Ted Bogan facts for kids

Theodore R. Bogan (born May 10, 1909 – died January 29, 1990) was an American country blues musician. He was a talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Ted Bogan was famous for playing with his friends Howard Armstrong and Carl Martin. His music career lasted for more than 50 years. People really admired his special finger-picking guitar style. He played in many different string bands throughout his life.

Ted Bogan's Musical Journey

Early Life and Music

Ted Bogan was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. When he was a teenager, he learned to play the guitar using a finger-picking style. This means he used his fingers to pluck individual strings. He listened to musicians like Leroy Carr and Blind Blake on his family's radio.

It is said that Ted started performing in medicine shows. These were traveling shows that sold medicines and featured entertainment. He also appeared on radio shows in Spartanburg. Later, he met Carl Martin and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. They often played music together on street corners. Ted improved his guitar playing by adding flatpicking to his style. This is when a musician uses a pick to strum or pluck strings.

Playing with Friends

Ted Bogan made his first recordings in 1934 for Bluebird Records. He played with Howard Armstrong, whom he had met four years earlier. They recorded songs like "State Street Rag" and "Ted's Stomp." Howard Armstrong used the stage name Louie Bluie, which a fan had given him.

In the 1940s, Ted and his friends performed as a group called the Four Keys. They toured and played music across the central United States. Later, in Chicago, they played as the backing band for another musician named Bumble Bee Slim. Their group then changed its name to the Tennessee Chocolate Drops. They wanted to reach different audiences with their music.

The group played many kinds of music, including blues, jazz, pop, and country. They also played popular songs from other countries. For many years, Ted Bogan, Howard Armstrong, and their friends played in different acoustic string band groups. An acoustic string band uses instruments that don't need electricity. However, as jukeboxes (music-playing machines) and electric bands became popular, their music was heard less often.

Later Years and Legacy

In the 1970s, people became interested in string bands again. Ted Bogan and Carl Martin were still living in Chicago. In 1974, their group, Martin, Bogan & Armstrong, played at the 36th National Folk Festival. This event took place in Vienna, Virginia. Carl Martin passed away in 1979, but Ted Bogan and Howard Armstrong kept playing music together.

Ted Bogan and Howard Armstrong also appeared in a 1985 documentary film called Louie Bluie. The film was directed by Terry Zwigoff. He was inspired to find them after hearing their song "State Street Rag."

Ted Bogan passed away in Detroit, Michigan, in January 1990. He was 80 years old.

Partial Discography

See also

• List of country blues musicians