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WILLIAM 'Memphis
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Willie
Borum was born in Shelby County, Tenneessee, in 1911. His musical ability
was evident from an early age and his father, who was also a good musician,
taught him the guitar.
Borum first recorded when he was twenty three years old for Vocalion using the name Memphis Willie B. He continued to play the party and juke joint circuit in Memphis and in Mississippi until he was drafted into the army in 1943. After the 2nd World War Borum found it difficult to re-establish his career, musical tastes had changed and his style of music was no longer popular, and he was forced to find work outside of music. The blues revival of the 1960's brought a few good years back and he was successful on the college and blues festival circuit for a while. However by the end of the 1960's he disappeared from the music scene and he was reported to have died in Memphis in the early 1970's. |
By
the time he was eighteen years old he was playing in Memphis as a member of
Jack Kelly's Jug Busters. He also worked the street corners, parties and
picnics, and any other venue where he could supplement his income. His
career took a step up when he joined the Memphis Jug Band, a professional
group that worked out of Memphis and down the Mississippi, playing the delta
towns and riverboats, travelling as far as New Orleans. When he was in his early twenties Borum met up with