Cora Mae Bryant

Biography She was born Cora Mae Weaver in Oxford, Newton County, Georgia, United States. Her own songwriting was slow to get started, but Bryant found the process easy to accomplish. She stated "I don't get no pencil and write 'em. One song, we was sittin' up there just talkin', me and my granddaughter, and I said, "Yeah, if you got anything in layaway, you better get it out." And I made a song of that".

She gradually became important on the Atlanta blues scene; performing, organizing "Giving It Back" festivals at the city's Northside Tavern to honor early blues artists, and as a frequent caller to local blues radio shows. In addition, her collection of memorabilia continued to expand; "... a little pale gray bench, that she said Blind Willie McTell used to sit on to play" was donated to Bryant's 'museum' housed in a side room in her home in Oxford. Bryant was the subject of articles in both Living Blues magazine in February 1998 and in Music Makers in 2002.

In 2001, Bryant recorded her debut album, Born with the Blues, which was released on the supportive Music Maker label. Her song "You Was Born to Die" had previously appeared on the compilation album, fRoots 7 (1996), while "It Was Weaver" appeared on Soul Bag N°192 (2008). Further tracks were included on Music Maker's own compilation, Sisters of the South (2003). Her own second label, Born in Newton County, came out the same year. "It Was Weaver" had been aired in June 2014, on a NTS Radio show hosted by Charlie Bones.

Discography Year Title Record label 2001 Born with the BluesMusic Maker 2003 Born in Newton County Music Maker