Shirley Griffith

Shirley Griffith (April 26, 1907 – June 18, 1974) was an American blues singer and guitarist, mainly based in Indianapolis. He is best known for his recordings, "Walkin' Blues" and "Bad Luck Blues".

Griffith was born in Brandon, Mississippi, the second child of Willie and Maggie Griffith. He had five sisters and three brothers. Griffith learned guitar at the age of 10.

In the 1920s, his friend and mentor, Tommy Johnson, gave him further guitar instruction and offered to help him get started with a music career, but, by Griffith's own account, he was too “wild and reckless” in those days.

He settled in Indianapolis, where he lived for the rest of his life, and worked in automotive factories. While there he became friends with Scrapper Blackwell and Leroy Carr. In 1935, Carr offered to take Griffith to New York for a recording session but Carr died suddenly and the trip was never made.

Griffith re-emerged as a musician in the 1960s to record with J. T. Adams and play at festivals with Yank Rachell. He performed at the first Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969, and appeared at the Notre Dame Blues Festival in 1971.

Art Rosenbaum, who produced Griffith’s Bluesville albums, wrote in the liner notes to Saturday Blues:

“I recall one August afternoon shortly after these recordings were made; Shirley sat in Scrapper Blackwell’s furnished room singing the Bye Bye Blues with such intensity that everyone present was deeply moved, though they had all heard him sing it many times before. Scrapper was playing, too, and the little room swelled with sound. When they finished there was a moment of awkward silence. Finally Shirley smiled and said: ‘The blues’ll kill you. And make you live, too.’"

Griffith had three children: Elonza Griffith, Walter James Griffith, and Mary T. Griffith. His first wife was Addie B. McNeil and his second wife was Elizabeth.

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