H. C. Speir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
H. C. Speir (born Henry C. Speir in Prospect, Mississippi, October 6, 1895; d. Jackson, Mississippi, 1972) was an American "talent broker" and record store owner from Jackson, Mississippi. He was responsible for launching the recording careers of most of the greatest Mississippi blues musicians in the 1920s and 1930s.
Among the numerous musicians whom Speir introduced to the record companies were Ishman Bracey, Tommy Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Skip James, Robert Johnson, Bo Carter, Willie Brown, the Mississippi Sheiks, Blind Joe Reynolds, Blind Roosevelt Graves, Geeshie Wiley, and Robert Wilkins. The record companies for which they recorded included Columbia, Victor, Brunswick, Okeh, Vocalion, Paramount, Decca, and others.
Many blues musicians auditioned at Speir's store on Farish Street, in Jackson's black neighborhood. He remained in business from 1925 until 1944. This audition process is recreated in Martin Scorsese's The Blues television series, which aired on PBS in 2003.
Speir was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2005.[1]
[edit] External links
- H. C. Speir bio
- H. C. Speir interview (introduction)
- H. C. Speir interview (part 1)
- H. C. Speir interview (part 2)
- H. C. Speir interview (part 3)
