Cow Cow Davenport
| Cow Cow Davenport | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Edward Davenport |
| Born |
April 23, 1894 Anniston, Alabama, United States |
| Died | December 12, 1955 (aged 61) Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Boogie-woogie, piano blues, vaudeville |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, singer |
| Instruments | Piano, vocal |
| Years active | 1910s to 1955 |
| Labels | Vocalion |
| Associated acts | Dora Carr |
Charles Edward "Cow Cow" Davenport (April 23, 1894 – December 3, 1955) was an American boogie-woogie and piano blues player as well as a vaudeville entertainer. He also played the organ and sang.
He was born in Anniston, Alabama, one of eight children. Davenport started playing the piano at age 12. His father objected strongly to his musical aspirations and sent him to a theological seminary, where he was expelled for playing ragtime.
Davenport's career began in the 1920s when he joined Banhoof's Traveling Carnival, a medicine show. His first fame came as accompanist to blues musicians Dora Carr and Ivy Smith. Davenport and Carr performed as a vaudeville act as Davenport & Co, and he performed with Smith as the "Chicago Steppers". He also performed with Tampa Red. Davenport recorded for many record labels, and was a talent scout and artist for Vocalion Records. Davenport suffered a stroke in the early 1930s and lost movement in his hands. He was washing dishes when he was found by the jazz pianist Art Hodes in 1938. Hodes assisted in his rehabilitation and helped him find new recording contracts.
His best-known tune was "Cow Cow Blues". The "Cow Cow" in the title referred to a train's cowcatcher. The popularity of the song gave Davenport the nickname "Cow Cow." In 1953, "Cow Cow Blues" was an influence on the Ahmet Ertegün-written "Mess Around" by Ray Charles, which was Charles's first step away from his Nat "King" Cole-esque style, and into the style he would employ throughout the 1950s for Atlantic Records.
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