If not for music, Lucille Bogan who is also known as Bessie Jackson probably wouldn’t have made it to the spotlight. When she finally had her way to become a pioneer and strong part of blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, lovers of music couldn’t let her go into extinction even many years after her death. Her songs which were mostly described as sexual and alcoholism have over and time again been recorded again by other artists.
Her Early Life
An African-American, she was born Lucile Anderson on April 1, 1897. the place of her birth has however been a debatable one as some sources claim that she was born in Amory, Mississippi, while according to a report, her census entry birthplace was Birmingham, Alabama.
Although her life before fame has been kept out of the reach of the public, it has been reported that she grew up around music lovers in a black-dominated community.
How She Began Her Career And Became one of The Pioneers of Blues Music
Lucille Bogan’s career was filled with a passionate and strong voice; daring lyrics that include drugs, sex, violence, and her community in the genres that include the Classic female blues and dirty blues, and was among the foremost in the genre to be recorded.
This career can be traced to the early 1920s when she moved to New York where she recorded vaudeville songs for the American label, Okeh Records. In 1923, she became the first black blues singer to be recorded outside of New York and Chicago when she recorded Pawn Shop Blues in Atlanta, Georgia.
Other songs came afterward and her role in the music industry continued to become relevant with her music hitting different places.
In 1927, she moved to Chicago where her recordings continued and in 1933, she made a comeback to New York where she forego her name Lucille Bogan to Bessie Jackson under the Banner label of ARC. She then released other songs such as B.D. Woman’s Blues in 1935 and Shave Em Dry. The latter became known as a dirty blues song and explicit in sex lyrics. However, it still remains one of her most renowned songs out of the more than 100 recordings she has done.
Selected Songs of Lucille Bogan
- Till the Cows Come Home
- Shave ‘Em Dry
- B.D Woman’s Blues
- Sloppy Drunk Blues
- Man Stealer Blues
- Barbecue Bess
- Pot Hound Blues
- Jump Steady Daddy
- Skin Game Blues
- My Georgis Grind
- Reckless Woman
- Baking Powder Blues
- They Ain’t Walkin’ No More
- Groceries on the Shelf
- Tired As I Can Be
- Drinking Blues
- Struttin’ My Stuff
- Stew Meat Blues
- The Pawn Shop Blues
- Sweet Petunia
- Alabama (with Walter Roland, 1968)
How Lucille Bogan Died
Having made a mark in blues music, Lucille stopped performing in 1935 at the age of 38 and in 1948 when she was 51. The cause of her death has been given differently by sources. While others claim that she was killed by an automobile, others said she died of coronary sclerosis. Nonetheless, she was laid to rest at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, California.
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5 Interesting Facts About The Pioneer of Blues
1. She First Got Married at The Age of 17
In 1914 when she was 14 years old and before she turned professional in her music career, Lucille became married to a railwayman, Nazareth Lee Bogan. Together, they had a son, Nazareth Lee Bogan Jr. The marriage subsequently ended in a divorce.
2. Lucille Bogan Married Another Man She was 22 Years Older Than
Following her divorce from Bogan, she married James Spencer whom she was said to be 22 years older than. However, there is little known of how the marriage turned out.
3. She Was Allegedly Bisexual
The sexuality of Lucille was questionable as she was said to be romantically involved with both men and women. The proof that she was with men was in her marriages while her song Women Won’t Need No Man (1927) became a major reason for her to be tagged a bisexual.
It also has been reported that her escapades with women when she was said to have snapped at Lucille Bogan, Lilian Simpson, and told her that she had 12 women on a show and could decide to have one each day.
4. She Allegedly Had An Affair with Musician, Will Ezzel
While she was still married, it was reported that Lucille was having an affair with another singer and songwriter and pianist, Will Ezzel. The realleged relationship was said to have almost led her marriage to divorce when her husband filed for a divorce that did not finalize.
5. How Much is Her Net Worth?
Although she had over a hundred songs, it still remains a mystery how much exactly she earned in her music career. Also, while it is difficult to state her exact net worth, there are sources that suggest that her net worth was about $16 million. A claim other sources refuted.
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