Introduction: Women In Piedmont Blues
Piedmont blues is a style of music that comes from the southeastern United States. It is characterized by a fingerpicking guitar style, with a distinctly ragtime-influenced sound.
The style was popular between the early 1900s and the 1950s, and was common throughout the Carolinas, Virginia and Georgia.
Written Piedmont blues history is dominated by the names of men – Blind Boy Fuller, Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake. Piedmont blues picked on male hands.
But what about the women of Piedmont blues? The women who sang, wrote, recorded, and passed on this rich and vibrant tradition, often overlooked in the written history of the genre?
The women who not only contributed to the style, but whose voices are some of the most important, powerful, and influential elements of the Piedmont blues genre, inspiring generations of musicians?
In this piece, I want to celebrate those women. The women who picked, sang, and wrote Piedmont blues, whose contributions we deeply admire.
What is Piedmont Blues?
With its distinctive syncopated fingerpicking guitar style, Piedmont blues creates a sound that is reminiscent of ragtime piano music, setting it apart from other blues genres.
Emerging from the Southeastern United States, Piedmont blues was a defining style that gained popularity from the early 1900s to the mid-20th century in the Piedmont area, encompassing North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia.
As a predominantly acoustic guitar-driven style, Piedmont blues often incorporated the harmonica and occasionally the banjo. Its lyrics, while often touching on the hardships of daily life, also exuded humor and spirit, showcasing the genre’s versatility.
This type of blues was also a departure from the thick and more somber Delta blues that was common in other parts of the South. The lighter, more danceable Piedmont blues songs featured the driving rhythms of the guitar and encouraged storytelling through both playful guitar melodies and spirited vocals.
This music offered an opportunity for both men and women to perform and become musicians. While women were oftentimes overlooked in the historical narrative, there were female musicians who made an impact in the genre in the Piedmont region.
They played, recorded, and even shared the bill with more prominent male musicians. In this post, I will highlight these women and their contributions to Piedmont blues music. I encourage you to explore their music and the Piedmont blues genre further.
Etta Baker: Queen of Piedmont Guitar
Etta Baker was born in 1913 in Caldwell County, North Carolina. Her music, rooted in the Piedmont blues style characterized by intricate fingerpicking and clear, singable melodies, would influence this genre for generations to come.
She learned guitar and banjo from her father, Boone Reid. By age three, she was already confidently and gracefully picking out melodies.
Baker played in the intricate Piedmont fingerpicking style. This was characterized by alternating bass and syncopated melodies. She often played both six-string and twelve-string guitars to create a fuller sound.
Her music had clear, singable melodies woven around steady bass rhythms. This gave her playing a lyrical, almost vocal quality that was instantly memorable.
Two of her most famous songs, “One-Dime Blues” and “Railroad Bill,” Are a testament to her technical prowess and deep affinity for traditional folk melodies. These songs showcase her exceptional musical skills and her ability to bring traditional folk melodies to life.
You can listen to ‘One Dime Blues’ here
You can listen to ‘Railroad Bill here.
She played for family and local gatherings for many years. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that her music reached a wider audience. Folklorist Paul Clayton recorded Baker and brought her into the national spotlight.
Baker became part of a larger folk and blues revival sweeping the U.S. in the ‘50s and ‘60s. She performed at festivals and on college campuses, reaching new audiences.
Artists such as Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan have cited her influence, a testament to the profound impact of her work. Generations of blues and folk musicians learned from her and carried her style forward, ensuring that her legacy continues to shape the music industry.
Baker remained active well into her 80s, recording and performing with aplomb. Her dedication and talent were recognized with numerous awards, including a National Heritage Fellowship, a testament to the respect and admiration she earned in the music industry.
Her gentle demeanor, wide smile, and evocative music made her a beloved figure in roots music. Etta Baker, a humble and unassuming woman, showed that true talent, like the blues itself, is timeless.
Her legacy continues through her many recordings and the generations of artists she has inspired. Etta Baker is the true Queen of Piedmont Guitar.
