FATHER OF THE BLUES
By
The composer of the St. Louis Blues and the grand old daddy of them all is hers the subject of an autobiography of uneven interest. Music in his blood, he broke with an unmusical family background in Alabama, and went in for old time minstrel shows on tour. He recognized the potentialities of the primitive folk music, and took to using it as a base for his songs. Success followed. He went in for publishing, always on the ragged edge. And in recent years has appeared in public, over the air, etc. Discusses odds and ends -- people, race prejudice, ASCAP fight, etc.