Big Bill Broonzy
1903 – 1958

Big Bill Broonzy

American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist (1893–1958)

blues musicianstreet artistguitaristsinger-songwritermusician
Born
1903-06-26, Scott County
Died
1958-08-15
Birthplace state
Mississippi

Biography

William Lee Broonzy was born in Scott County, Mississippi in 1903 and began his music career in the 1920s playing country music to African-American audiences. During the 1930s and 1940s, he shifted toward urban blues, performing for working-class black listeners. In the 1950s, he returned to traditional folk-blues, which brought him recognition as an international star and a figure in the American folk music revival. He died in 1958.

Occupation

Big Bill Broonzy is recorded as a blues musician, a street artist, a guitarist, a singer-songwriter, a musician, a singer and a composer, born in Mississippi (1903–1958).

Connections to Mississippi

Big Bill Broonzy was born in Scott County, Mississippi in 1903. Explore other notable figures from Mississippi, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Mississippi›Mississippihistory ›Historic sites in Mississippi›
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Everything a full report reveals about Scott County

Big Bill Broonzy came from Scott County. A full Aubrey report on Scott County pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Mississippi

Other historical figures born in Mississippi, ranked by historical prominence.

Elvis Presley
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William Faulkner
William Faulkner
American writer (1897-1962)
Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
American playwright (1911–1983)
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
American actor (1931–2024)
Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters
American blues musician (1913–1983)
Jim Henson
Jim Henson
American puppeteer (1936–1990)
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
American blues musician (1912 or 1917–2001)

Frequently asked about Big Bill Broonzy

Who was Big Bill Broonzy?
Big Bill Broonzy was American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist (1893–1958), born in Mississippi (1903 – 1958).
When and where was Big Bill Broonzy born?
Big Bill Broonzy was born on 1903-06-26 in Scott County.
When did Big Bill Broonzy die?
Big died on 1958-08-15.
What was Big Bill Broonzy known for?
Big Bill Broonzy is recorded as a blues musician, a street artist, a guitarist, a singer-songwriter, a musician, a singer and a composer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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