Shirley Griffith

b. 26 April 1908, Brandon, Mississippi, USA, d. 18 June 1974, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Griffith (a male blues singer despite his given name) learned guitar at the age of 10, and gained further instruction from Tommy Johnson, his greatest influence, in the mid-20s. By the end of the decade he had settled in Indianapolis, his home for the rest of his life. He worked with Scrapper Blackwell, but his closest associate was J.T. Adams, with whom he recorded in the early 60s. Griffith was little heard of thereafter, although he recorded a capable solo album in the 70s.