/27, 10/22/27 (2x), 11/5/27, 11/12/27, 12/31/27, 2/11/28, 4/14/28, 6/2/28, 7/21/28, 10/27/28, 11/10/28 (w/vs), 12/8/28 (w/vs), 2/9/29 (w/vs), 3/16/29 (w/Spencer Williams), 3/23/29 (w/sw), 4/20/29 (w/sw), 4/27/29 (w/sw), 5/18/29, 7/20/29 (w/sw), 7/27/29 (w/sw), 8/24/29, 10/19/29, 12/14/29 (w/vs), 3/22/30, 4/5/30, 6/7/30, 6/14/30, 8/23/30, 12/13/30 (w/Violet Green), 10/10/31

Margaret Johnson -- 9/12/25, 12/25/26

Mary Johnson -- 7/6/29

Blind Willie Johnson -- 2/4/28, 9/15/28, 6/15/29, 1/25/30, 3/29/30, 5/17/30, 7/12/30, 8/30/30, 10/18/30, 5/23/31, 10/31/31

Johnson's Jazzer's (leader, James P. J)-- 11/12/27

Coley Jones (s/a Dallas String Band) -- 3/10/28, 2/1/30, 4/5/30 (w/Bobbie Cadillac)

Jake Jones -- 2/8/30

Little Hat Jones -- 9/7/29, 6/21/30, 6/28/30, 10/18/30

Maggie Jones -- 10/17/25, 12/5/25, 12/12/25, 12/19/25, 3/6/26, 3/13/26, 7/31/26

Richard M. Jones -- 4/17/26, 9/4/26, 2/12/27

Joe Jordan -- 8/14/26

Luke Jordan -- 12/3/27

Kansas City Stompers -- 9/7/29

Willie Kelly (s/a Roosevelt Sykes) -- 9/27/30, 11/8/30

Rube Lacey -- 6/2/28

Layton & Johnstone -- 6/1/29

Levee Serenaders (pseud for JR Morton band) -- 5/5/28

Furry Lewis -- 7/23/27, 8/20/27, 11/19/27, 4/21/28, 6/30/28

Sammy Lewis -- 3/13/26

Ted Lewis* -- 3/27/26

Virginia Liston -- 7/24/26

"Livery Stable Blues" -- 6/11/27

Lovin' Sam from Down in 'Bam (Sam Theard) -- 7/13/29, 8/17/29, 10/19/29, 12/14/29

Charlie McCoy -- 12/28/29, 2/15/30, 4/11/31, 6/13/31

Viola McCoy -- 3/2/29

William McCoy -- 5/12/28, 2/23/29, 9/21/29

Hattie McDaniel -- 2/19/27

Earl McDonald -- 5/28/27

Charlie McFadden (s/a Pertum) -- 9/12/31

McFarland & Gardner -- 5/19/28

Rev. F.W. McGee -- 10/1/27, 11/22/30

McKinney's Cotton Pickers -- 9/13/30

George McLennon's Jazz Devils* -- 11/20/26

Ozie McPherson (s/a Liza Brown) -- 1/2/26

Sara Martin -- 8/1/25, 9/5/25, 9/26/25, 10/24/25, 11/28/25, 1/2/26, 1/30/26 (w/Clarence Williams), 5/8/26, 12/11/26, 3/19/27

Mose Mason -- 3/17/28

Rev R.M. Massey -- 5/12/28

Memphis Jug Band -- 5/19/28, 4/12/30, 6/21/30, 12/6/30

Memphis Minnie -- 8/3/29 (w/Kansas Joe), 9/13/30

Memphis Mose (pseud for Georgia Tom Dorsey) -- 2/22/30

Midnight Rounders -- 2/9/29

Lizzie Miles -- 8/18/28

Bubber Miley -- 10/25/30

Al Miller -- 5/4/29, 7/27/29, 8/24/29, 8/31/29, 9/28/29, 10/26/29

Eddie Miller -- 3/1/30

Emmett Miller* -- 3/3/28

Luella Miller -- 11/6/26, 1/8/27, 3/19/27, 4/2/27, 6/25/27, 7/16/27, 10/29/27, 3/3/28, 11/10/28

