W. C. Handy - Bronx, NY - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

In 1912, W. C. Handy sold his first big hit: ‘Memphis Blues’. Over the next few years, he would follow that up with such classics as ‘Yellow Dog Blues,’ ‘St. Louis Blues’ and ‘Beale Street Blues.’ To paraphrase the songwriting duo of Bernie Taupin and Elton John: I guess that’s why they call him the ‘Father of the Blues.’ ‘St. Louis Blues’ became so popular that it sold over a million copies and that in the sheet music era.

Born in Alabama, William Christopher Handy pursued music from an early age, often against the wishes of his family. He did well in school and actually landed some teaching jobs, but found he could make more money playing in bands and minstrel shows, not to mention doing what he really wanted to do. He sold an early composition, which became ‘Memphis Blues,’ for $100. When he saw others profit from it, he decided to go into the music publishing business himself and opened up shop in Memphis.

W. C. Handy didn’t invent the ‘Blues,’ but with a keen ear and a sharp eye for what audiences wanted, he did more than anyone to promote the genre to the nation and the world. He eventually moved his publishing outfit to New York City where he maintained an office overlooking Times Square. He would remain in New York for the rest of his life.

Handy’s career lasted into the television era - I’ve seen videos of W.C. playing trumpet on an early episode of the Ed Sullivan Show. W. C. Handy died of pneumonia in 1958 at the age of 84. It’s said that about 150,000 people gathered in the streets outside the church where his funeral service was being conducted in order to pay their respects. Handy is a member of both the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. He has appeared on a U.S. postage stamp, received a lifetime achievement Grammy, and there’s a large bronze statue of Handy in Memphis’ appropriately named Handy Park, right there on Beale Street. Mr. Handy was laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
(Source: wikipedia.org)

Description: See Long Description above. Date of birth: 11/16/1873 Date of death: 03/28/1958 Area of notoriety: Entertainment Marker Type: Horizontal Marker Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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