| Ted Bogan | |
|---|---|
 Ted Bogan; Medford, Massachusetts, 1973. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Theodore R. Bogan |
| Born | (1909-05-10)May 10, 1909 Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States |
| Died | January 29, 1990(1990-01-29) (aged 80) Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Country blues |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1930s–1990 |
| Labels | Bluebird, Flying Fish, Arhoolie |
| Formerly of | The Four Keys; the Tennessee Chocolate Drops; Martin, Bogan & Armstrong (Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs) |
Theodore R. 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 style was much admired. He played in various string bands for most of his career, including Martin, Bogan & Armstrong (or Martin, Bogan & the Armstrongs).
Biography
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 changed its name to the Tennessee Chocolate Drops, designed to exploit opportunities in both the race record market and the audience 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.
In the 1970s, a revival of interest in string bands saw Bogan and Martin still based in Chicago. In 1974, Martin, Bogan & Armstrong played at the 36th National Folk Festival, at Wolf Trap Farm Park in Vienna, Virginia. Martin died in 1979, but Bogan and Armstrong continued until Bogan's death.
Bogan and Armstrong appeared and performed in the 1985 documentary film Louie Bluie, directed by Terry Zwigoff, who had been inspired to seek them out after listening to "State Street Rag". The long-term relationship between Bogan and Armstrong was often frayed, rivalling the situation between Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry.
Bogan died in Detroit, Michigan, in January 1990, aged 80.
Partial discography
Singles
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | "There's Nothing in This Wide World For Me" / "I'm Through With You" | Bluebird Records |
| 1934 | "State Street Rag" / "Ted's Stomp" | Bluebird Records |
Both singles were credited to Louie Bluie and Ted Bogan
Albums
| 1974 | Martin, Bogan, and Armstrong | Flying Fish |
| 1978 | That Old Gang of Mine | Flying Fish |
| 1985 | Louie Bluie | Arhoolie |
See also
Recognitions
References
- Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 288. ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ^ Chadbourne, Eugene. "Ted Bogan: Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
- ^ Lee, Peter (1979-05-10). Komara, Edward (ed.). The Blues Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 134. ISBN 0-415-92700-5. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
- Ankeny, Jason. "Howard Armstrong: Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
- "Howard Armstrong: 1909–2003". Jazzhouse.org. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
- ^ "Martin, Bogan & Armstrong at the 36th National Folk Festival, 1974". National Council for the Traditional Arts. Ncta-usa.org. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
- "Ted Bogan". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
- 1909 births
- 1990 deaths
- American blues singers
- Country blues singers
- Country blues musicians
- 20th-century African-American male singers
- American blues guitarists
- Songwriters from South Carolina
- Musicians from Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Blues revival musicians
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century American guitarists
- Guitarists from South Carolina
- American male guitarists
- 20th-century American male singers
- African-American songwriters
- African-American guitarists
- American male songwriters
- 20th-century American songwriters