Lottie Kimbrough

Lottie Kimbrough
Also known as Lottie Beaman; "The Kansas City Butterball"; Lottie Kimborough; Lena Kimbrough; Clara Cary; Jennie Brooks; Lottie Brown; Lottie Emerson; Mae Moran; Martha Jackson[1]
Born 1893 or 1900
Jonesboro, Arkansas, U.S. or
West Bottoms, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Died Unknown
Genres Country blues[2]
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1920s
Labels

Lottie Kimbrough (1893[3] or 1900[4] – unknown) was an American country blues singer, who was also billed as Lottie Beaman (her married name), Lottie Kimborough, and Lena Kimbrough (among several other names). She was a large woman and was nicknamed "the Kansas City Butterball".[2][5] Her recording career lasted from 1924 to 1929. Allmusic journalist Burgin Mathews wrote that "Kimbrough's vocal power, and the unique arrangements of several of her best pieces, rank her as one of the sizable talents of the 1920s blues tradition."[2]

Biography

Kimbrough was born in either Jonesboro, Arkansas[3] or West Bottoms, Kansas City, Missouri,[2] and retained close links to the Kansas City community. By 1915, she used the name Lottie Mitchell, and had married William Beaman by 1920.[3]

She was managed by Winston Holmes, himself a local musician and music promoter.[2] Her music career began in the early 1920s, when she performed in nightclubs and speakeasies in Kansas City.[4] In 1924 she undertook her first recording session, at Paramount Records, where she was recorded alongside Ma Rainey. Her earliest recordings used the twins Milas (banjo) and Miles Pruitt (guitar). She was later backed by Jimmy Blythe (piano).[2] In 1925 she shared recording studio space with Papa Charlie Jackson. The same year she cut some tracks for Merrit Records, owned by Holmes.[4]

Kimbrough recorded and performed using a number of pseudonyms. She used her married name, Lottie Beaman, on almost half of her tracks, but for her 1926 recording sessions Holmes suggested that she be renamed Lena Kimbrough. He also used a photograph of her more photogenic sister, Estella, for publicity.[2] Kimbrough also appeared billed as Clara Cary and as Mae Moran. She further recorded in Richmond, Indiana, and pseudonyms were used for issues by Gennett Records, Champion Records (which billed her as Lottie Emerson), Supertone Records (as Lottie Brown) and Superior Records (as Martha Jackson).[4][6] Her Gennett sessions produced the tracks "Rolling Log Blues" and "Goin' Away Blues", which music journalist Tony Russell described as having "haunting beauty".[7]

Kimbrough's brother Sylvester appeared with her in vaudeville, and in 1926 he supplied recording accompaniment for Paul Banks's Kansas City Trio. However, it was Kimbrough's musical collaboration with Holmes which produced her better-known recordings. Holmes supplied yodels and vocalised bird calls and train whistles on "Lost Lover Blues" and "Wayward Girl Blues" (1928). Miles Pruitt participated in this recording and was a regular partner throughout Kimbrough's recording and concert career. He was featured again when Kimbrough recorded her final session in November 1929.[2]

Her song "Rolling Log Blues" (which she wrote) has been recorded by Jo Ann Kelly, Woody Mann, Son House, the Blues Band, Rory Block, Eric Bibb, Maria Muldaur, and Buffy Sainte-Marie.[8]

Little is known of her life beyond her recording career.[4]

Selected compilation albums

See also

References

  1. ↑ Peschke, Michael (2006). International Encyclopedia of Pseudonyms: Part I, Real Names. Walter de Gruyter. p. 214. ISBN 3-598-24960-8.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mathews, Burgin. "Lottie Kimbrough". Allmusic. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 505. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lottie Kimbrough". Thebluestrail.com. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  5. ↑ Kennedy, Rick (1999). Little Labels – Big Sound: Small Record Companies and the Rise of American Music. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 16. ISBN 0-253-33548-5.
  6. ↑ Oliver, Paul (1970). Yonder Come the Blues: The Evolution of a Genre. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 287. ISBN 0-521-78777-7.
  7. ↑ "James Cotton". Sundayblues.org. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Allmusic ((( Lottie Kimbrough > Songs > Songs Composed By )))".
  9. ↑ "Allmusic ((( Lottie Kimbrough & Winston Holmes (1928–1929) > Lottie Kimbrough > Overview )))".
  10. ↑ "Kansas City Blues 1924–1929 (Document, 1993)". Record-fiend.blogspot.com. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
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