Ted Bogan
| Ted Bogan | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Theodore R. Bogan |
| Born |
May 10, 1909 Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States |
| Died | January 29, 1990 (aged 80) Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Country blues |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1930s–1990 |
| Labels | Bluebird, Flying Fish, Arhoolie |
| Associated acts | The Four Keys, the Tennessee Chocolate Drops, Martin, Bogan & Armstrong, Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs |
Theodore R. "Ted" Bogan (May 10, 1909 – January 29, 1990) was an American country blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for his work with Howard Armstrong and Carl Martin. His career spanned over 50 years. His finger-picking guitar work was much admired. He played in various string bands most of his lifetime. These included Martin, Bogan & Armstrong or Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs.
Bogan was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He learned to play a finger-picking style of guitar in his adolescence, being initially influenced by Leroy Carr and Blind Blake, both of whom he heard on his family's radio set. It is claimed that he began performing in a medicine show, and appeared on radio broadcasts in Spartanburg. After meeting Carl Martin, Bogan moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. They played extensively on street corners, with Bogan enhancing his guitar playing to incorporate flatpicking. His first recordings were made for Bluebird Records in 1934, for which he performed with Howard Armstrong, whom he had met four years earlier. They recorded "State Street Rag" and "Ted's Stomp" for Bluebird, with Armstrong using the stage name Louie Bluie, which had been given to him by a fan.
In the 1940s, they appeared as part of the Four Keys, who toured in the Midwest. Later, in Chicago, they recorded as the backing group for Bumble Bee Slim. Their group name became the Tennessee Chocolate Drops, designed to exploit opportunities in both the race record market as well for hillbilly music on radio and records. More often joined by Howard Armstrong, they performed for years in several acoustic string band formats under different names. The group played a mixture of musical genres and styles, including the blues, jazz, pop, country, and various non-English favorite melodies. The introduction of jukeboxes and electric musical ensembles reduced their popularity.
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