Blind Boy Fuller - Conqueror 8720 (1936)

Here we have Tarheel born Fulton Allen, better known as Blind Boy Fuller.

He would learn his Piedmont blues guitar stylings from listening to Blind Blake on the phonograph and Gary Davis in person.

Seems that there are a couple of stories on how he lost his eyesight. One has it that he had ulcers behind his eyes and another that he had chemicals thrown in his eyes by an ex-girlfriend.

He died in 1941 at 33 due to kidney failure.

Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra - His Master's Voice Victor 18618 (1919)

Smith trying to jazz it up a bit with Harry Raderman and his laughing trombone on W.C. Handy's Yellow Dog Blues. Also, according to Victor ledgers, Hugo Frey and Harry Akst are playing on one grand piano.

Recorded in New York on September 25, 1919.