Charlie Spand

Charlie Spand (May 8, 1893 – after 1958) was an American blues and boogie-woogie pianist and singer, noted for his barrelhouse style. He was deemed one of the most influential piano players of the 1920s. Little is known of his life outside of music, and his total recordings amount to 33 tracks. and others, who performed on Brady Street and Hastings Street in Detroit, Michigan, in the 1920s. In 1929, Spand relocated to Chicago, Illinois, where he met and began performing with Blind Blake.

Spand recorded 25 songs for Paramount Records between June 1929 and September 1931. The tracks were recorded in Richmond, Indiana, Chicago, and Grafton, Wisconsin. The 1929 Richmond sessions recorded seven songs with guitar accompaniment to Spand's piano playing and singing. Most of these were directly attributed to Blake. During Spand's most notable recording, he and Blake had a small conversation during the making of "Hastings Street". Another such duet occurred on "Moanin' the Blues". The researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc state that the blues musician Little Brother Montgomery said, in 1958, that Spand was still living in Chicago.

Spand's track "Back to the Woods" has been recorded by Kokomo Arnold, Joan Crane and Rory Block. Josh White recorded Spand's "Good Gal."

Discography Selected compilation albums