Kid Bailey facts for kids

Kid Bailey was a blues musician from the Mississippi Delta region of the United States. We don't know exactly when he was born, but he was active in music from the early 1920s into the 1950s. He is known for his unique voice and guitar playing.

Who Was Kid Bailey?

Kid Bailey was a Delta blues musician. The Delta blues is a type of blues music that started in the Mississippi Delta. It often features a single singer playing the guitar. Bailey's voice was described as rough but also young-sounding.

He made his only known recording session on September 25, 1929. This happened in Memphis, Tennessee. A recording session is when a musician goes into a studio to record their songs.

His Music and Recordings

Only two of Kid Bailey's songs are known to exist today. These songs are called "Rowdy Blues" and "Mississippi Bottom Blues." These recordings were originally released on old records called 78-rpm records.

Sometimes, on newer digital music releases, these songs are listed under a different artist's name, Willie Brown. However, experts agree that the voice and style on these recordings match Kid Bailey's original 78-rpm records. This makes his story a bit more mysterious.

A Mysterious Musician

Kid Bailey is considered one of the most mysterious blues musicians from his time. Not much is known about his life. This is common for many blues artists from the American South during that period.

Some people have wondered if "Kid Bailey" was actually a pseudonym for Willie Brown. A pseudonym is a fake name or a stage name that an artist might use. This idea adds to the mystery of who Kid Bailey really was.

His Influence on Other Artists

Even though he only had a few recordings, Kid Bailey's music has been important. Other musicians have performed cover versions of his songs. A cover version is when one artist performs a song that was originally recorded by another artist.

Some of the artists who have covered Kid Bailey's songs include Ian A. Anderson, Rory Block, and Doug Cox. The band The Be Good Tanyas and musicians Thomasina Winslow with Nick Katzman have also covered his work. This shows that his music continues to inspire new generations of musicians.

Where to Find His Music

One of Kid Bailey's famous songs, "Rowdy Blues," can be found on a special music collection. It is part of a compilation album called Master of the Delta Blues: The Friends of Charlie Patton. A compilation album is a collection of songs by different artists, often put together around a certain theme or genre. This album was released by Yazoo Records.