Miller & Lyles -- 8/8/25

Rev. J.M. Milton -- 11/15/30

Mississippi Sheiks -- 8/9/30, 1/10/31, 3/28/31, 5/23/31, 11/7/31

Mobile Four -- 12/8/28

Sam Morgan's band -- 6/25/27

Jazzbaby Moore -- 10/16/26

Jelly Roll Morton -- 6/19/26

Rev. W.M. Mosley -- 1/1/27, 2/19/27

Bennie Moten Orchestra -- 12/26/25, 1/23/26

Mozelle Alderson & Blind James Beck -- 7/16/27

Charlie "Dad" Nelson -- 11/20/26, 2/5/27, 5/7/27, 7/9/27

Jewell Nelson -- 2/9/29

Mary M. Nelson -- 7/9/27

Hambone Willie Newbern -- 7/6/29

New Orleans Wanderers -- 8/28/26, 9/4/26, 9/11/26

Nick Nichols -- 4/19/30

Rev. A.W. Nix -- 6/11/27, 7/2/27, 7/30/27, 10/1/27, 12/10/27, 12/17/27, 2/4/28, 4/28/28, 7/7/28, 11/23/29

Nonpareil Trio -- 3/23/29, 3/30/29

Jimmy Noone -- 7/21/28, 8/11/28, 8/25/28, 11/3/28, 12/8/28, 2/23/29, 6/15/29, 9/7/29, 9/28/29, 1/18/30

Norfolk Jubilee Quartet -- 2/20/26, 7/17/26, 6/1/29, 7/13/29

Jimmy O'Bryant's Washboard Band -- 9/19/25, 10/24/25, 3/6/26

Odette & Ethel -- 12/25/26

Okeh Records -- 12/19/25, 2/6/26, 2/13/26, 2/20/26, 2/27/26, 5/22/26, 5/29/26, 6/5/26, 6/12/26 (fp, and special section)

Old Pal Smoke Shop Four -- 10/23/26

Owens Player Roll Co., Inc. – 1/1/21, 1/8/21, 1/15/21

King Oliver -- 5/1/26, 5/29/26, 8/21/26, 11/20/26, 6/18/27, 1/28/28, 2/25/28, 9/15/28, 10/13/28, 3/30/29

Original Jazz Hounds -- 6/12/26, 6/19/26

John Oscar -- 11/2/29

Pace Jubilee Singers -- 10/6/28

Biddy Paige & Popo Warfield -- 7/31/26

Papa Eggshell (Lawrence Casey) -- 7/20/29

Paramount records -- 10/10/25, 11/13/26, 12/25/26, 12/24/27, 12/22/28

Paramount spiritual records -- 3/27/26, 5/29/26, 9/4/26, 10/30/26, 12/18/26, 3/26/27, 4/2/27, 6/4/27

Eva Parker -- 2/16/29

Charley Patton -- 7/27/29, 9/14/29 (Masked Marvel ad), 9/21/29 (MM ad), 11/23/29, 1/11/30, 2/1/30, 4/12/30

Perfect Harmony Quartet -- 4/9/27

Perry's Stomp Band -- 9/3/27

Charles "Speck" Pertum (s/a McFadden) -- 1/18/30

Washington Phillips -- 9/7/29, 12/13/30

Pigmeat Pete & Catjuice Charlie -- 9/14/29, 10/26/29, 5/10/30, 12/6/30

Pilgrim Jubilee Singers -- 9/17/27

Powell's Jazz Monarchs -- 7/17/26

The Progressive Four -- 10/4/30

Ma Rainey -- 7/18/25, 8/8/25, 8/22/25, 10/3/25, 10/31/25, 1/23/26, 1/30/26, 2/27/26, 4/17/26, 5/8/26, 6/19/26, 6/26/26, 8/14/26, 9/25/26, 11/6/26, 1/8/27, 1/8/27, 2/19/27, 8/13/27, 10/22/27, 11/19/27, 1/7/28, 2/18/28, 3/24/28, 7/28/28, 9/22/28, 11/10/28, 1/12/29

Jack Ranger -- 6/21/30, 6/28/30

Quinton Redd -- 8/17/29

Ruben Reeves & Blanche Calloway -- 10/26/29, 11/16/29

Walter Rhodes -- 3/17/28

Rev. D.C. Rice -- 6/23/28, 9/29/28

Seth Richard -- 7/21/28

Mooch Richardson -- 6/16/28

Sally Roberts (pseud for Sara Martin) -- 8/20/27 (w/Sylvester Weaver)

Elzadie Robinson -- 12/11/26, 8/20/27, 12/17/27, 5/26/28, 6/23/28, 12/29/28, 5/4/29

Robinson & Mack -- 1/9/26, 6/19/26 (Sam Robinson solo)

Ike Rogers -- 8/10/29

Rev. Leora Ross -- 8/27/27

Louise Ross -- 2/27/26, 3/20/26

Sam 'n' Henry -- 5/22/26

Sister Sally Sanders -- 2/26/27, 3/12/27

Boyd Senter* -- 3/26/27, 6/11/27, 10/15/27

Seventh Day Adventist Choir -- 1/29/27

Silver Leaf Quartet -- 11/24/28, 2/16/29, 3/30/29, 4/12/30

"Omer" Simeon -- 11/16/29

Danny Small & Ukelele Mays -- 11/28/25

Bessie Smith -- 8/1/25 (fp), 10/10/25 (fp), 11/28/25 (fp, w/Clara Smith), 12/26/25 (fp), 1/16/26, 2/20/26, 4/10/26, 5/8/26, 5/15/26, 5/22/26 (2x), 6/26/26, 7/3/26, 7/10/26, 7/17/26, 8/21/26, 10/30/26, 4/2/27, 5/14/27, 5/28/27, 6/18/27, 7/30/27, 9/17/27, 11/19/27, 12/17/27, 3/24/28, 4/7/28, 5/5/28, 6/2/28, 7/14/28, 8/25/28, 10/20/28, 12/22/28, 6/22/29, 7/20/29, 12/7/29, 5/3/30, 6/21/30, 8/2/30, 10/11/30, 8/22/31

Clara Smith -- 11/28/25 (fp, w/Bessie Smith), 1/30/26, 2/6/26, 4/17/26 (x2), 4/24/26, 7/24/26, 8/28/26, 10/23/26, 2/12/27, 3/26/27, 5/7/27, 6/23/28, 9/22/28, 3/9/29, 4/20/29, 5/25/29, 10/19/29, 3/8/30, 7/19/30, 9/20/30, 12/20/30 (w/Tommy Jordan), 9/26/31

Homer Smith -- 3/16/29

Iva Smith -- 2/12/27, 3/12/27, 10/20/28 (as Ivy S w/Cow Cow Davenport)

Jabbo Smith -- 6/29/29, 8/3/29, 11/23/29

Laura Smith -- 11/21/25

Mamie Smith – 1/15/21 (Vendome Music Shop), 1/22/21 (VMS), 1/29/21 (VMS), 4/30/21 (VMS), 4/30/21 (Standard Amusement Co.), 5/7/21 (VMS), 5/14/21 (VMS), 5/21/21 (Avenue Theater), 5/21/21 (VMS), 5/28/21 (VMS), 6/4/21 (Bradford Song Roll Co.), 6/4/21 (VMS), 6/11/21 (BSRC), 6/11/21 (VMS), 6/18/21 (VMS), 6/25/21 (VMS), 11/19/21, 11/26/21, 12/3/21, 12/10/21, 12/17/21, 12/24/21

Pine Top Smith -- 3/16/29, 4/20/29

Trixie Smith -- 1/9/26, 2/13/26

Son of Thunder -- 10/15/27

Charlie Spand -- 8/10/29, 10/12/29, 11/30/29, 3/8/30, 4/26/30

Speckled Red -- 12/7/29, 12/14/29, 1/11/30

Victoria Spivey -- 7/24/26, 8/7/26, 9/25/26, 7/30/27, 9/10/27, 11/19/27, 12/3/27, 1/28/28, 4/28/28, 8/4/28, 10/6/28, 11/10/28 (w/Lonnie Johnson), 12/8/28 (w/Lonnie Johnson), 12/22/28, 2/9/29 (w/Lonnie Johnson), 8/31/29, 10/5/29, 12/14/29 (w/Lonnie Johnson), 9/27/30 (w/Harold Grey)

Mary Stafford – 12/24/21

Frank Stokes (s/a Beale Street Sheiks) -- 6/7/30

Jesse Stone -- 7/9/27

Sunset Jubilee Quartet -- 7/25/25

“Sweet Mumtaz” -- 5/15/26

Roosevelt Sykes -- 8/3/29, 10/26/29, 9/27/30 (as Willie Kelly), 11/8/30 (as Willie Kelly)

Joe & Emma Taggart -- 1/22/27, 5/14/27

Tampa Joe & Macon Ed (s/a Eddie Anthony)-- 5/4/29, 5/11/29, 6/1/29

Tampa Red -- 1/12/29 (w/Frankie Jaxon), 1/19/29 (w/Frankie Jackson), 4/27/29 (Hokum Jug Band w/Frankie Jaxon), 7/6/29 (Hokum Jug Band w/Frankie Jaxon)

