Ink

The Indelible J. Mayo Williams

By: Clifford R. Murphy

Write A Review

Paperback | 23 July 2024

At a Glance

Paperback
352 Pages

Paperback

RRP $54.99

$54.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $13.69 with

or

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

The product of a hardscrabble childhood, J. Mayo "Ink" Williams parlayed an Ivy League education into unlikely twin careers as a foundational producer of Black music and pioneering Black player in the early NFL. Clifford R. Murphy tells the story of an ambitious, upwardly mobile life affected, but never daunted, by white society's racism or the Black community's class tensions. Williams caroused with Paul Robeson, recorded the likes of Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson, and lined up against Chicago Bears player-coach George Halas. Though resented by the artists he exploited, Williams combined a rock-solid instinct for what would sell with an ear for music that put him at the forefront of finding, recording, and blending blues and jazz. Murphy charts Williams's wide-ranging accomplishments while providing portraits of the cutthroat recording industry and the possibilities, however constrained, of Black life in the 1920s and 1930s.

Vivid and engaging, Ink brings to light the extraordinary journey of a Black businessman and athlete.

Industry Reviews

"Mayo 'Ink' Williams may be the most important figure you've never heard of from the world of early blues music. In this unprecedented biography, Clifford R. Murphy, with a musician's ear, a writer's touch, and an historian's mastery of subject, brings to life this shape-shifting and monumental figure from the heyday of the blues."--Dave Sheinin, writer, Washington Post

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.