William Christopher Handy :: essays research papers

William Christopher HandyHandy was an American depressed composer and compiler of "BLUES" music. Hewas born in Florence, Alabama. He was ameliorate at the Negro Agricultural andMechanical College near Huntsville, Alabama. He was the tidings of former slaves.He was educated in the public schools and by his find and paternal grandfather,both of whom were clergymen. Handy was the outset to bring the African- American color to the general publics attention with the publication of his MEMPHIS BLUESin 1912. He began his musical theater career as a cornet soloist and bandmaster withminstrel shows one of his earislst engagements was with the Worlds Columbian expounding in Chicago in 1893.     Handy also founded a music publishing house and edited and wrote severalbooks , including the autobiographical arrive of the Blues (1941). Originally,the blues were a type of black folk claim little known beyond the southern UnitedStates. Handys songs brought the blue s to external attention.Handys career was rooted in popular music. He began his career in 1896 asa minstrel show and vaudville corntist and bandleader and then became one of thefirst publishers of music by black composers.     William Christopher Handy was born on Nov,16, 1873, in Florence, Ala,the son of former slaves . As a 15-year-old he left al-Qaida to work in a travelingminstrel show, but he soon returned when his money ran out. He attended TeachersAgreicultural & Mechanical College in Huntsville, Alabama, and worked as aschool teacher and bandmaster. In 1893, during an economic depression, he formeda quartet to perform at the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago. For severalyears afterward he drifted around the untaught working at different jobs.Eventually he settled in Memphas, Tenn.     Although he lost his eyesight at age 30, after WW1 he conducted his ownorchestra from 1903 intill 1921. His eyesight partially returned, but he becamecompletely art after a fall from a subway platform in 1943.     Handy wrote music during the period of transition from ragtime to jazz.The music he had absorbed during his youth consisted of spirituals, work songs,