Tampa Red & Georgia Tom -- 11/24/28, 12/29/28, 3/9/29, 3/23/29, 4/13/29, 6/1/29, 6/8/29, 6/22/29, 9/21/29, 12/7/29, 2/15/30

Erskine Tate -- 7/10/26

Eva Taylor -- 9/19/25, 11/7/25 (w/Clarence Williams), 12/19/25 (w/Clarence Williams), 1/16/26 (w/Clarence Williams), 3/27/26 (w/Clarence Williams)

Thankful Quartet -- 4/30/27

Henry Thomas -- 9/10/27, 11/5/27, 11/26/27, 1/21/28, 4/14/28, 7/14/28, 10/6/28

Hociel Thomas -- 3/20/26, 6/26/26

Ramblin' Thomas -- 3/31/28, 5/5/28, 6/30/28, 9/29/28

Thomas' Devils -- 5/11/29

Rev. C.F. Thornton -- 9/10/27

"Tight Like That" -- 4/6/29

Too Tight Henry -- 12/15/28

Jim Towel -- 4/27/29

Henry Townsend -- 2/8/30

Charlie Turner -- 8/3/29

Charles & Effie Tyus -- 5/7/27

Umbrian Glee Club -- 9/11/26

Louise Vant -- 2/13/26, 5/15/26

Victor records -- 3/29/30, 5/17/30, 12/20/30

Walter Vincent -- 1/25/30

Violet Harmony Singers -- 8/27/27

Vocalion records -- 5/7/27, 5/21/27, 9/20/30

Vocalion spiritual records -- 4/9/27

Frances Wallace -- 6/22/29

Sippie Wallace -- 7/25/25, 8/22/25, 10/3/25, 10/17/25, 12/12/25, 2/20/26, 7/2/27

Fats Waller -- 4/25/31

Washboard Serenaders -- 5/24/30, 6/14/30

Ethel Waters – 7/30/21, 10/29/21, 11/5/21, 11/12/21, 11/19/21, 11/26/21, 12/3/21,  12/10/21, 12/17/21, 12/24/21, 12/31/21, 10/24/25, 1/23/26, 2/6/26, 2/13/26, 4/10/26, 5/1/26, 5/8/26, 5/15/26, 5/22/26, 9/18/26, 10/30/26, 12/11/26, 2/5/27, 4/23/27, 7/9/27, 8/27/27, 12/24/27, 4/14/28, 10/13/28, 11/17/28, 4/27/29, 10/5/29, 11/29/30

El Watson -- 7/21/28

Sylvester Weaver -- 5/21/27, 8/20/27 (w/Sally Roberts [Sara Martin]), 10/29/27, 2/4/28, 10/20/28

Rev. T.E. Weems -- 11/26/27

Nolan Welsh -- 10/23/26 (w/Louis Armstrong & Richard M. Jones)

Wheat Street Female Quartette -- 1/22/27

"When the Roses Bloom Again" -- 4/9/27

Whistler's Jug Band -- 6/25/27

Rev. W.A. White -- 9/26/25

Washington White -- 10/11/30

Whoopee Makers* -- 12/1/28

James "Boodle It" Wiggins -- 10/13/28, 1/25/30

Arnold Wiley -- 11/30/29

Robert Wilkins -- 1/4/30

"Socks" Wilson (s/a Grant & Wilson) -- 8/9/30

Bert Williams -- 4/3/26

Clarence Williams -- 7/18/25, 8/15/25 (ukelele), 11/7/25 (w/Eva Taylor), 12/19/25 (w/ Eva Taylor), 1/16/26 (w/ Eva Taylor), 1/30/26 (w/Sara Martin), 3/27/26 (w/ Eva Taylor), 4/24/26, 3/12/27, 4/16/27, 5/28/27, 10/15/27, 11/5/27, 6/23/28, 8/11/28, 9/8/28, 8/17/29, 11/9/29, 1/18/30, 3/22/30 (w/Jimmy Johnson), 8/2/30, 10/25/30, 12/27/30

Fess Williams -- 10/30/26, 4/30/27, 9/3/27

George Williams -- 8/16/30

Henry Williams & Eddie Anthony -- 7/28/28

Edith Wilson – 10/8/21, 10/29/21, 11/12/21, 11/19/21, 11/26/21, 12/3/21, 12/10/21, 12/17/21, 12/24/21, 12/31/21

Leola Wilson -- 10/9/26 (w/Blind Blake)

Rev. S.J. Worrell -- 1/29/27, 2/19/27, 3/26/27, 4/23/27

Wynn's Creole Jazz Band -- 1/26/29