Houston Davis

Houston Davis (born William Houston Davis; December 15, 1914 – November 15, 1987) was an American composer, arranger, teacher of music, dance band drummer, and later in his career, a justice of the peace in Hinds County, Mississippi.

Career Growing up and early career As a child, Davis was born and raised in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His father, Edward Samuel Davis (1874–1952) was a barber. Davis played snare drum in a community marching band in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His father played bass horn. Davis went on to study music at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (his photo is in the university's 1935 yearbook). During college, Davis also led his own dance band. Northeastern's music faculty included Henri S. Minsky (1908–1980), a violinist who was director of bands.

Around 1936, Davis began playing drums with the Wally Stoefler Orchestra, and stayed with the group until about 1940. Stoefler's press releases often singled out Davis as "that famous Oklahoma drummer." At some point in his career, he then taught high school music and band.

Davis moved to Mississippi in 1942. In the latter 1950s, he wrote a number of political songs, but, was mostly composer and arranger for hire, as was advertised in a brochure published around 1960:

Songwriting career Davis wrote campaign songs for Mississippi Governors Ross Barnett and Paul Johnson. He composed "Go, Mississippi", which, in 1962, became the official state song for Mississippi. He also composed country songs, such as "I'm Broke", "Girls Don't Wear Dresses Anymore", and "Crop Duster".

Non-music career In 1972, Davis was elected justice of the peace in Hinds County, Mississippi. Davis ran as an independent for mayor of Jackson, losing to Russell Carlos Davis (1922–1993), a Democrat, in the June 5, 1973, general election. Russell Davis was mayor of Jackson from 1969 to 1977. He wrote fiction for a national magazine.

National recognition July 15, 1933: Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Davis received recognition for having held a drum roll in 1938 for 6 hours, 30 minutes, 20 seconds. The former record had been set by a member of Sousa's band. Davis was admitted to ASCAP in 1965.

Selected works Sheet music

"Caracas" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 June 1947; EU80333 (unpublished)

"Got a Rock In My Shoe" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 June 1947; EU80332 (unpublished)

"I Wonder How Much You Love Me" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 26 June 1947; EU81765 (unpublished)

"Put On The Coffee, Sarah" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 January 1947; EU80334 (unpublished)

"There's A Star Shining Bright" D. Bynum (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Dolly Bynum, Jackson, Miss. 23 March 1947; EU67985 (unpublished)

"Yolanda and Joe" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. 15 June 1947; EU80335 (unpublished)

"Rose of My Heart" James Vernal Fout & Houston Davis Delta Records, Jackson, Mississippi (custom recording)

"I'm Sending You A Kiss On A Star" R.S. Ricketts (words) William Houston Davis (music) © w&m Ruby Stroud Ricketts, Mount Olive, Miss. October 1947; EU96063 (unpublished)

"Think Of You" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © m Leon Daniel 10 September 1947; EUJ92147 (unpublished)

"A Tootin' Tune From A Hootin' Distance" William Houston Davis (music) © w Elma Brown Monroe 28 September 1947; EU95446 (unpublished)

"Heartbreak" William Houston Davis (arrangement) Sadie Nordin Sallis (w&m) 22 April 1949; EU164320 (unpublished)

"I Do, I Do, I Do" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 March 1949; EUI61837 (unpublished)

"Sand Castles" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 March 1949; EUI61836 (unpublished)

"That Cozy Little Cabin" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 February 1949; EU158212 (unpublished)

"When God Made You" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 21 April 1949; EU164819 (unpublished)

You Can't Hold His Hand While You Still Hold My Heart" William Houston Davis (arrangement) © w & m Sadie Nordin Sallis 25 March 1949; EUI61838 (unpublished)

"I Want To Write A Song For The Hit Parade" William Houston Davis (music) © w Ruby Stroud Ricketts August 8, 1949; EU175503 (unpublished)

"I'll Be Blue, When I Paint The Town Red" Sadie Nordin Sallis (words) William Houston Davis & Jerry Lane (music) © Sadie Nordin Sallis & William Houston Davis July 17, 1950; EU209639 (unpublished)

"Gotta Go, Baby" Diamond Record Co., employer for hire of William Houston Davis © Diamond Record Co. January 7, 1952; EU260399 (unpublished)

"Go, Mississippi" In E major © Jackson Board of Realtors September 17, 1962; EP167366

"Go, Mississippi" (manuscript) Houston Davis (w&m) © Jackson Board of Realtors September 17, 1962; EP167366

"Roll With Ross, He's His Own Boss" W. Houston Davis (w&m) © Ross R. Barnett February 27, 1959; EU564630 (unpublished)

"Little Carrol's Last Stand" Houston Davis (w&m) © W.H. Davis New matter: new words August 12, 1959; EU589029 (unpublished)

"All I Want Is A Few Kind Words" Joseph Patrick Manley (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Joseph Patrick Manley 29 March 1954; EU352629 (unpublished)

"Baby Sitting" Marion J. LoPresto, Sr. (1919–1981) (words) Houston Davis (music) © Marion J. LoPresto, Sr., & Houston Davis 23 Febreuar 1954; EU348672 (unpublished)

