Hear the first episode in our two-part series exploring the music of Shirley Griffith — a Mississippi-born guitarist and singer who brought the sound of Delta blues to Indiana Avenue.
Born in Mississippi in 1907, Griffith learned guitar as a child and studied with legendary bluesman Tommy Johnson before arriving in Indianapolis on Christmas Day in 1928. In Indianapolis, Griffith became part of the city's thriving blues community, building friendships with Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell while blending their sophisticated Naptown sound with the raw style he brought from Mississippi. Join host Rodney Stepp as we share rare recordings from one of Naptown’s greatest unsung blues legends, including music from Griffith’s debut 1961 album, Indiana Avenue Blues.
