Black Patti Records was the only black owned blues label of the 1920's. Founded in 1927 by Mayo Williams, a former pro-football player and talent scout for Paramount and Black Swan Records who decided to start his own label, Black Patti (named after African-American opera singer Matilda Jones A.K.A "The Black Patti") was set up as a lean operation with an office to scout, sign and promote artists while leaving the actual recording and pressing to a licensing deal with Paramount's chief rival Gennett Records. Mayo quickly established a strong stable of artists with a mix of blues, jazz, spirituals and even country records, however Mayo had run out of capital by the end of the year and had to shut down the label after only 55 known titles and take a job with Vocalion and Records and later with Decca before again running his own Ebony label in the 1940's. Mayo Williams died in 1980.
In spite of Black Patti's short life and commercial failure it has long been considered one of the most collectible labels of the era both for the quality of it's music and the fact of it's being the only major black-owned label after the collapses of Black Swan and Broome records in the early 1920's, and being the last such label until the post war era. Black Patti is also well known for having the most elaborate label logos of the era, with it's golden art deco peacock design which was later copied by the Yazoo label.
Notable Black Patti artists ~
Half Pint Jaxon ~ 1895~194? ~ A diminuative and flamboyant singer of double-entendre jazz & blues as well as a female impersonator known for his wild showmanship which would later influence Cab Calloway and Little Richard.
Jaybird Coleman ~ 1908~1950 ~ A respected singer & harpist from Alabama who pioneered the style that would influence both of the later Sonny Boy Williamsons.
Cow Cow Davenport ~ 1894~1955 ~ Popular boogie-woogie pianist and songwriter who also accompanied various singers including Jaxon.
Sam Collins ~ 1887~1954 ~ A typical rural singer/guitarist street and tent show performer from the Mississippi Delta notable for his bottle-neck playing, known as Cryin' Sam Collins for his high, keening tenor.
Vernon Dalhart ~ 1883~1948~ William's attempt to appeal to the white country market, Dalhart had been the first million (and multi-million) selling country artist in 1922 but by 1927 his career was in decline having been bypassed by more authentic rural artists such as Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.
Willie Hightower's Jazz Band ~ A typical popular 1920's hot jazz band.
Mozelle Anderson ~ A typical female blues singer also known as Kansas City Kitty, one of several singers to use that name.
The Rev. J.M. Gates ~ Although largely forgotten now Gates was one of the most successful black artists of the 1920's as a singing preacher who records combined sermons with acapella hymns.
The Downhome Boys ~ Long Cleve Reed and Little Harvey Hull, a guitar and vocal duet who recorded the first known version of Stack-o-Lee Blues, now one of the rarest and most valuable 78's in existence, with only one known mint copy, owned by collector Joe Bussard, worth an estimated at least $30,000.
Other obscure singers include Blind James Beck, Blind Richard Yates and Ivy Smith.
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