H. C. Speir

H. C. Speir (born Henry C. Speir in Prospect, Mississippi, October 6, 1895; d. Jackson, Mississippi, 1972) was an American "talent broker" and record store owner from Jackson, Mississippi. He was responsible for launching the recording careers of most of the greatest Mississippi blues musicians in the 1920s and 1930s.

Speir was a white businessman who ran a music and merchantile store on Farish Street, in Jackson's black neighborhood. In 1926, through selling blues records in his store, he began working as a scout for the record companies producing the records, such as Okeh, Victor, Gennett, Columbia, Vocalion, Decca and Paramount.

Using a metal disc machine in his store, Speir made demo recordings of artists that he sent to the labels, before arranging for more formal recording sessions. Word spread among blues musicians that Speir could help them make records, and many came to audition at the store. This audition process was recreated in Martin Scorsese's "The Blues" television series, which aired on PBS in 2003.

Among the numerous musicians whom Speir introduced to the record companies were Ishman Bracey, Tommy Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Skip James, Robert Johnson, Bo Carter, Willie Brown, the Mississippi Sheiks, Blind Joe Reynolds, Blind Roosevelt Graves, Geeshie Wiley, and Robert Wilkins. He also auditioned, but turned down, Jimmie Rodgers.

Speir retired from recording in 1936, and left Farish Street after a 1942 fire at his store.

Speir was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2005. [http://www.blues.org/halloffame/inductees.php4?YearId=26]

External links

* [http://www.blues.org/halloffame/inductees.php4?ArtistId=287 H. C. Speir bio]
* [http://www.bluesworld.com/SpierIntro.html H. C. Speir interview] (introduction)
* [http://www.bluesworld.com/SpierOne.html H. C. Speir interview] (part 1)
* [http://www.bluesworld.com/SpierTwo.html H. C. Speir interview] (part 2)
* [http://www.bluesworld.com/SpierThree.html H. C. Speir interview] (part 3)