Charley Jordan (July 11, 1890 – November 15, 1954) was an American St. Louis blues (music), St. Louis blues singing, singer, songwriter and guitarist, as well as a talent scout, originally from Mabelvale, Arkansas, Mabelvale, Arkansas, United States. He was known for a unique style that drew on his rural roots. The Killer Blues Headstone Project placed a headstone for Charley Jordan.

Life and career

Jordan sound recording and reproduction, recorded numerous single (music), singles for Vocalion Records, Vocalion and Decca Records, Decca between 1930 and 1937, and also performed with some well-regarded bluesmen from the 1920s to the 1940s. Jordan played with Peetie Wheatstraw, Roosevelt Sykes, Casey Bill Weldon and Memphis Minnie. Noted for his "crisply firm guitar", he had most of his biggest hits, including "Keep It Clean", in the early to mid-1930s. Later in that decade and into the 1940s, he worked frequently with Big Joe Williams.

Spinal injury

In 1928, Jordan was shot in the spine, this was due to his extramusical career as a rum-running, bootlegger. This gave him a long term disability and caused him to walk with crutches thereafter (which can be seen in the few photographs of Jordan available). Jordan died of pneumonia or violence in 1954 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Discography

A partial discography is available online.

Songs

*"Big Four Blues" *"Got Your Water On Blues" *"Crazy With the Blues" *"Dollar Bill Blues" *"Honeysucker Blues" *"Hunkie Tunkie Blues" *"I Couldn't Stay Here" *"Just a Spoonful" *"Keep It Clean" *"Raidin' Squad Blues" *"Stack O'Dollars Blues"

Compilations

*1992 - ''Charlie Jordan Vol. 1, 1930 - 1931'' - Document Records, Document *1992 - ''Charlie Jordan Vol. 2, 1931 - 1934'' - Document *1992 - ''Charlie Jordan Vol. 3, 1935 - 1937'' - Document *2004 - ''The Essential Charley Jordan'' - Classic Blues

References

Other sources

* * * ''Charlie Jordan Vol. 1, 1930 - 1931'' : sleeve notes on Charley Jordan

External links

Rokkets Discography

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Charlie 1890 births 1954 deaths People from Pulaski County, Arkansas Country blues musicians American blues guitarists American male guitarists American blues singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Arkansas Vocalion Records artists Deaths from pneumonia in Missouri St. Louis blues musicians American bootleggers 20th-century American singers 20th-century American guitarists Guitarists from Arkansas 20th-century American male singers American male singer-songwriters