Eatin' High On The Hog" Ed Baker (words) William Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Ed Baker 23 February 1954; EU348497 (unpublished)

"I Jes' Wanna Stay In Bed" Joseph Patrick Manley (word) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Joseph Patrick Manley 29 March 1954; EU352630 (unpublished)

"I Worry" Mrs. A. A. Kirkpatrick (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Mrs. A. A. Kirkpatrick 24 May 1954; EU359031 (unpublished)

"Share With Another" Robert Tipp Deel (word) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Robert Tipp Deel 27 May 1954; EU359600 (unpublished)

"Wife And Mother-In-Law Robert Tipp Deel (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Robert Tipp Deel 27 May 1954; EU359601 (unpublished)

"Asleep In Jesus" Effie Price Garrett (words) Sammy Graham & Houston Davis (music) © Effie Price Garrett 8 November 1954l; EU376417 (unpublished)

"Bells" Mrs. A. A. Kirkpatrick (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Mrs. A. A. Kirkpatrick 30 December 1954; EU381296 (unpublished)

"Carren of Key West" Arlie S. Davis (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Arlie S. Davis 6 December 1954; EU379205 (unpublished)

"Oh! I Wish I Was" Mrs. A. A. Kirkpatrick (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Mrs. A. A. KIrkpatrick 11 October 1954; EU375983 (unpublished)

"How're You Feeling" Tom L. Spengler (w&m) William Houston Davis (arrangement) © Fielding L. Wright 20 May 1955; EU398027 (unpublished)

"Silver Moon Waltz" Grace Irene Provins & Tex Stanley (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Grace Irene Provins 25 May 1955; EU398839 (unpublished)

"Southern Charm" Carrie Goyette Murray (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Carrie Goyette Murray 4 April 1955; EU392381 (unpublished)

"I Missed You In My Dreams Last Night" Robert Lane Almond (words) Houston Davis & Sammy Graham (music) © Robert Lane Almond 1 September 1955; EU408697 (unpublished)

There Ain't Gonna Be No Mason–Dixon line No More" Lola Davis Long (words) Lola Davis Long, employer for hire of Houston Davis & Sammy Graham © Lola Davis Long 2 November 1955; EU4l6388 (unpublished)

"Big Bad Bee" Hazel Christine Nordan (words) Houston Davis (music) © Hazel Christine Nordan 4 January 1956; EU421510 (unpublished)

"One Of These Days" Aline Marie Quarles (words) William Houston Davis & Sammy Graham © Aline Marie Quarles 26 October 1956; EU454674 (unpublished)

"Add Another Heart To Your Collection" Florence Mandel (words) Houston Davis (music) © Florence Mandel 20 November 1964; EU854383 (unpublished)

"Dirty Cotton Picking Machine" Hilary Lewis (w&m) Houston Davis (arrangement) 2 p. © Hilary C. Lewis 17 December 1964; EU858154 (unpublished)

"HR7152" Houston Davis, Davis 13 July 1964; EU833962 (unpublished) Note: H.R. 7152 is the Civil Rights Act of 1964

"I Can Never Be Lonesome" Gertrude Seaborn (words) Houston Davis (music) © Gertrude Seaborn 16 July 1964; EU834988 (unpublished)

"I Love You" Ernest C. Rowell (words) Houston Davis (music) 2 p. © Ernest C. Rowell 13 August 1964; EU838949 (unpublished)

"I Will Always Whooop It Up For Mississippi" William D. Waugh (words) Houston Davis (music) © William D. Waugh & Houston Davis 13 July 1964; EU833961 (unpublished)

"My Little Ole Door" J.L. Carter (words), pseudonym of Hilary C. Lewis Houston Davis (music) © Hilary C. Lewis 6 November 1964; EU852324 (unpublished)

"Sandy" Fred Maass, Jr. (words) Houston Davis Productions, Inc. (music) © Fred Maass, Jr. 2 October 1964; EU846530 (unpublished)

"The South Bend Polka" Eve Rene Corle (words) Houston Davis (music) © Eve Rene Corle 28 September 1964; EU846081 (unpublished)

"Springtime In Georgia" John B. Skipper (words) Houston Davis (music) © John B. Skipper 13 November 1964; EU853297 (unpublished)

Brief biographies of song collaborators Tom L. Spengler, Jr., in 1957, was manager of Godwin Adv. Agency, Jackson, Mississippi Sammy Graham led a band in Mississippi Diamond Record Co., Inc., was an affiliate of Trumpet Records. Diamond was formed as Diamond Record Co., Inc., in 1950 when a white woman named Lillian McMurry and her husband Willard purchased a hardware store on Farish Street in Jackson, MS., then a location on the boundary between the city's white and black business and entertainment districts.

Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Milton, and James Waller — all of these musical powerhouses furthered their recording careers at a little record company-label on once-thriving Farish Street, the historic black district of Jackson, Mississippi. These blues, gospel, and R&B all-stars are featured in Trumpet Records-Diamonds.

Disambiguation Not to be confused with the New York company, Diamond Records, owned in 1947 by Irving Gwirtz. Not to be confused with the New York company, Diamond Records, founded in 1961 by former Roulette Records executive Joe Kolsky.

Selected discography

Houston Davis

Bron en licentie