William R. “Bill” Ferris, a prominent figure in the world of blues, is celebrated for his multifaceted contributions as an author, folklorist, professor, lecturer, and administrator. Born on February 5, 1942, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Ferris [...]
David Evans’ induction in a Blues Hall of Fame category covering “Business, Academic, Media & Production” achievements could not be more fitting, for he has covered multiple bases as an educator, field researcher, and producer [...]
Few people have done as much behind the scenes to support blues and folk music over the past 60 years as Mary Katherine Aldin. Always intent on shining the spotlight on the performers and not [...]
Otis Blackwell was a struggling blues singer in New York City when he struck gold on a different path—writing songs for others to sing, and in particular, Elvis Presley. A fortunate meeting with a music [...]
Ralph Peer was the foremost champion of roots music in the early days of the American recording industry. In his vision, there were untapped markets beyond the record companies’ targeted audience for classical music and the mainstream popular [...]
Moe Asch ranks as one of the preeminent figures in the history of folk music, including folk blues, thanks to his tireless work in releasing over 2000 albums on Folkways Records in addition to earlier [...]
In the heyday of Chicago blues, no one had more say about which records became hits or which products and businesses got advertised to the Windy City’s huge African-American population than the powerful disc jockey, [...]
Amy van Singel, known to blues radio audiences as "Atomic Mama," was a cofounder of Living Blues magazine in Chicago in 1970. She and her former husband Jim O'Neal published the magazine from their home [...]
Tommy Couch (born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, on November 12, 1942) and Gerald "Wolf" Stephenson (born in Columbia, Mississippi, on August 24, 1943) built Malaco Records, the premier label for Southern soul, soul-blues and gospel music, [...]
Dick Shurman is widely recognized in the blues community not only for the quality and care evident in his record productions and writings but also for his love for the music and the artists who [...]