Erskine Butterfield

The professional career of this pianist and prolific recording artist began when he wandered into the publishing offices of then-successful recording artist and composer Clarence Williams with hopes of selling and song or two. It was the mid-'30s, and whatever songs Erskine Butterfield had on tap at that time have been forgotten, since Williams wasn't ready to publish them. Williams did recognize the man's musical potential , however, hiring Butterfield right then and there as a pianist, and according to legend teaching him to play the blues. That Butterfield might have been...