Edmonia Henderson
{{short description|African American classic female blues singer}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Edmonia Henderson
| birth_name = {{unbulleted list|Jennie Katherine Edmonia Henderson or| Edmonia Kath Landen}}
| alias = Catherine Henderson{{cite web|url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1950.html|title=The Dead Rock Stars Club : 1950s and earlier|website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com|author=Doc Rock|access-date=2014-09-12}}
The Melodious Blues Singer{{cite book|author=Oliver, Paul|date=1969|title=The Story of the Blues|publisher=Barrie & Jenkins, London|isbn=3-85445-092-3}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1898|12|25}} or 1900
| birth_place = Henderson, Tennessee or Jefferson County, Kentucky, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date|1947|2|17}} (age 46–48)
| death_place = Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
| instrument = Vocals
| genre = Classic female blues
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Singer (contralto)
- evangelist
}}
| years_active = 1920s
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
}}
Edmonia Henderson (December 25, 1898 or 1900 – February 17, 1947){{Cite book |last=Eagle |first=Bob L. |title=Blues: A Regional Experience |last2=LeBlanc |first2=Eric S. |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2013 |isbn=9780313344244 |pages=130}} was an American classic female blues singer.{{cite book|author=Stewart-Baxter, Derrick|date=1970|title=Ma Rainey and the Classic Blues Singers|location=London|publisher=Studio Vista|oclc=250212516|page=91}} She was active as a recording artist in the mid-1920s, recording at least 14 songs between 1924 and 1926.{{cite web|url=http://sundayblues.org/archives/tag/edmonia-henderson|title=Big Road Blues: Edmonia Henderson|website=Sundayblues.org|access-date=2014-09-12}} She later became an evangelist.
At various times, Henderson sang accompanied by Jelly Roll Morton, Tommy Ladnier, Lovie Austin, Eddie Heywood, and Johnny Dodds.
Career
Some sources state that she was born Jennie Katherine Edmonia Henderson, in Jefferson County, Kentucky (present-day Louisville), in 1900.{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Gerald L. |title=The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia |last2=McDaniel |first2=Karen |last3=Hardin |first3=John A. |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |year=2015 |isbn=9780813160672 |pages=602}} However, the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc state that she was born Edmonia Kath Landen in Tennessee on December 25, 1898.
Henderson appeared in vaudeville, both as a solo artist and as part of Joe Clark's Revue, performing on the Theater Owners Booking Association circuit, including appearances in Baltimore, Chicago, and Nashville.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2211&dat=19250530&id=XjYmAAAAIBAJ&pg=4334,1653275|title=Edmonia Henderson Charms with Voice and Smile|page=4|newspaper=Baltimore Afro-American|date=May 30, 1925|access-date=2014-09-12}}{{cite book| first= Norman| last= Kelley| year= 2002| title= R&B, Rhythm and Business: The Political Economy of Black Music| publisher= Akashic Books | location= New York City| isbn= 1-888451-68-8| pages= 107–108}} In 1925, she performed in Radio Girls, another vaudeville revue, which included Bessie Williams, Mamie Jefferson, and Baby Badge.{{cite book| first= Bernard L.| last= Peterson| year= 1993| title= A Century of Musicals in Black and White| publisher= Greenwood Press| location= Westport, Connecticut| isbn= 0-313-26657-3| page= [https://archive.org/details/centuryofmusical0000pete/page/283 283]| url= https://archive.org/details/centuryofmusical0000pete/page/283}}
Henderson's first recording was made in 1924. She recorded "Dead Man Blues" in 1926, with accompaniment by the writer of the song, Jelly Roll Morton, on piano.{{cite web|url=http://malcolmlowryatthe19thhole.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/dead-man-blues.html|title=Dead Man Blues|date=September 22, 2010 |website=Malcolmloweryatthe19thhole.blogspot.co.uk|access-date=2014-09-12}} In 1927, a record of hers was released in the United Kingdom by the British record label Oriole, as part of its Race Series, under licence from Vocalion. The series also included recordings by Rosa Henderson and Viola McCoy.{{cite book| first= Neil A.| last= Wynn| year= 2007| title= Cross the Water Blues: African American Music in Europe| url= https://archive.org/details/crosswaterbluesa00wynn| url-access= limited| publisher= University Press of Mississippi | location= Jackson| isbn= 978-1-57806-960-6| page= [https://archive.org/details/crosswaterbluesa00wynn/page/n79 67]}}
By 1928, she was teaching and giving gospel concerts at the Griffith Conservatory of Music in Louisville. In 1932, she married and became the Reverend Edmonia Buckner.{{cite web |title=Henderson, Edmonia |url=https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/949 |access-date=2014-09-12 |website=Nkaa.uky.edu}}{{cite book |last1=Eagle |first1=Bob |title=Blues: A Regional Experience |last2=LeBlanc |first2=Eric S. |publisher=Praeger |year=2013 |isbn=978-0313344237 |location=Santa Barbara, California |pages=522}}
Her work has appeared on various compilation albums, including The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records 1917–1927, Volume 1 (2013).{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/2555917-Edmonia-Henderson|title=Edmonia Henderson Discography|website=Discogs.com|access-date=2014-09-12}}
She is unrelated to Fletcher, Horace, Katherine, or Rosa Henderson.
Henderson died on February 17, 1947, in Louisville and was interred in Louisville Cemetery.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pXbYITw4ZesC&q=encyclopedia+of+louisville+edmonia+henderson&pg=PA380 |title=The Encyclopedia of Louisville |date=2001 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=0-8131-2100-0 |editor-last1=Kleber |editor-first1=John E. |location=Lexington |page=380 |access-date=September 13, 2014}}
Selected discography
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://honkingduck.com/discography/artist/edmonia_henderson Discography at The Honking Duck]
- {{Discogs artist|Edmonia Henderson}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henderson, Edmonia}}
Category:Year of birth uncertain
Category:20th-century African-American women singers
Category:American blues singers
Category:Classic female blues singers
Category:Vocalion Records artists
Category:Paramount Records artists
Category:Singers from Louisville, Kentucky
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:Blues musicians from Kentucky