Tom Delaney (songwriter) facts for kids

Thomas Henry Delaney (born September 14, 1889 – died December 16, 1963) was an American musician. He was a talented songwriter, pianist, and singer. Tom Delaney became famous for writing many popular blues and jazz songs. Most of his well-known songs were created in the 1920s.

Many famous singers and musicians recorded his music. These included Ethel Waters, Count Basie, and Dinah Washington. While he mostly wrote songs for others, Tom Delaney also recorded a few of his own songs.

About Tom Delaney

Tom Delaney was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He spent his early years living in orphanages. One of these was the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston. There, he first learned about music. He even started a group called the Springfield Minstrels.

Later, he traveled along the East Coast. He performed in a singing and dancing duo called Mitchell and Delaney.

His Early Hits

One of Tom Delaney's first songs was "Jazz Me Blues." It was published in 1921 and became very popular. Lucille Hegamin recorded it that same year. The song later became a well-known jazz standard. This means it was a very important and often-played jazz song.

In 1921, he also wrote "The Down Home Blues." Ethel Waters recorded this song, with Delaney playing the piano. It became her first big hit. The song reached number 5 on the U.S. music charts. Tom Delaney also helped manage Ethel Waters's career.

More Popular Songs

In 1923, Tom Delaney wrote "Sinful Blues." Sometimes, other people were wrongly given credit for his songs. This happened because of a music producer named Joe Davis. However, Delaney was still credited for songs like "If I Lose, Let Me Lose (Mamma Don't Mind)" by Maggie Jones. He also wrote "Troublesome Blues" for Clara Smith in 1927.

Helen Gross recorded Delaney's song "I Wanna Jazz Some More" in 1924. This song became famous for its fun lyric: "Miss Susan Green from New Orleans."

In 1929, Delaney wrote "Down on Pennsylvania Avenue." This song was one of only four recorded by Bertha Idaho. It's not fully clear if Delaney or Clarence Williams played piano on Idaho's recordings.

His Own Recordings

Tom Delaney didn't record many of his own songs. He released two singles in 1922 through Columbia Records. These were recorded in New York. One single had "Bow Legged Mama" and "Parson Jones (You Ain't Livin' Right)." The other had "I'm Leavin' Just to Ease My Worried Mind" and "Georgia Stockade Blues."

His version of "Georgia Stockade Blues" was included on a 1999 music collection. This collection was called Broke, Black and Blue: An Anthology of Blues Classics and Rarities.

His Later Years and Passing

Tom Delaney passed away in December 1963. He was 74 years old. He died in Baltimore, Maryland, due to a health problem.

Selected Songs by Tom Delaney