Page 51 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2022

Broom,” Trumpet never again had a major hit. This, coupled
with the propensity of distributors to order records and either
go bankrupt or not pay for them, convinced the McMurrys
to close the business, and by 1955, Lillian and Willard
ended Trumpet Records. It is a tribute to Lillian’s tenacity and
professionalism that she continued to scrupulously maintain
Trumpet’s accounts for the rest of her life, ensuring that all of
Trumpet’s artists and their families continued to receive the
royalties due to them.
While Lillian McMurry was unique in Mississippi as a
woman making records, she was not alone in recording the
blues and shaping modern American music. Evelyn Aron
(co-owner of Aristocrat, 1947-1950), Evelyn Johnson (Don
Lillian McMurry of Trumpet Records. Artwork by Bob Odhiambo Robey’s aide-de-camp at Duke/Peacock, 1949-1973), Vivian
Johnson (co-owner of Vee-Jay, 1953-1964), and Estelle
– both as a piano player and vocalist – recorded seven of Axton (co-owner of Satellite/Stax, 1958-1970) each played
these. His greatest hit was “Nelson Street Blues” celebrating essential roles in recording and popularizing blues, soul and
Greenville’s Black main street and featuring a teenage Little R&B music.
Milton Campbell on guitar. It came from Trumpet’s marathon Sultan Records of Natchez was the first Mississippi record
four-day session in December of 1951 that began at the label, but Trumpet was the first to fully feature Mississippi
Jackson Musician’s Union Hall and moved to the Cedars of musicians, paving the way for Mississippi labels like Ace,
Lebanon to spare the Black musicians the racist grief given by Malaco, Fat Possum, Southern Culture Records and Rooster
Union members. Big Joe Williams of Crawford, MS, was also Blues. Lillian and Willard’s dedication to issuing quality
at that session and recorded four Trumpet 78s. recordings resulted in a sound legacy of 75 released 78s
In 1953, Jerry “Boogie” McCain of Gadsden, AL, joined and 45s, most of which have been re-released by Alligator
Trumpet and recorded two 78s. Among the other Trumpet blues Records. Willard made the business run smoothly, but Lillian
artists were Luther Huff, Earl Reed, Clayton Love, Sherman was the creative force discovering talent, supervising sessions,
Johnson and “Tiny” Kennedy, all of whom helped to build writing songs and encouraging artists. Fittingly, in 1998,
Trumpet Records’ reputation as one of the finest independent Lillian was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, one of the
record labels of its time. few record producers to receive this honor.
But back in 1950, Hank Williams was king, and any
record company desirous of sales issued country music. The Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS, debuted a new
Trumpet was no exception. In November of that year, Lillian exhibit in April 2022, documenting the history of Trumpet
recorded Kay Kellum, a radio singing cowboy, alongside Records. This exhibit and website feature were made possible
his Dixie Ramblers. When the first single did not sell well, by a grant from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area.
Lillian persisted and recorded Trumpet 133: Rum Run Hollow/ For more information, visit: deltabluesmuseum.org
Jam Session Boogie. Success with a country audience proved
elusive still. Looking for a hit, Lillian recorded Texas Jack &
Rocky Jones, the Hodges Brothers, Luke McDaniel, “Tag”
Williams, Bill Blevins, Tex Dean & the Carefree Cowboys and
Don “Red” Barry. Trumpet’s most successful country artists
were Hattiesburg’s Jimmy Swan, who had a hit with “I Had
a Dream;” “Lucky” Joe Almond from Wedowee, AL, whose
“Rock Me” crossed over from the country charts to R&B; and
“Singing Barber” Werly Fairburn, who had one hit before
being cherry-picked by Capitol Records.
Optimistically, from 1955 to ‘56, Lillian began another
label, Globe Records. However, Globe’s growth would
be limited, in part, as Leonard Chess – an old nemesis –
threatened distributors that they would get no Chess releases
if they carried Globe. Lillian also had troubles with the Bihari
Brothers beginning in 1952 with their concerted effort in
Greenville to poach Trumpet artists – successfully stealing Trumpet Records is recognized on the Mississippi Blues Trail at 309 North Farish

Street, where Lillian and Willard McMurry launched the label.
Elmore James – and ending in 1954 when the Federal Court Photo by Bdarby78, CC BY-SA 4.0
granted Trumpet a disappointing $2,500 verdict in the (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0),
million-dollar lawsuit filed against the Biharis. After “Dust My https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trumpet_Records_on_Farish_St.jpg

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