W. C. Handy was an American composer and musician known as the 'Father of the Blues' who transcribed, published, and popularized rural African American folk blues into an internationally celebrated musical form with masterpieces like 'The Memphis Blues' and 'Saint Louis Blues'.
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Composer, Cornetist, Bandleader, and 'Father of the Blues'
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Honor the extraordinary legacy of W. C. Handy on November 16 with these curated quotes, philosophical reflections, and heartfelt tributes celebrating their monumental impact on Composer, Cornetist, Bandleader, and 'Father of the Blues'.
“The blues came from the cotton fields, from the railroad tracks, from the sweat of the levee, from the sorrow of a people who needed to sing their pain away.”
“Life is like a trumpet—if you don't put anything into it, you don't get anything out of it.”
“The blues was the musical expression of the African American soul under oppression—it had no master except human emotion.”
“My mother told me that when I was born, a great storm raged outside. I believe that storm gave me my music.”
“You cannot manufacture the blues; you have to live them and feel them in your bones.”
“They tried to tell us our music was vulgar, but we knew it was the living poetry of our people.”
“No matter how dark the road, melody has the power to light the way.”
“Setting down folk songs in black and white was not just about making music; it was about saving our history.”
“I wanted the world to know what my people felt, suffered, and overcame.”
“Music is the only language where different races and creeds can find complete harmony.”
Composer, Cornetist, Bandleader, and 'Father of the Blues'
