Jessie Mae Hemphill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jessie Mae Hemphill
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Hemphill in the 1980s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jessie Mae Hemphill |
| Born | October 18, 1923 near Como and Senatobia, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | July 22, 2006 (aged 82) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | North Mississippi hill country blues |
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Jessie Mae Hemphill (October 18, 1923 – July 22, 2006) was an American musician. She was a talented electric guitarist, songwriter, and singer. Jessie Mae was known for her unique style of blues music. This style is called North Mississippi hill country blues. It came from her family and the area where she grew up.
Contents
Early Life and Music Journey
Jessie Mae Hemphill was born in Mississippi. This was near the towns of Como and Senatobia. She started playing the guitar when she was just seven years old.
She also played drums in local fife-and-drum bands. Her grandfather, Sid Hemphill, led one of these bands. Jessie Mae played both the snare drum and the bass drum in his group.
For many years, she mostly played music with her family. They would play at picnics and other informal gatherings. She didn't record her music until 1979.
First Recordings and Discoveries
Jessie Mae's first recordings were made by music researchers. George Mitchell recorded her in 1967. Later, David Evans recorded her in 1973. These early recordings were not released to the public.
At that time, she was known as Jessie Mae Brooks. This was a surname from a short marriage she had earlier.
In 1978, David Evans moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He taught at the University of Memphis. The university started a record company called High Water Recording Company in 1979. Its goal was to share the music from the Southern United States. Evans made the first high-quality recordings of Hemphill. He also helped produce her first recording sessions for High Water.
Becoming a Recording Artist
Jessie Mae Hemphill began her recording career in the early 1980s. Her first full album was called She-Wolf. It was released in 1981 by a French record label.
She also performed in drum groups. One group included Abe Young and Jim Harper. She also played with Young and fife-and-drum musician Othar Turner for the TV show Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.
Jessie Mae performed concerts all over the United States. She also played in many other countries. These included France, Germany, and Canada.
Awards and Later Years
Jessie Mae Hemphill won important awards for her music. In 1987 and 1988, she received the W. C. Handy Award. This award was for the best traditional female blues artist.
Her first American album, Feelin' Good, came out in 1990. It also won a Handy Award for best acoustic album.
In 1993, Jessie Mae had a stroke. This made it hard for her to play the guitar. She stopped her blues career as a guitarist. However, she still played the tambourine with her band.
In 2004, she released new music. It was a double album and DVD called Dare You to Do It Again. This album featured gospel songs. She sang and played tambourine. Other musicians helped her, including Steve Gardner and DJ Logic. These were her first recordings since her stroke.
Jessie Mae Hemphill passed away on July 22, 2006. She died in Memphis, Tennessee.
Her Impact on Music
Jessie Mae Hemphill was a very important artist. She was one of the first successful female blues musicians. Her music inspired many other artists.
For example, the indie musician Chan Marshall has performed Hemphill's songs. Marshall performed Hemphill's song "Lord, Help the Poor and Needy" on her album Jukebox.
In 2003, Jessie Mae's friend Olga Wilhelmine Munding started a foundation. It is called the Jessie Mae Hemphill Foundation. This foundation helps save and share the African-American music of northern Mississippi. It also helps musicians in the area who need support.
One of Hemphill's songs was used in a dance performance. It was called Tales from the Creek. This performance celebrated black culture in New York City in 1998.
Discography
- She-Wolf (1981; reissued 1998)
- Swamp Surfing in Memphis, various artists (1986; reissued 1998)
- Mississippi Blues Festival, various artists (1986; reissued 2004)
- Giants of Country Blues Guitar (1967–1981), various artists (1988)
- Feelin' Good (1987; reissued 1997 with extra tracks)
- The Fabulous Low-Price HMG Blues Sampler, various artists (1997)
- Deep South Blues, various artists (1999)
- Heritage of the Blues: Shake It Baby (2003)
- Dare You to Do It Again (2004)
- Get Right Blues (2004)
- Mississippi Blues Festival, with tracks by Hezekiah & the House Rockers (2004)
- On Air: Live Music from the WEVL Archives, various artists (1996)
- Foot Hill Stomp, with Richard Johnston (2002)
Films
- Deep Blues: A Musical Pilgrimage to the Crossroads (1991), directed by Robert Mugge
