Artist: Prince's Orch.
Author: William Christopher Handy
Label: Columbia
Year: 1916
B-side to Handy's St. Louis Blues (see there).
Covers:
Victor Military Band [as Hesitation Blues, crediting Billy Smythe/Scott Middleton/Art Gillhan]
Sara Martin & Eva Taylor [as Hesitation Blues]
Uncle Dave Macon [as Hill Billy Blues, later as Hesitation Blues]
Art Gillham [coauthor]
Sleepy John Estes [as Divin' Duck Blues]
Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers [as If The River Was Whiskey]
Lead Belly [Lomax-recording]
Milton Brown [key version]
Jelly Roll Morton [for the Library of Congress]
Janis Joplin [with Jorma Kaukonen]
Rising Sons [as If The River Was Whiskey (Divin' Duck Blues)]
Taj Mahal [as Divin' Duck Blues]
Johnny Winter [idem]
Livin' Blues [as Divin' Duck Blues]
Rob Hoeke [idem]
Ian Whitcomb [in film The Cat's Meow]
Harry Manx & Kevin Breit [as Diving Duck Blues]
Marian McPartland & Steely Dan [most as Hesitation Blues]
Willie & The Wheel [Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel]
Frank Fairfield [as If The River Was Whiskey on American Epic]
The same year Smythe, Middleton & Gillhams' Hesitation Blues was published, W.C. Handy published his, using part of the same lyrics: "Honey how long will I have to wait? Oh won't you tell me now Baby, why do you hesitate?"
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)