Sleepy John Estes
John Adam Estes (January 25, 1899 or 1900 – June 5, 1977), performing as Sleepy John Estes, was an American blues guitarist, songwriter and vocalist. His music influenced such artists as The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin. |
Birth and Death Data: Born January 25, 1899 (Ripley), Died June 5, 1977 (Brownsville)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1941
Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-55531 | 10-in. | 9/17/1929 | Broken hearted, ragged and dirty, too | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with mandolin, guitar, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-55581 | 10-in. | 9/24/1929 | The girl I love she got long curly hair | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with mandolin, guitar, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-55596 | 10-in. | 9/26/1929 | Diving duck blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with mandolin, guitar, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-55597 | 10-in. | 9/26/1929 | Little Sarah | Sleepy John Estes ; Yank Rachell | Male vocal duet, with mandolin, guitar, and piano | vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-56335 | 10-in. | 10/2/1929 | Black Mattie blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with harmonica, mandolin, and guitar | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-56336 | 10-in. | 10/2/1929 | T-bone steak blues | Sleepy John Estes ; Yank Rachell | Male vocal duet, with harmonica, mandolin, and guitar | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BVE-59918 | 10-in. | 5/13/1930 | Milk cow blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-59919 | 10-in. | 5/13/1930 | Street car blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-59934 | 10-in. | 5/17/1930 | Expressman blues | Sleepy John Estes ; Yank Rachell | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BVE-59935 | 10-in. | 5/17/1930 | Wadie green blues | Sleepy John Estes ; Yank Rachell | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BVE-59967 | 10-in. | 5/21/1930 | Whatcha' doin' | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-59968 | 10-in. | 5/21/1930 | Poor John blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-62547 | 10-in. | 5/30/1930 | Stack o' dollars | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-62548 | 10-in. | 5/30/1930 | My black gal blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BVE-62549 | 10-in. | 5/30/1930 | Ninety pound mama | Sleepy John Estes ; Yank Rachell | Male vocal duet, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BVE-62550 | 10-in. | 5/30/1930 | Sweet mama | Sleepy John Estes ; Yank Rachell | Male vocal solo, with guitar, mandolin, and piano | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BVE-64736 | 10-in. | 11/26/1930 | Ticket agent blues | Noah Lewis' Jug Band | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BVE-64737 | 10-in. | 11/26/1930 | New Minglewood blues | Noah Lewis' Jug Band | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BVE-64738 | 10-in. | 11/28/1930 | Selling the jelly | Noah Lewis' Jug Band | Instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BVE-64739 | 10-in. | 11/28/1930 | Bad luck's my buddy | Noah Lewis' Jug Band | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-064915 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Don't you want to know? | Delta Boys | Male vocal solo and duet, with instrumental trio | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar, composer | |
Victor | BS-064916 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | You shouldn't do that | Delta Boys | Male vocal solo and duet, with instrumental trio | composer, instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-064917 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | When the saints go marching in | Delta Boys | Male vocal solo and duet, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-064918 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Black gal swing | Delta Boys | Male vocal solo and duet, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-064919 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Get up and go | Delta Boys | Male vocal solo and duet, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-064920 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Every time my heart beats | Delta Boys | Male vocal solo and duet, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-064921 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | 80 Highway blues | Son Bonds | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and imitation tub bass | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-064922 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | A hard pill to swallow | Son Bonds | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and imitation tub bass | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-064923 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Come back home (Little girl) | Son Bonds | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and imitation tub bass | instrumentalist, guitar | |
Victor | BS-064924 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Lawyer Clark | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and imitation tub bass | composer, instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-064925 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Little Laura blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and imitation tub bass | composer, instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-064926 | 10-in. | 9/24/1941 | Working man blues | Sleepy John Estes | Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and imitation tub bass | instrumentalist, guitar, composer, vocalist | |
Decca | 62461 | 10-in. | 8/2/1937 | Government money | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62462 | 10-in. | 8/2/1937 | I wanta tear it all the time-1 | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62463 | 10-in. | 8/2/1937 | Vernita blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62464 | 10-in. | 8/2/1937 | I ain't gonna be worried no more-1 | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62465 | 10-in. | 8/2/1937 | Floating bridge | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62466 | 10-in. | 7/27/1937 | Need more blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62469 | 10-in. | 8/2/1937 | Pitchin' boogie | Lee Brown | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62470 | 10-in. | 8/2/1937 | She's my all and all | Lee Brown | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62479 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Jack and Jill blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist | ||
Decca | 62480 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Poor man's friend (T model) | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist | ||
Decca | 62481 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Hobo jungle blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist | ||
Decca | 62482 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Airplane blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist | ||
Decca | 62483 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | You may be beautiful but you got to die-1, 2 | Lee Green | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62484 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | I'm gonna beat your bread-1, 2 | Lee Green | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62485 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | Whip it up and down | Lee Green | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 62486 | 10-in. | 8/3/1937 | The way I feel | Lee Green | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63647 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Everybody oughta make a change | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63648 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Liquor store blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63649 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Easin' back to Tennessee | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63650 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Fire department blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63651 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Clean it up at home | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63652 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | New someday baby | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63653 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Brownsville blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63654 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Special agent (Railroad police blues) | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63660 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | I'll work up to you someday | Brownsville "Son" Bonds | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 63661 | 10-in. | 4/22/1938 | Old bachelor blues | Brownsville "Son" Bonds | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90094 | 10-in. | 7/9/1935 | Down South blues-1 | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90095 | 10-in. | 7/9/1935 | Stop that thing | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90096 | 10-in. | 7/9/1935 | Someday baby blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90097 | 10-in. | 7/9/1935 | Who's been tellin' you Buddy Brown blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90175 | 10-in. | 7/17/1935 | Married woman blues | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 90176 | 10-in. | 7/17/1935 | Drop down Mama | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 93004 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | Mailman blues-2, 3 | Sleepy John Estes | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | ||
Decca | 93005 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | Time is drawing near-2 | Sleepy John Estes | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | ||
Decca | 93006 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | Mary come on home-2 | Sleepy John Estes | instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist | ||
Decca | 93007 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | Jailhouse blues-1, 3 | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar | ||
Decca | 93008 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | Tell me how about it-1, 3, 4 | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist | ||
Decca | 93009 | 10-in. | 6/4/1940 | Drop down-1, 3, 4 | Sleepy John Estes | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Estes, Sleepy John," accessed May 9, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104491.
Estes, Sleepy John. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 9, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104491.
"Estes, Sleepy John." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 May 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Sleepy John Estes
Discogs: Sleepy John Estes
Allmusic: Sleepy John Estes
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Estes, Sleepy John, 1899-1977 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n84022114
Wikidata: Sleepy John Estes - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1754823
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/5121080
MusicBrainz: Sleepy John Estes - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3bef5827-7f0e-4011-8f3c-50cf29bb187e
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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