Brooklyn's Music Memory List

W.C Handy

William grew in Alabama with his mom and dad. His father was a minister and very poor. William worked odd jobs to save up money so he could buy a guitar but, his father thought all music was sinful except church music. Later on he graduated near the head of his class. He left home, hoping he could earn enough money to go to college. William was going through hard times. He found himself homeless and hungry. One day he passed a saloon and saw a man singing to his guitar. He asked the man if he could show him what he could do. William began singing and the crowd loved it. He soon discovered that he could earn money by composing and selling his songs. Then his first successful song was called “Memphis Blues”.

Handy began writing a song “St. Louis Blues” and published it immediately. Since he was the first person to write and publish blues, that is how he became known as the “Father of the Blues”. He continued writing blues and publish more songs. People don’t know how blues music came to be but, it was sung in the South as early as the 1890’s.

W.C Handy is a very successful and hardworking musician. He didn’t give up when most people would’ve around that time he was poor. He played music to buy enough clothes and kept trying to make a living out of it. So he began writing his own music and published it and that’s when he became “Father of the Blues”. I’m not a really big fan of blues music but I think his music is great.

Carl Orff

  • He was from Germany
  • Created Orff instruments for elementary school classrooms
  • His music school was bombed during World War II - thankfully school was closed
  • Composed during Modern Period
  • Founded a school that focused on the movement and music
  • Carmina Burana is his most famous composition

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