Memphis Minnie: Blues Pioneer
The previous post I wrote featured Etta Baker. It was derived by some rather mocking and playful remarks made TheBluesBloggersWife or for short TBBW. She felt I was totally overlooking some of the more influential women that played the blues. She was right!

I then started the research process … What I was looking for was a woman that made a major influence on the blues that didn’t necessarily have a tragic demise. This unfortunately is not commonplace when it comes to the blues. However, there are exceptions to the rule… When it comes to the blues you won’t find a female guitarist and singer as influential as
MEMPHIS MINNIE
She would earn the respect of record buying fans and the praise of all the blues artists that she worked with throughout her long successful career; a profession which spanned over four decades. Big Bill Broonzy recalls Minnie as being,
“the best women blues guitarist he has ever heard.”
Memphis Minnie was born Elizabeth Douglas on June 3, 1897, in Algiers Louisiana and was the oldest of 13 brothers and sisters. Like most things in that era, music was also homemade. In 1907 a blues musician would play in all kinds of places like house parties, barrel houses, work camps, and traveling shows. Influenced by the local string players that performed at these parties, Minnie would obtain her first guitar at 11 years old.
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I often think about what artists I was listening to in that time frame leading up to my New York move. One of the artists that strongly influenced my love for, especially acoustic jazz was guitarist Ralph Towner. His album“Solo Concert.” will always remind me of my bizarre youthful spirit. The music was far from dangerous and most certainly adventurous. Great memories and crazy times …