Frank Stokes (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frank Stokes
Background information
Born	(1877-01-01)January 1, 1877 or 1888 Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Died	(1955-09-12)September 12, 1955 (aged 67 or 78) Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Genres	Delta blues, country blues
Occupation(s)	Singer, guitarist, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Labels	Vocalion, Victor

Frank Stokes was an American blues musician. Many people think he was the "father" of the Memphis blues guitar style. He was born in 1877 or 1888 and passed away in 1955. He was a talented singer, guitarist, and songwriter.

Frank Stokes' Early Life and Music

Frank Stokes was born in Shelby County, Tennessee. We are not exactly sure when he was born. Some records say 1888, but others say 1877. This earlier date is found on his World War I draft card.

Frank's parents died when he was young. His stepfather raised him in Tutwiler, Mississippi. He learned to play the guitar there as a teenager. After 1895, he lived in Hernando, Mississippi. This area was home to other famous guitar players like Jim Jackson and Dan Sane.

Around the early 1900s, Stokes worked as a blacksmith. On weekends, he would travel to Memphis, Tennessee, about 25 miles away. There, he would sing and play guitar with Dan Sane. They often performed on the streets and in Church's Park (now W. C. Handy Park) on Memphis's famous Beale Street. This type of street performing is called busking.

Touring and Recording Music

In the mid-1910s, Stokes joined a traveling show called the Doc Watts Medicine Show. He performed as a comedian and dancer. He also sang songs while wearing blackface makeup. This was a popular form of entertainment at the time. Touring with this show helped Stokes become a very skilled performer. He was more polished than many other blues musicians of his time. Some say his performances even influenced the famous country singer Jimmie Rodgers.

Around 1920, Stokes settled in Oakville, Tennessee. He went back to working as a blacksmith. But he still played music with Dan Sane in his free time. They played at dances, picnics, and parties. They also joined a group called Jack Kelly's Jug Busters. They played for parties at fancy country clubs.

Stokes and Sane performed on Beale Street as the Beale Street Sheiks. They made their first recordings in August 1927 for Paramount Records. Stokes eventually recorded 38 songs for Paramount and Victor Records. People loved their music because of the smooth guitar playing between Stokes and Sane. They also had a strong beat, clever lyrics, and Stokes's powerful voice. Their style even influenced the young musician Memphis Minnie.

In February 1928, the Sheiks recorded for Victor Records. They focused more on blues songs during this session. Stokes recorded again for Victor in August 1928. He played "I Got Mine," a song about gambling. He also recorded "Nehi Mama," which was a funny song about the popular "Nehi" soft drink and fashionable skirts. Dan Sane joined Stokes for more recordings that August. They made a two-part version of "Tain't Nobody's Business if I Do." This song was very old, even before blues music became popular.

In 1929, Stokes and Sane recorded for Paramount again as the Beale Street Sheiks. Later that year, Stokes made his last recordings for Victor. This time, he played with Will Batts on the fiddle. Stokes and Batts were a great team. Their music was both traditional and very original. However, their style was becoming less popular with people buying records.

Even so, Stokes remained a popular live performer. He appeared in medicine shows and even the Ringling Brothers Circus during the 1930s and 1940s. In the 1940s, he moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi. He sometimes played with Bukka White in local juke joints, which were informal places where people could listen to music and dance.

Frank Stokes passed away in Memphis on September 12, 1955. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Memphis. In 2017, Frank Stokes was honored by being added to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

Discography

• Frank Stokes with Dan Sane & Will Bats 1927–1929 (Roots, 1968)
• Creator of the Memphis Blues (Yazoo, 1977)
• The Remaining Titles (Matchbox, 1984)
• The Victor Recordings in Chronological Order 1928–1929 (Document, 1990)
• The Best of Frank Stokes (Yazoo, 2005)
• Downtown Blues (Monk, 2010)

Songs Recorded by Stokes

See also

In Spanish: Frank Stokes para niños