Major Merriweather (March 31, 1905 – February 23, 1953),[1] better known as Big Maceo Merriweather, was an American pianist and blues singer. He was mainly active in Chicago through the 1940s.[2]
Born in Newnan, Georgia,[1] he was a self-taught pianist. In the 1920s, he moved to Detroit, Michigan, to begin his music career. He moved to Chicago in 1941, where he made the acquaintance of Tampa Red.[3] Red introduced him to Lester Melrose of RCA Victor and its subsidiary label Bluebird Records, who signed Merriweather to a recording contract.[4]
His first record was "Worried Life Blues" (1941), which became a blues hit and remained his signature piece.[5] The song had elements derived from Sleepy John Estes' "Someday, Baby".[5] Other classic piano blues recordings followed, such as "Chicago Breakdown", "Texas Stomp", and "Detroit Jump".[4] His piano style was developed from players like Leroy Carr and Roosevelt Sykes and from the boogie-woogie style of Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons. He in turn influenced other musicians, such as Little Johnny Jones[6] and Henry Gray, the latter of whom credited Merriweather with helping him launch his career as a blues pianist.
His style influenced practically every postwar blues pianist of significance.[3] His best known song, "Worried Life Blues", is a staple of the blues repertoire, with artists such as Eric Clapton performing it regularly in concert.[7] It was in the first batch of songs inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in the category Classic Blues Recordings – Singles or Album Tracks, alongside "Stormy Monday", 'Sweet Home Chicago", "Dust My Broom", and "Hellhound on My Trail".[8]
Merriweather suffered a stroke in 1946.[3] He died of a heart attack on February 23, 1953, in Chicago and was interred at the Detroit Memorial Cemetery, in Warren, Michigan.[9]
His recordings for RCA Victor/Bluebird were released as a double album, Chicago Breakdown, in 1975. They have since been reissued on various labels.[9]
In 2002, he was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
On May 3, 2008, the White Lake Blues Festival took place at the Howmet Playhouse Theater, in Whitehall, Michigan. The event was organized by executive producer Steve Salter, of the nonprofit organization Killer Blues, to raise monies to honor Merriweather's unmarked grave with a headstone. The concert was a success, and a headstone was placed in June 2008.
^. Cascadeblues.org. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
^"1983 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees". Blues.org. Retrieved 2008-08-29.[permanent dead link]
^ ab. AllAboutJazz.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
External linksedit
African American Registry
Illustrated Big Maceo discography
December 15, 2023
maceo, merriweather, major, merriweather, march, 1905, february, 1953, better, known, american, pianist, blues, singer, mainly, active, chicago, through, 1940s, birth, namemajor, merriweatherborn, 1905, march, 1905newnan, georgia, diedfebruary, 1953, 1953, age. Major Merriweather March 31 1905 February 23 1953 1 better known as Big Maceo Merriweather was an American pianist and blues singer He was mainly active in Chicago through the 1940s 2 Big Maceo MerriweatherBirth nameMajor MerriweatherBorn 1905 03 31 March 31 1905Newnan Georgia U S DiedFebruary 23 1953 1953 02 23 aged 47 Chicago Illinois U S GenresChicago bluesOccupation s Pianist singerInstrument s Piano vocalsYears active1940s 1952 Contents 1 Career 2 Discography 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksCareer editBorn in Newnan Georgia 1 he was a self taught pianist In the 1920s he moved to Detroit Michigan to begin his music career He moved to Chicago in 1941 where he made the acquaintance of Tampa Red 3 Red introduced him to Lester Melrose of RCA Victor and its subsidiary label Bluebird Records who signed Merriweather to a recording contract 4 His first record was Worried Life Blues 1941 which became a blues hit and remained his signature piece 5 The song had elements derived from Sleepy John Estes Someday Baby 5 Other classic piano blues recordings followed such as Chicago Breakdown Texas Stomp and Detroit Jump 4 His piano style was developed from players like Leroy Carr and Roosevelt Sykes and from the boogie woogie style of Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons He in turn influenced other musicians such as Little Johnny Jones 6 and Henry Gray the latter of whom credited Merriweather with helping him launch his career as a blues pianist His style influenced practically every postwar blues pianist of significance 3 His best known song Worried Life Blues is a staple of the blues repertoire with artists such as Eric Clapton performing it regularly in concert 7 It was in the first batch of songs inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in the category Classic Blues Recordings Singles or Album Tracks alongside Stormy Monday Sweet Home Chicago Dust My Broom and Hellhound on My Trail 8 Merriweather suffered a stroke in 1946 3 He died of a heart attack on February 23 1953 in Chicago and was interred at the Detroit Memorial Cemetery in Warren Michigan 9 His recordings for RCA Victor Bluebird were released as a double album Chicago Breakdown in 1975 They have since been reissued on various labels 9 In 2002 he was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame On May 3 2008 the White Lake Blues Festival took place at the Howmet Playhouse Theater in Whitehall Michigan The event was organized by executive producer Steve Salter of the nonprofit organization Killer Blues to raise monies to honor Merriweather s unmarked grave with a headstone The concert was a success and a headstone was placed in June 2008 Discography editCollection Jazz Classics No 22 RCA Victor 1961 Black amp White Vol 9 RCA 1969 Big Maceo with Tampa Red in Chicago 1941 1946 Sunflower 1970 Chicago Breakdown RCA 1975 Bluebird No 2 Big Maceo vol 1 RCA 1976 The Best of Big Maceo vols 1 and 2 Arhoolie 1984 Tampa Red Big Maceo Get It Cats Swingtime 1989 The King of Chicago Blues Piano Arhoolie 1993 Worried Life Blues Orbis 1995 The Bluebird Recordings RCA Bluebird 1997 The Essential Recordings of Tampa Red and Big Maceo Indigo 1999 The Best of Big Maceo with Tampa Red Blues Forever 2001 Chicago Piano vols 1 and 2 Fabulous 2003 Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume vols 1 and 2 Document 2004 See also editList of blues musicians List of boogie woogie musicians List of Chicago blues musicians Music of DetroitReferences edit a b Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara California Praeger p 270 ISBN 978 0313344237 Du Noyer Paul 2003 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music Fulham London Flame Tree Publishing p 181 ISBN 1 904041 96 5 a b c Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books p 91 ISBN 1 85868 255 X a b 1 Archived October 27 2006 at the Wayback Machine a b Giles Oakley 1997 The Devil s Music Da Capo Press pp 182 3 ISBN 978 0 306 80743 5 Giles Oakley 1997 The Devil s Music Da Capo Press p 2259 ISBN 978 0 306 80743 5 Cascade Blues Association Cascadeblues org Archived from the original on 15 February 2012 Retrieved 19 January 2015 1983 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees Blues org Retrieved 2008 08 29 permanent dead link a b Big Maceo AllAboutJazz com Archived from the original on 10 March 2011 Retrieved 19 January 2015 External links editAfrican American Registry Illustrated Big Maceo discography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Big Maceo Merriweather amp oldid 1104332741, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
