Woman with Guitar. Memphis Minnie’s Blues by Paul and Beth Garon (2014)

As one of the earliest female blues artists Memphis Minnie (1897-1973) became an icon for early African American songwriting and professional solo entertainment. She wrote her own songs and performed live with guitar, and because she would employ humorous dark, ironic, and sometimes merciless tales of love and sex, she finally became very popular. As she  managed her tours and recordings all by herself, Memphis Minnie gained real independence and autonomy, considering the few opportunities for women in the music business at this time.

She sang on almost 200 sides, and many of her songs were recorded later by musicians of various styles such as Clifton Chenier, Bob Wills and Mance Lipscomb. She started out in the music business as early as 1929 and over the years finally covered a number of blues styles ranging from country blues, electric city blues to Chicago blues. Apart from being an outstanding singer, she also was a very able guitar player, unusual for that time when most female blues artists played piano. Many famous later blues stars such as Johnny Shines, Big Mama Thornton, J. B. Hutto, Johnny Shines, J. B. Lenoir, Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry cite her a strong influence.

Memphis Minnie, nee Lizzie Douglas, tried hard to escape her family’s fate as dirt farmers in Algiers, Louisiana, at a very young age. And she invested tremendous energy in leaving the farm and the countryside, which let her ride with a number of vaudeville shows and after building up a repertoire finally brought her to Memphis and Chicago as a solo act.
She recorded mostly with her husband Kansas Joe McCoy and, after a divorce, with her second husband Little Son Joe for Decca, Okeh and Vocalion. She was very successful with the titles “Me and My Chauffeur Blues” and “Bumble Bee.”

Memphis Minnie was active as a performer until the early 1950s, but after that, her bad health stopped her from further success. She had her first stroke in 1960 and from then on was confined to a wheelchair.
She finally died in 1973 of another stroke, by this time largely supported financially by fans and blues musicians who donated money to pay for her nursing home.

The title at hand is organized in twenty parts that deal with the development of the blues styles and artists in Minnie’s lifetime, a large biographical part and finally a thorough examination of her songs (all transcribed). Additionally, we find a very good and extensive discography and some performance lists.

Although not actually a jazz performer, Memphis Minnie contributed her part to African American music and the  development of the blues and also has inspired many future jazz artists in her time.

While the book originally came out in 1992, the publication reviewed here is the revised and updated edition from 2014 with new biographical material, photographs, record contracts, sheet music, and newspaper advertisements. Author Paul Garon is a co-founder of legendary Living Blues magazine, and author of several books on music.
Altogether in this edition, we find a recommendable book that perfectly introduces us to the life and times of this great performer, and also mentions the many important stages for the development of the blues that Memphis Minnie took part in.

Review by Dr. A. Ebert © 2016

Paul and Beth Garon. Woman with Guitar. Memphis Minnie’s Blues. City Lights Publishers, 2014, 408p.