BACKGROUND:
As a former
band director, I feel the need to continue educating others about
music. I will use this series of caches to share information about
some of my favorite composers.
Enjoy!
W. C.
Handy
MUSIC TO READ
BY:
Click the PLAY button below to
listen to W. C. Handy's "Memphis Blues." (MIDI)
ABOUT W. C.
HANDY:
William Christopher Handy
(November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an African American blues
composer and musician, often known as "the Father of the Blues." W.
C. Handy remains among the most influential of American
songwriters. Though he was one of many musicians who played the
style of music that is distinctively American, he is credited with
its invention not only because he was formally educated and able to
notate his music for publication and hence, posterity, but because
of syncopated rhythms, a style unique to his music.
While Handy was not the first
to publish music in the blues form, he took the blues from an
obscure regional music style to one of the dominant forces in
American music. Handy was an educated musician who used folk
material in his compositions. He was scrupulous in documenting the
sources of his works, which frequently combined stylistic
influences from several performers. He loved this simple early
music and brought his own transforming touch to it.
In 1909 he and his band moved
to Memphis, Tennessee and established their presence on Beale
Street. At that time, American society and culture was
distinctively segregated and Handy's observations of Whites
responses to native Black music in conjunction with his own
observations of his habits, attitudes and music of his ethnicity
served as the foundation for what was later to become the style of
music popularized as "the Blues."
The genesis of his "Memphis
Blues" was as a campaign tune originally entitled as "Mr. Crump"
which he had written for Edward Crump, a successful Memphis,
Tennessee mayoral candidate in 1909 (and future "boss"). He later
rewrote the tune and changed the name to "Memphis Blues." The 1912
publication of his "Memphis Blues" sheet music introduced his style
of 12-bar blues to many households, and was credited as the
inspiration for the invention of the foxtrot dance step by Vernon
and Irene Castle, a New York-based dance team. Some consider it to
be the first blues song. He sold the rights to the song for $100,
and by 1914, at age 40, his musical style was asserted, his
popularity increased significantly, and he composed
prolifically.
Later in his life he lived on
Strivers' Row in Harlem. An accidental fall from a subway platform
in 1943 resulted in his blindness. Following the death of his first
wife, he remarried in 1954 at age 80 to his secretary Irma Louise
Logan, who he frequently said had become his eyes. In 1955 he
suffered a stroke and became confined to a wheelchair. Over 800
people attended his 84th birthday party at the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel. On March 28, 1958, W. C. Handy succumbed to acute bronchial
pneumonia and died. Over 25,000 people attended his funeral in
Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church. Over 150,000 people gathered in
the streets near the church to pay their respects to one of the
world’s greatest musicians and songwriters.
He is buried in the Woodlawn
Cemetery in Bronx, New York.
HANDY
PARK:
W. C. Handy Performing Arts
Park ("Handy Park") is a gem on historic, exciting Beale Street in
downtown Memphis, Tennessee. This excellent mixed-use facility can
host an array of events ranging from elegant presentations and
banquets with table seating to festivals and concerts. Just steps
from the Fed Ex Forum, Handy Park is the perfect place to gather
before or after a Forum event.
Handy Park's 50-foot covered
stage is appropriate for simple presentations or complex musical
performances. The infrastructure is in place to support
professional lighting, sound, projection screens, and other
production equipment. It includes 246 fixed seats directly in front
of the stage and an open grassy area that can accommodate up to
1,500 people. Parking is very convenient, with valet services
available. Handy Park's versatility and convenience to everything
downtown makes it ideal for any event, and it has hosted everything
from the Handy Weekend Children's Festival to a Harley-Davidson
street party, plus performances ranging from comedian Ricky Smiley
to local party band The Bouffants to superstar Edgar Winter. With
ample open space, Handy Park can accommodate displays and tents of
almost any size, as well as carnival games, vehicles, vendor
booths, and other amenities.
If you have never had a chance
to visit the park, here is your opportunity.
THE
CACHE:
The listed coordinates will get
you to the cache location. You will probably have to pay for
parking. There are several areas to park including the parking
garage right across the street from the park. Remember to put all
valuables out of sight and lock your car.
I have provided hints but if
you decode the whole hint at one time, it is a definite SPOLIER.
This is not a hard find and the coordinates should be very good
(averaged with 7 ft. accuracy) but this can be a VERY muggle-heavy
area. Searching the area could bring undesired attention to the
cache location so the hint can help keep the cache safe and
sound.
Note - Getting this cache when
an event is going on IN the park may raise the difficulty
significantly!
You are looking for a magnetic
keyholder and, yes, the magnet is being used. No room for trade
items but you will find a log and a tiny pencil.
 Available
year-round
 Restrooms available
 Water Available
 Beware of Muggles!
 Bring a pen or pencil
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