Tampa Red
Tampa Red, born Hudson Woodbridge, also known as Hudson Whittaker was born January 8th, 1903 in Smithville, Georgia. Known as the guitar wizard and the man with the gold guitar, he was one of the first Bluesmen to make it in Chicago. He influenced everyone ranging from Big Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, to Robert Nighthawk. With a clear bell like voice and guitar tone, he was a master songwriter and slide guitarist. Tampa Red said of songs, “My theory of a song is that it should have some kind of meaning to it. If it doesn’t a man goes to two or three different meanings before he knows what the song is about.” He brought Country Blues to Chicago and popularized it. During his career he wrote over three hundred songs. Tampa’s most popular song “It Hurts Me Too” is considered a Blues standard. He recorded it in 1940 and it has been covered by Big Bill Broonzy, John Lee Hooker, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, The Grateful Dead, John Mayer, Canned Heat, Robert Palmer, and Steve Miller. Tampa Red died penniless March 19, 1981 in Chicago. Between 1928-1942 he made more Blues recordings than any other artist. Tampa Red was the Country Blues artist with hit songs. He is buried at Mount Glenwood Memory Gardens West in Willow Springs, Illinois.