You can read more about Etta Baker here
Elizabeth Cotton: Inventive and Influential
Elizabeth Cotten, an autodidact (self-taught person), crafted a distinctive and personal guitar style. As a left-handed player, she ingeniously played a right-handed guitar upside down, a testament to her unique approach.
Her picking hand was responsible for both bass and melody. This produced a sweet and melodic sound that was all her own.
One of the most enduring folk songs, “Freight Train,” was penned by a nine-year-old Cotten, a remarkable feat that she accomplished before her thirteenth birthday.
Despite many years away from playing, Cotten never lost her musical abilities. But it would be decades before she was discovered.
In her 60s, Cotten was a maid in the home of the musical Seeger family. They recognized her musical genius at once.
With their encouragement, she picked up her guitar again. Soon she was playing for live audiences once more.
Her debut album, Folksongs and Instrumentals with Guitar, was released in 1958. Listeners responded to her fingerpicking style.
Her beautiful tone and gift for melody were obvious to all. Songs such as “Freight Train” delighted folk and blues fans.
Her music evoked the joys and hardships of memory, and of ordinary life. Elizabeth Cotten sang and played with dignity and originality.
Cotten was posthumously recognized with several awards and honors, a testament to the value of her musical contributions. These include a Grammy and the National Heritage Fellowship.
Generations of folk and blues musicians have been influenced by her work. The quiet originality of Elizabeth Cotten still resonates in American music, a testament to the lasting impact of her legacy.
Algia Mae Hinton: Country Blues Storyteller
Algia Mae Hinton, born in 1929 in Johnston County, North Carolina, was raised in a unique environment-a musical, cultural, and traditional farming community. This upbringing would later shape her musical journey.
She was taught guitar and buck dancing by her mother. Hinton began at a young age to connect music with rhythm and motion.
What set Hinton apart was her rare and mesmerizing talent. Her lively stage presence, coupled with the ability to perform traditional dances while playing her guitar, was a sight to behold.
Her repertoire often included comical, folksy songs. Among her most popular songs is the playful ‘When You Kill the Chicken, Save Me the Head.’
You can listen to ‘When You Kill the Chicken, Save Me the Head’ here
Hinton shared her music with a larger audience at festivals. She performed at folk and blues festivals throughout the Southeastern region and elsewhere.
Her performance at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. was a testament to her work in preserving the cultural origins of Piedmont blues, a significant contribution to the music world.
Hinton was not just an entertainer, but a strong tradition bearer. Her storytelling, music, and dance were a captivating window into African American rural life.
She handed down the Piedmont style with poise and charm. Her audiences were transported into a living past with her songs and movement.
Algia Mae Hinton was a living bridge between generations. Her Piedmont artistry kept the music alive, joyful, and intimately personal.
Cora Phillips: The Soul of the Scene
Cora Phillips was a strong influence in the Carolina Piedmont blues community.
As a native of the Piedmont region, Cora Phillips was deeply rooted in its traditional music. Her Piedmont fingerpicking style and soulful lyrics were a reflection of the region’s emotions and experiences.
Phillips was known for her warm and soulful voice and her heartfelt renditions of Piedmont blues songs. She was also a strong performer and her shows were a mix of original compositions and traditional Piedmont blues numbers.
Phillips was an active member of the Piedmont blues community and performed regularly with other local artists. She brought a lively and spirited energy to her performances, often engaging the audience with her performance style and interaction with the audience. Her stage presence was as memorable as her music.
While Cora Phillips didn’t leave behind a vast discography, her music is a treasured part of oral history and her local community.
She was known for her powerful voice and her ability to make each song she sang come to life.
Phillips was an important part of the mid 20th century Piedmont blues community.
Audiences remember her not only as a great Piedmont style singer but also as a generous performe.renowned for her powerful voice and her ability to bring each song she sang.
Other Notable Female Artists
Virginia Liston performed blues and vaudeville music during the 1920s. A powerful voice and captivating stage presence marked her performances to early listeners.
Mary Jane Leach was a Piedmont traditional singer. Her legacy is known through folk memory and oral tradition, as few records exist of her.
The 20th century was a challenging era for women blues artists to record their work. Despite the restricted access to studios and gatekeepers, these resilient women persevered, leaving an indelible mark on the blues scene.
But women like Liston and Leach played a large part in their communities as performers. They influenced the style of their regions by sharing their sound at social events.
They were carriers of culture, passing on their musical knowledge through oral tradition. They were instrumental in regional blues styles, despite scarce recordings.
Much of blues history is lost because of the exclusion of women from commercial opportunities.
It is crucial that we continue to search for more information on female blues singers who remain undiscovered by modern scholars. Their stories and contributions are an integral part of the broader history of the blues, and their voices deserve to be heard.
The knowledge of their work and contributions can help complete the broader history of the blues.
Contemporary Women Keeping it Alive
The Piedmont style is proudly upheld and carried on by women, showcasing their unwavering dedication to the genre. Valerie Turner of Piedmont Blūz is a shining example of this commitment, as she continues the tradition through her performances, recordings, and teachings of this historic style.
Turner’s music not only preserves the old fingerpicking techniques and patterns developed in the Southeast but also serves as a beacon of cultural education. She enlightens her audiences about the rich cultural context and origins of the music, enriching their understanding and appreciation of Piedmont blues.
Workshops, lectures, and performance presentations feature Turner’s music and Piedmont history.
Alongside Turner, a new wave of younger women artists is reshaping the landscape of Piedmont blues. They are infusing the traditional Piedmont elements with their own unique influences, creating a fresh and exciting sound that can be heard in folk, jazz, and even indie music.
Female artists have been a large part of the revival and reinterpretation of Piedmont blues. The artists are maintaining the style’s distinct feel, while also innovating and making the music relevant for new audiences.
Today, Piedmont blues is gaining visibility through festivals, school and community events, and other educational programs. Many of these focus on youth education and are passing on knowledge about the music’s long history.
The Piedmont blues community today has some active and talented women who are ensuring the genre’s music and history live on. These artists have become stewards of the tradition. The tradition continues to grow and thrive today through their work.
If you are a fan of Piedmont blues, or if you are new to the genre, check out some of the women performing and recording today. Enjoy exploring their music, and the ways in which they honor tradition and make it their own.
Piedmont blues will continue to be a living, breathing art form, passed from one generation of women to another.
Why Their Legacy Matters Today
Documenting these women’s achievements and their lives preserves their voices as part of the blues narrative. They provided a bedrock of influence for styles that developed after their careers ended.
They crafted a regional sound that had an impact on folk, country, and even early rock and roll. The influence they had on future music is much deeper than most people are aware of.
Their music, rich with emotional content, is a testament to cultural survival, creative artistry, and brutal honesty. These songs are not just for entertainment, they are a living history.
Encouraging the education and inclusion of more female artists is not just an overdue honor, but a crucial step towards learning a more complete history of the music’s origins and range. It’s an opportunity to be enlightened about their significant contributions.
Their stories help us to understand that greatness does not always rise to the surface. However, their determination to persevere lives on through their legacy to inspire current and future generations.
By remembering these women, we not only preserve their music but also the spirit in which they made it. Their legacy is not only an important lesson, but a beacon as well, reminding us of our responsibility to safeguard their contributions.
Conclusion: Honoring Piedmont Blues Women
The music of Etta Baker, Elizabeth Cotten, Algia Mae Hinton and many others breathed life and soul into the Piedmont blues style, passing it on through the musicianship, passion and unique lyrical narratives that defined the idiom.
These were not just musicians, but true artists, whose influence on American culture, both in music and beyond, can be profound, if often indirect. It’s time they were given the recognition and celebration they truly deserve.
Play their records, buy their records, talk about their records. Go to festivals or performances that feature Piedmont traditions.
Support archives, museums and efforts that work to preserve their legacy for future generations. In remembering these women, future generations can know the women who made America’s roots music what it is today. It’s our responsibility to ensure their legacy lives on.