Photo: Carl Van Vechten / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Calling yourself the Father of the Blues is a bold claim, but Handy earned it. What impresses me most isn't that he invented the blues, he didn't, but that he had the ear and discipline to transcribe a living folk tradition and carry it into published, lasting form. 'St. Louis Blues' and 'Memphis Blues' became the scaffolding on which jazz, R&B and rock were later built. His 1993 Grammy Trustees Award feels almost understated for someone whose work shaped the entire trajectory of American popular music. I regard him as one of the true architects of the modern sound.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- W. C. Handy
- Name (Japanese)
- W. C. ハンディ
- Reading
- W. C. はんでぃ
- Born
- November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Rooster
- Origin
- Florence, Alabama, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- trumpeter / composer / songwriter / autobiographer / jazz musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1993 Grammy Trustees Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Memphis Blues | — | |
| Notable work | Saint Louis Blues | — | |
| Notable work | Careless Love | — | |
| Notable work | Beale Street Blues | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was W. C. Handy born?
November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958.
Where is W. C. Handy from?
W. C. Handy is from Florence, Alabama, United States.
What does W. C. Handy do?
W. C. Handy works as trumpeter, composer, songwriter, autobiographer, jazz musician.
What is W. C. Handy known for?
Notable works include The Memphis Blues, Saint Louis Blues, Careless Love.
Trumpeter — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.