Lizzie Douglas, born in Algiers, Louisiana, was raised in Memphis, and learned guitar at the age of eleven. As Kid Douglas, she toured the South from 1916 onward, returning to Memphis in the late 1920's under the name Memphis Minnie. An accomplished guitarist and gifted song-writer, she recorded over 150 sides between 1929-1941. Most were solo blues, but she also teamed for duets with her second husband, guitarist Kansas Joe McCoy, and her third husband, guitarist Little Son Joe Lawlar. Memphis Minnie was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980.
R. Crumb of underground comics fame immortalized Memphis Minnie, as well as 35 other early great musicians and singers who were among the first to record the Blues,when creating the original “Heroes of the Blues” Trading Card Set for Yazoo Records in 1980.
In 2010 Keep On Truckin' Apparel of Carlton, Oregon negotiated the rights to reproduce these amazing portraits on t-shirts and hoodies. A portion of the proceeds from each sale is donated to Music Makers Relief Foundation so you can support the blues while wearing the blues.
