First Name |
Big
|
Middle Name |
Bill
|
Last Name |
Broonzy
|
Full Name at Birth |
Lee Conley Bradley
|
Alternative Name |
Big Bill Broonzy, Big Bill Broomsley, Willie Broonzy
|
Birthday |
26th June, 1898
|
Birthplace |
Lake Dick, Arkansas, United States
|
Died |
14th August, 1958
|
Place of Death |
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|
Buried |
Lincoln Cemetery, Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois, USA
|
Eye Color |
Black
|
Hair Color |
Black
|
Zodiac Sign |
Cancer
|
Sexuality |
Straight
|
Religion |
Christian
|
Ethnicity |
Black
|
Nationality |
American
|
Occupation Text |
Musician, songwriter, sharecropper, preacher
|
Occupation |
Writer
|
Music Genre (Text) |
Folk music, Country Blues, Chicago blues, Spirituals, Protest Songs, Blues
|
Music Genre |
Blues
|
Year(s) Active |
1927–1958, 1927'“1958
|
Music Style |
Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Regional Blues, Country Blues, Blues Revival, Pre-War Blues
|
Music Mood |
Earnest, Amiable/Good-Natured, Relaxed, Intimate, Earthy, Organic, Passionate, Street-Smart, Reflective, Visceral, Playful, Freewheeling, Gritty
|
Instrument |
Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
|
Instrument (text) |
Vocals, Guitar, Fiddle
|
Record Label |
Paramount, A.R.C., Bluebird, Vocalion, Folkways, ARC
|
Associated Acts |
Papa Charlie Jackson, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Washboard Sam, Blind John Davis, Big Maceo Merriweather, Black Bob, Memphis Slim Woody Guthrie, Memphis Slim
|
Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley, June 26, 1903 – August 14, 1958) was an American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country blues to mostly African-American audiences. Through the 1930s and 1940s he successfully navigated a transition in style to a more urban blues sound popular with working-class African-American audiences. In the 1950s a return to his traditional folk-blues roots made him one of the leading figures of the emerging American folk music revival and an international star. His long and varied career marks him as one of the key figures in the development of blues music in the 20th century.