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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMONTGOMERY, Little Brother(b Eurreal Wilford Montgomery, 18 April '06, Kentwood LA; d 6 Sep. '85, Chicago IL) Blues singer, composer, one of the great pianists in 'barrelhouse' style, bridging the gap between jazz and blues: an easy rocking swing that came from New orleans. Father owned a honkytonk; began on piano at age five, moved to Chicago '28, worked rent parties etc. with others incl. Pine Top Smith; toured the South through '30s but Chicago was home base from '42: he played clubs, festivals, toured Europe several times '60s--70s. First records were two solo sides for Paramount '30: 'No Special Rider Blues' and 'Vicksburg Blues' remained among his best-known tunes; 22 sides for Bluebird '35--6 made in New Orleans were mostly solo, incl. more versions of 'Vicksburg', also piano showpiece 'Farish Street Jive'. Worked with Edith Wilson '70s; appeared in The Devil's Music -- A History Of The Blues (BBC-TV '76). Recorded for small Chicago labels '50s, with Otis Rush on Cobra '58, for Folkways and Prestige '60, EMI/Columbia in London '60, Riverside '61; Blackbird/Adelphi, Matchbox, Delmark in Chicago '70s. Albums incl. Blues, Church Songs, Farro Street Jive on Folkways, Tasty Blues on Prestige, Goodbye Mr Blues on Delmark. At Home on Earwig compiled '67--82 tracks incl. brother Tollie Montgomery on piano, vocals by Jan Montgomery and Edith Wilson (reprising her '23 hit 'Yankee Doodle Blues', attrib. to Irving Berlin). |