Louis Speiginer

Louis Speiginer (January 20, 1915 – August 8, 1982) was an American jazz guitarist active from the 1930s into the 1960s. He was a session guitarist for Hollywood films, and also performed, recorded, and toured with several jazz groups. By 1962 he had retired from full time performance, and ended his career as a music educator in California. He was married to the civil rights activist Gertha Speiginer.

Life and career

Louis Sol Speiginer was born in Phillips County, Arkansas on January 20, 1915.[1] He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri where he started playing guitar when he was approximately 8 or 9 years old.[2] He began his career playing in professional jazz bands in St. Louis during the 1930s.[3] He married his high school sweetheart, Gertha, in St. Louis.[2] Gertha later became a well known civil rights activist in California.[4] In 1938 he was a member of Joe Deshon's swing band which was engaged for an extended run at Sauter’s Amusement Park in St. Louis.[5] After this he toured in bands in the American Southwest prior to moving to Los Angeles in c. 1939. There he played and recorded with a variety of bands; including playing guitar for the film soundtrack of Juke Box Jenny (1942).[3]

Over the next two decades, Speiginer divided his time between working in Hollywood films as a staff session guitarist, recording music with various jazz groups, and touring as a band member with a variety of artists. Some of the musicians he worked with included Lionel Hampton, Lena Horne, Charlie Mingus, and Phil Moore.[2] He performed and recorded periodically with Buddy Tate's band from 1945-1950.[6] This included the 1947 LP Jumpin' On the West Coast.[7] That same year he played guitar on Jimmy Witherspoon's hit recording Ain't Nobody's Business which charted for 34 consecutive weeks on Billboard magazine's R&B chart; including reaching the number 1 spot for a brief period.[8] In 1949 he recorded the blues song "Alone in the City" with Ray Charles.[9]

By 1962, Speiginer had ceased performing full time and was working in Pomona, California as a music teacher and a sales representative for the David Platt Music Co. He moved his career in this direction to better meet the needs of his family. Speiginer and his wife Gertha had eight daughters together. They lived in Los Angeles and Fontana prior to settling permanently in Pomona. [2]

Speiginer died in Pomona, California on August 8, 1982.[1]

Partial discography

  • "Norbo Boogie" Colonial (113A)[10]
  • Louis Speiginer's Orchestra- Wandering Gal Blues // Hey Mr. Landlord (Landlord Shuffle) Supreme Records, Los Angeles AP105 (1947)
  • Louis Speiginer's Orchestra- Cain River Blues // How I Hate To See Xmas Come Around (Christmas Blues) Supreme Records, Los Angeles AP106 (1947)
  • Swing Time Shouters Volume 2 (West Coast label, recorded 1947-1949)[11]

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Eagle & LeBlanc 2013, "Louis Speiginer".
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Jazz Guitarist Blasts Rock 'n' Roll, Says Musician Must Give Sound a Soul". Progress-Bulletin. 17 June 1962. p. 8. Retrieved 22 June 2026. Open access icon
  3. 1 2 Doyle, Freddy (November 20, 1941). "Swingtime in H'Wood". California Eagle. p. 11.
  4. ↑ "Friends, Colleagues Remember Gertha Speiginer as a Forceful Fair Champion of Civil Rights". The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. February 3, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Opens Sauter's Park With New Swing Unit". The St. Louis Argus. May 20, 1938. p. 7.
  6. ↑ Cook & Morton 2008, p. 1375.
  7. ↑ Cooper, Clive (March 9, 1973). "Just Jazz". Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle. p. 27.
  8. ↑ Wasserman 2025, p. 98.
  9. ↑ Russell & Smith 2006, p. 114.
  10. ↑ "Norbo Boogie". Colonial Records.
  11. ↑ Russell & Smith 2006, p. 826.

Bibliography

  • Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric (2013). Greenwood Guides to American Roots Music. Blues: A Regional Experience. Praeger Publishing. ISBN 978-0274977475.
  • Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780141034010.
  • Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780140513844.
  • Wasserman, Jerry (2025). Life Could Be a Dream: African American Blues, R&B, Gospel and Doo Wop, 1946-1956. McFarland & Company. ISBN 9781476697116.
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