Lee L. Blair

Lee L. Blair (October 10, 1903, Savannah, Georgia – October 15, 1966, New York City) was an American jazz banjoist and guitarist.

Blair was a left-handed autodidact on banjo, aside from a few lessons taken from Mike Pingitore, the banjoist for Paul Whiteman. He played and recorded in NYC with Thomas Morris's Seven Hot Babies in 1926, played with Charlie Skeete in 1926-28, then played and recorded with Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers in 1928-30. He played with Billy Kato in 1930-31, then played and recorded with Luis Russell (1934–35) and Louis Armstrong (1935-40). He worked part-time in music through the 1940s, then joined Wilbur De Paris's New New Orleans Jazz Band in the 1950s at Jimmy Ryan's Club on West 52nd Street in New York City. In the summer of 1957 he toured in Africa with the DeParis band for the State Department. In the 1960s he played less, concentrating on raising chickens on his farm in Belmore, Long Island, but appeared at the 1964 World's Fair in a trio with Danny Barker and Eddie Gibbs and freelanced around New York with Hank Duncan and others until he died. He never recorded as a leader, but appears on record with Morris, Morton, Russell, Armstrong, and De Paris, as well as with Dick Cary, Pee Wee Erwin, and Leonard Gaskin among others. He is honored in the jazz section of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon, GA.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 10, 1903 (Savannah), Died October 15, 1966 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, banjo

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-95 of 95 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 66987 10-in. 12/18/1939 Bye and bye Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67321 10-in. 3/14/1940 Hep cat's ball Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67322 10-in. 3/14/1940 You've got me voodoo'd Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67323 10-in. 3/14/1940 Harlem stomp Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67324 10-in. 3/14/1940 Wolverine blues Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67325 10-in. 3/14/1940 Lazy 'sippi steamer Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67648 10-in. 5/1/1940 Sweethearts on parade Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67649 10-in. 5/1/1940 You run your mouth, I'll run my business Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67650 10-in. 5/1/1940 Cut off my legs and call me Shorty Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67651 10-in. 5/1/1940 Cain and Abel Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1084 10-in. 11/15/1937 Once in a while Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1085 10-in. 11/15/1937 On the sunny side of the street Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1132 10-in. 1/12/1938 Satchel mouth swing Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1133 10-in. 1/12/1938 Jubilee Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1134 10-in. 1/12/1938 Struttin' with some barbecue Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1135 10-in. 1/12/1938 The trumpet player's lament Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1136 10-in. 1/13/1938 I double dare you Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1137 10-in. 1/13/1938 True confession Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1138 10-in. 1/13/1938 Let that be a lesson to you Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 1139 10-in. 1/13/1938 Sweet as a song Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 76-95 of 95 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Blair, Lee L.," accessed May 7, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110316.

Blair, Lee L.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110316.

"Blair, Lee L.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110316

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