1905-1935

Leroy Carr, born in Nashville, Tennessee, 27 March 1905. His family moved to Indianapolis in 1912. He spent time at the Pot Roast Club in 1917, watching and listening to pianist Ollie Akins. He practiced on his sister Eva's piano before turning professional in 1922.

Representatives of the Vocalion record label come to Indianapolis in 1928 and the team of Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell made its record debut. A year later after the success of 'How Long How Long Blues', the duo's first recording was a major hit. In February 1934 they recorded again, sometimes joined by Josh White. The Carr-Blackwell duo record for the Bluebird label in February 1935, but after a serious argument between the two, Leroy recorded solo. His final recording was 'Six Cold Feet in the Ground'.

from: http://www.john-meekings.co.uk/lcarr.html

Leroy Carr was the most influential male blues singer and songwriter of the first half of the 20th century, who was an understated pianist with a gentle, expressive voice. His first record in 1928 was "How Long — How Long Blues." Carr sang over the solid beat of his piano and the biting guitar of his constant partner Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell.

Carr died shortly after his 30th birthday but followers dominated blues for more than 20 years and affected every aspect of the African-American pop scene. In Mississippi, Muddy Waters recalled Carr’s "How Long" as the first song he ever learned. In Kansas City, Count Basie recorded Carr's hits as piano solos. On the West Coast, T-Bone Walker and Charles Brown made Carr's smooth urbanity the hallmark of the L.A. style.

from : ©2004 Elijah Wald (originally published in The New York Times)
Pasted from http://www.elijahwald.com/carrtimes.html