Mattie Delaney
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Mississippi, U.S.
Mattie Delaney | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | possible Mattie Doyle, or Mattie B. Delaney |
| Born | c. 1905 Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | after 1930 |
| Genres | Delta blues |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1927[1] – 1930 |
| Labels | Vocalion |
Mattie Delaney (born c. 1905,[2] fl. 1930)[3] was an American Delta blues singer and guitarist active in the 1930s. Only two recordings by her are known: "Down the Big Road Blues" and "Tallahatchie River Blues".
Delaney may have been born Mattie Doyle south of Tchula, Mississippi,[2] but the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc suggest she was Mattie B. Delaney, born near Goodman, Mississippi.[4] Around 1927 she may have moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Contemporary witnesses remember seeing her perform at Swan Lake, Mississippi.[2] She recorded two songs for Vocalion Records in February 1930.[5] Her song "Down the Big Road Blues" was a variant of Tommy Johnson's "Big Road Blues".[6] One music journalist noted "Delaney issuing a matter-of-fact report in 'Tallahatchie River Blues'".[7] She was unusual for a female performer of the time, in that she played guitar accompaniment and sang topical songs. Nothing is known of her life after the recordings.[8]
Two of Delaney's songs were included on the compilation album Mississippi Girls (1928–1931), issued in September 1991.[9]
