W.C. Handy Statue
FATHER OF THE BLUES WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER HANDY BORN NOVEMBER 16, 1873. FLORENCE, AL DIED NEW YORK CITY MARCH 28, 1958 ENSHRINED FOREVER IN THE HEARTS OF THE NATION ARE HIS IMMORTAL SONGS, "MEMPHIS BLUES", "ST. LOUIS BLUES", "BEALE STREET BLUES", AND "THOSE WHO SOW IN TEARS, SHALL REAP THE JOY." WITH HIS GOLDEN TRUMPET HE GAVE EVERLASTING VOICE TO THESE AND FOLK SONGS OF HIS PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH LAND. HIS MUSIC IS KNOWN AND BELOVED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS AN INSPIRA- TION TO YOUTH AND AS AN ENDURING GIFT TO AMERICA'S TREASURY OF SONGS. FOR MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS HE WAS A DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS, AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS (ASCAP) WHICH PROUDLY JOINS THE CITIZENS OF MEMPHIS IN ERECTING THIS EVERLASTING TRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY. submitted by JEB John Bradley