Rosa Lee Hill facts for kids

Rosa Lee Hill (born September 25, 1910 – died October 22, 1968) was an American blues musician. She was born Rosa Lee Hemphill in Como, Mississippi, United States.

Music Career

Rosa Lee Hill played a special kind of blues music from northern Mississippi. Her songs often had a deep, thoughtful feeling. She used her acoustic guitar to create music with subtle, repeated sounds.

Learning and Playing Music

Rosa Lee was the daughter of Hill country blues musician Sid Hemphill. She learned to play the guitar from her father. By the time she was ten years old, she was already playing at dances with him.

Her Recordings

Several of Rosa Lee's songs were recorded by Alan Lomax in 1959. One of these famous songs was "Rolled and Tumbled." Another song, "Bullyin' Well," was also recorded by Alan Lomax and has appeared on many music collections over the years.

Rosa Lee Hill and her husband worked as sharecroppers, which meant they farmed land owned by someone else and paid rent with a share of their crops. They faced many challenges.

Her Album

Later, an album called Rosa Lee Hill and Friends was released. This album was part of a project by Fat Possum records to share older recordings made by George Mitchell. The album featured Rosa Lee's niece, Jessie Mae Hemphill, along with other musicians like Jim Bunkley, Catherine Porter, Will Shade, Essie Mae Brooks, Precious Bryant, and Lottie Kate.

Later Life

Rosa Lee Hill passed away in October 1968, when she was 58 years old, in Senatobia, Mississippi.