Little Buddy Doyle(March 20, 1911 – c. 1960)[2]was an AmericanMemphis bluesandcountry bluesguitarist, singer and songwriter.[1]He was a working associate of theharmonicaplayersBig Walter HortonandHammie Nixon,the guitaristDavid "Honeyboy" Edwards,and the pianistSunnyland Slim.
Little Buddy Doyle | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Charley Doyle |
| Born | March 20, 1911 Cordova, Tennessee,U.S. |
| Died | c. 1960 Bolivar, Tennessee,U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | |
| Instruments | |
| Labels | |
Early life and education
editDoyle was bornCharley DoyleinCordova, Tennessee,on March 20, 1911.
Career
editDuring the 1930s, he performed regularly onBeale Street,inMemphis, Tennessee.[2][3]
Big Walter Hortonmade his firstrecordingbacking Doyle on eight songs recorded in Memphis forOkeh RecordsandVocalion Recordsin 1939.[4]Doyle, who was known locally for often suffering the effects ofmoonshine,jimson weedor other intoxicants, included the lines "my mind in such a condition till I hardly know the days of the week" on the track "Bad in Mind Blues".[5]Doyle also recorded withNixonaround the same time; some of their recorded work remains unissued.[6]
Most of what else is known about Doyle derives from the autobiography of Edwards, who met him in Memphis in 1935, where Doyle regularly performed in Handy Park. He was still performing in Handy Park when Edwards returned to Memphis in 1943, at which time Edwards sometimes performed in the park with Doyle,Hortonand the youngLittle Walter.Edwardsremembered Doyle clearly and described him as a charismatic figure. According to Edwards, Doyle was a red-eyed alcoholic, was drunk all the time and had two or three gold teeth. His nickname, Little Buddy, was likely due to his diminutive stature; according to Edwards, Doyle "was a midget. His legs was so short that when he sat on the bench to play the guitar he couldn´t pat his feet. He had to just bump against the seat, his feet would be that far off the ground. He´d get to playing the blues and just bump, bump, bump."[7]
WhenEdwardsmet him in 1935, Doyle was married to Hedda, who was six feet tall. According toEdwards,Hedda too was "a good guitar player in the key of G." She sometimes performed with Doyle.[8]
Death
editIn around 1960, Doyle died inBolivar, Tennessee,at the approximate age of 49.[9]
See also
editDiscography
editDoyle's known tracks include "Bad in Mind Blues"; "Grief Will Kill You", "Hard Scufflin' Blues", "Lost Baby Blues", "Renewed Love Blues", "She's Got Good Dry Goods", "Slick Caper Blues", "Sweet Man Blues" and "Three Sixty Nine Blues". Several are featured on the followingcompilation albums.
| Album title | Record label | Year of release |
|---|---|---|
| Sounds of Memphis (1933–1939) | Story of the Blues Records | 1987 |
| Roots 'n Blues: The Retrospective 1925–1950 | Legacy Recordings | 1992 |
References
edit- ^ab"Little Buddy Doyle: Credits".AllMusic.com.Retrieved2014-01-27.
- ^ab"Little Buddy Doyle".Spotibot.com.RetrievedJuly 26,2011.
- ^Russell, Tony (1997).The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray.Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 25.ISBN1-85868-255-X.
- ^Huey, Steve."Big Walter Horton: Biography".Allmusic.com.RetrievedMay 30,2009.
- ^Robert Palmer(1981).Deep Blues.Penguin Books.p.153.ISBN978-0-14-006223-6.
- ^Oliver, Paul (2009).Barrelhouse Blues: Location Recording and the Early Traditions of the Blues.New York: BasicCivitas Books. p. 140.ISBN978-0-465-00881-0.
- ^Edwards, David Honeyboy (1997).The World Don't Owe Me Nothing.Chicago: Chicago Review Press. p.58.ISBN1-55652-368-8.
- ^Honeyboy Edwards, David (2000).The World Don't Owe Me Nothing.Chicago Review Press, Incorporated. p. 66.
- ^Eagle, Bob L.; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013).Blues: A Regional Experience.Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 242.ISBN978-0-313-34423-7
- ^"Little Buddy Doyle: Songs".AllMusic.com.Retrieved2014-01-27.