The invention and reinvention of Big Bill Broonzy / Kevin D. Greene.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Greene, Kevin D., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Broonzy, Big Bill, 1893-1958.

Broonzy, Big Bill.

African American musicians--Biography.

African American musicians.

Blues musicians--United States--Biography.

Blues musicians.

United States.

African Americans--Race identity.

African Americans.

Blues (Music)--History and criticism.

Blues (Music).

Celebrities in popular culture.

Harlem Renaissance.

Genre:

Biographies.

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Physical Description:

xiii, 226 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Chapel Hill : The University of North Carolina Press, [2018]

Summary:

"Over the course of his long career, legendary bluesman William 'Big Bill' Broonzy (1893-1958) helped shape the trajectory of the genre ... Along the way, Broonzy adopted an evolving personal and professional identity, tailoring his self-presentation to the demands of the place and time. Kevin D. Greene argues that Broonzy's popular success testifies to his ability to navigate the cultural expectations of his different audiences. Using Broonzy's multifaceted career, Greene situates blues performance at the center of understanding African American self-presentation and racial identity in the first half of the twentieth century.

Contents:

Introduction

Southern blues

Carving out a home in the promised land

Southern migrant blues : Lee Bradley and the Black Metropolis

The rise of Big Bill

I come for to sing

We love the blues, but tell us about jazz

Big Bill Broonzy : the making of a legend

Escaping the folk : the 'authentic' career of a black pop star

Epilogue.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781469646480

146964648X

9781469646497

1469646498

OCLC:

1029087847