William Christopher Handy (16 November 1873 – 28 March 1958) was born in Florence, AL and was a blues composer and musician. He was widely known as the “Father of the Blues” because of his early 20th century compositions that elevated what was an obscure Mississippi music form to national popularity.

Handy played several instruments, including the organ, piano, guitar, coronet and trumpet. He used all of them in creating music that added ragtime and jazz elements to the 12 bars blues format, then writing lyrics from African-American folklore.

Handy’s legacy continues in the annual Blues Foundation W.C. Handy Blues Award and Alabama’s annual W.C. Handy Music Festival.