St. Louis Blues considered

Arguably W.C. Handy's most famous song might be "St. Louis Blues." I recall the founder of the Blues Foundation, Joe Savarin claimed that it was the most recorded song in the US history. Whatever the truth of this statement, it has been recorded and performed numerous times. Here are simply some of the many recordings of it starting with a 1914 recording from W.C. Handy's Band.

One of the most celebrated versions is by Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong on cornet.

Louis Armstrong recorded his first version in 1930. I once heard someone suggest the difference between blues and jazz can be heard in the recordings by Bessie Smith and Armstrong.

Here is a more recent rendition from Catherine Russell from the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Mark Shane is the pianist and Jon-Erik Kellso plays the muted trumpet.

Here is the New Orleans clarinetist George Lewis.

Here Nat King Cole sings this classic

Earl 'Fatha' Hines did his "Boogie Woogie on Saint Louis Blues."

Albert Ammons also did a boogie-woogie interpretation.

Here is the legendary Billie Holiday.

One of my favorite versions by a bluesman is the late Johnny Copeland. It was on his first Rounder album "Copeland Special" that included jazz saxophonists Arthur Blythe, Byard Armstrong, and George Adams.

Then there is the great Furry Lewis

And the duo of Sylvester Weaver and Walter Beasley recorded this instrumental version in 1927.

Finally an early version from Duke Ellington with Bing Crosby singing.

There are so many more, but I hope you found these enjoyable.