The History of the Blues Tampa Bay

Chapter 1: Tampa Red

By Sandy Atkinson

Tampa Red (born Hudson Woodbridge-Whittaker) was born in Georgia.  His parents died when he was a child and he was sent to Tampa to be raised by his aunt and grandmother.   The date of his birth is uncertain, but his death certificate states he was born in1904.  He became one of the most important blues musicians from Tampa Bay. His distinctive slide style on the National Resonator guitar along with his songwriting influenced other blues guitarists such as Big Bill Broonzy, Robert Nighthawk, Muddy Waters and Elmore James.

With a career spanning over 30 years, his best-known recordings include “Let Me Play With Your Poodle” which Rock Bottom covered, “It Hurts Me Too” covered by Elmore James, Keb Mo and many others and “Love Her With A Feeling” later recorded by Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Paul Butterfield and several others. 

He also wrote songs known as "Hokum", which was originally a vaudeville term used for a simple song sometimes called a “dirty blues song.”   He met Thomas Dorsey while in a band backing Ma Rainey.  He and Thomas together recorded “Tight Like That” in 1928 on 78 rpm that sold over 7 million copies.  They became known as the “Hokum Boys.” 

Tampa Red developed his style while performing in Black honky-tonks, street corners, and venues throughout Florida. He frequently played at the Red Top near Tampa’s train station and traveled throughout the state, including the St. Augustine area. Tampa and St. Petersburg were closely connected through the growing entertainment circuit and the opening of the Gandy Bridge in 1924 making the Tampa Bay region an important part of his early musical development.

In 1925, Tampa Red moved to Chicago where he became known as the “Guitar Wizard.”  In the 1920s and 1930s he played a custom gold plated National 4 Tricone resonator guitar that was engraved with custom artwork.  He became known as the “The Man with the golden guitar.”  In 1940s he also played electric models like the Gibson ES-150.  His distinctive slide-guitar style helped shape the development of electric blues and later rock-and-roll guitar, but he never forgot his Tampa roots.