Photo: Carl Van Vechten / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
W. C. Handy was credited as a trumpeter, composer and songwriter. W. C. Handy was born in Florence, Alabama, United States on November 16, 1873. Death is recorded on March 28, 1958, at the age of 84. Recorded honors include Grammy Trustees Award (1993). Notable works include The Memphis Blues, Saint Louis Blues and Careless Love.
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
- Occupation
- trumpeter / composer / songwriter / autobiographer / jazz musician
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1993 Grammy Trustees Award
3. 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 | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.%20C.%20Handy
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%E3%83%BBC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%8F%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q352967
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was W. C. Handy born?
Born November 16, 1873.
When did W. C. Handy die?
Died March 28, 1958, aged 84.
Where was W. C. Handy from?
W. C. Handy was from Florence, Alabama, United States.
What did W. C. Handy do?
W. C. Handy worked as trumpeter, composer, songwriter, autobiographer, jazz musician.
What was 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 the United States →