GRANT & WILSON

Biography

Grant & Wilson were the stage names of Coot Grant (born Leola B. Henton or Pettigrew, June 1893, Birmingham, Alabama) and Wesley 'Kid' Wilson (born October 1893, Jacksonville, Florida), a pioneering African American blues and vaudeville duo whose career flourished from the 1910s through the 1930s. Grant began performing in vaudeville as a child, touring internationally before marrying Wilson in 1920. Together, they became known for their dynamic stagecraft, blending classic female blues, country blues, and jazz with theatrical performance, and were popular among African American audiences during the Harlem Renaissance era.

Their act was billed under various names, including Grant and Wilson, Kid and Coot, and Hunter and Jenkins. They performed in vaudeville, musical comedies, revues, and traveling shows, collaborating with major jazz figures such as Fletcher Henderson, Mezz Mezzrow, Sidney Bechet, and Louis Armstrong. The duo wrote over 400 songs, some of which were recorded by Bessie Smith and Fletcher Henderson, and appeared in the film 'The Emperor Jones' (1933) with Paul Robeson. Despite their early success and rivalry with acts like Butterbeans and Susie, their popularity waned by the mid-1930s, though they continued recording and composing into the late 1940s.

Grant and Wilson's legacy lies in their prolific songwriting and influential performances, which helped shape the sound of early blues and jazz. Their work was later reissued in comprehensive collections, and their songs remain part of the classic blues repertoire. Grant continued performing into the 1950s, while Wilson retired due to ill health and died in 1958. Grant passed away in 1970 in Riverside County, California.

Fun Facts

• Coot Grant was sometimes billed as Patsy Hunter and performed internationally as a child, including tours in South Africa and Europe.
• Grant and Wilson wrote over 400 songs, some of which were recorded by legendary artists like Bessie Smith.
• They appeared in the 1933 film 'The Emperor Jones' alongside Paul Robeson.
• Grant and Wilson were once rivals of the famous vaudeville duo Butterbeans and Susie.

Members

• Leola B. Wilson - eponymous, original
• Wesley Wilson - eponymous, original

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Mayme Remington - Grant toured South Africa and Europe with Remington's Pickaninnies early in her career, learning stagecraft and international performance. (Mayme Remington's Pickaninnies tours) [1901]

Key Collaborators

• Fletcher Henderson - Recorded and performed together; Grant and Wilson wrote songs for Henderson's orchestra. (Prince of Wails, Find Me at the Greasy Spoon) [1920s-1930s]
• Mezz Mezzrow - Recorded together and worked as songwriters for Mezzrow's King Jazz label. (King Jazz sessions, 1946) [1946]
• Sidney Bechet - Recorded together during King Jazz sessions. (King Jazz sessions, 1946) [1946]
• Louis Armstrong - Recorded and performed together in various jazz and blues settings. (Collaborative performances) [1930s]
• Blind Blake - Grant and Blind Blake recorded country blues songs together. (1926 country blues recordings) [1926]

Artists Influenced

• Bessie Smith - Smith recorded several songs written by Grant and Wilson, integrating their compositions into her repertoire. (Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer), Take Me for a Buggy Ride) [1933]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Who Wouldn't Go (Who Wouldn't Go)
2. Cured (1.618)
3. When We Were Young (1.618)
4. Last Leaf Of Autumn (1.618)
5. Life Story (1.618)
6. Spring (1.618)
7. Noel (Christmastide)
8. Gravity (Liquid Earth)
9. Breaking Ground (Liquid Earth)
10. Knowing the Stars (Liquid Earth)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz