Lizzie Douglas was born on June 3, 1897 in Algiers, Louisiana. She was the eldest from her 13 other siblings. Her parents Abe and Gertrude Douglas nicknamed her the Kid during her early childhood. At the age of 7 she and her family moved to Walls, Mississippi, which was just south of Memphis. The following year after she moved, she received her first guitar for Christmas. She began to practice and learn how to play both the banjo and the guitar and it was seen that she had a great talent as a musician. When she first began performing she did not use her first name Lizzie, but played under the name Kid Douglas. When she was 13 years old she ran away from her home to live on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. She would play on street corners for most of her teenage years and would eventually go home when she ran out of money. She began to get noticed singing and playing guitar on the street corners. This brought an opportunity for her to tour, travel, and play with the Ringling Brothers Circus. Eventually she came back to Beale Street and got consumed in the blues scene. At the time, women, whiskey, and cocaine were high in demand with the people and places she would be around. She made her money by playing guitar, singing, and prostitution, which was not uncommon at the time. Most of the female performers were prostitutes because of financial desperation. It was said “She received $12 for her services-an outrageous fee for the time.” (Memphis Minnie Biography,1). She was known as a woman that was very strong and that could take care of herself.
She had been married three times in her life; first with Will Weldon sometime in the 1920s, then Joe McCoy (1929–1934), and finally to Earnest Lawlars (a.k.a. Little Son Joe), in 1939. She and McCoy would perform together during their marriage. During this time, a talent scout from Columbia Records discovered her. When she and McCoy went to record in New York, she decided to change her name to Memphis Minnie. During the next few years she and McCoy released many singles and duets. She released the song “Bumble Bee” in 1930, which ended up being one of her favorite songs, and led her to a recording contract with the label Vocalion. Under this label, they continued to produce recording for two years, one of them being “I’m Talking About You”, which was one of her more popular songs. They soon decided to leave Vocalion and move to Chicago. She and McCoy introduced country blues to the urban environment and became very well known.
Memphis Minnie continued to have success throughout the years recording under many different labels like Decca Records and Chess Records. Some believe her fame was the reason for her divorce with McCoy due to jealousy and resentment towards her. She remarried after to Earnest Lawlars (a.k.a. Little Son Joe) and began recording material with him. She became very well known in the blues industry and ended up being one of the most famous blues performers of all time, competing with both men and women.
She continued to record throughout the 50’s, but her health began to become a problem for her. She retired from her musical career and ended up going back to Memphis. “Periodically, she would appear on Memphis radio stations to encourage young blues musicians. As the Garons wrote in Women With Guitar, 'She never laid her guitar down, until she could literally no longer pick it up.'” She suffered a stroke in 1960, which caused her to be bound by wheelchair. The following year her husband, Earnest “Little Son Joe” Lawlars died. She had another stroke a short while after and eventually ended up in the Jell Nursing Home. She could no longer survive on her social security income so magazines wrote about her and readers sent her money for assistance. On August 6, 1973 she died of a stroke. She was buried in an unmarked grave at the New Hope Cemetery in Memphis. A headstone paid for by Bonnie Raitt was erected by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund on October 13, 1996 with 35 family members in attendance including her sister, numerous nieces (including Laverne Baker) and nephews. Her headstone is marked:
Lizzie "Kid" Douglas Lawlers
aka Memphis Minnie
The inscription on the back of her gravestone reads:
"The hundreds of sides Minnie recorded are the perfect material to teach us about the blues. For the blues are at once general, and particular, speaking for millions, but in a highly singular, individual voice. Listening to Minnie's songs we hear her fantasies, her dreams, her desires, but we will hear them as if they were our own."
After her death some of her old work began to surface and some of her songs were featured on blues compilations. She was one of the first 20 blues artists that were inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame.
Reachin' Pete
Memphis Minnie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you go to Helena stop on Cherry Street
And just ask anybody to show you Reachin' Pete
He's the tallest man, walks on Cherry Street
He's the tallest man, walks on Cherry Street
And he, the baddest copper ever walked that beat
Lord, he met me one Sunday morning, just about the break of day
I was drinking my moonshine, he made me throw my knife away
Well, he taken my partner, carried her to the jail
Well, he taken my partner, carried her to the jail
After he locked her up, he turned and went her bail
Reachin' Pete's all right, but his buddy almost ill
Reachin' Pete's all right, but his buddy almost ill
Every time he meet you, he ready for a plenty hell
The song "Reachin' Pete" by Memphis Minnie speaks of a man named Reachin' Pete, who can be found on Cherry Street in the town of Helena. He is described as the tallest man who walks on that street and the most feared cop to have ever patrolled the same. The singer shares a personal experience with Reachin' Pete, where he met him one Sunday morning while drinking moonshine. At that point, he had to throw his knife away for fear of being arrested. Reachin' Pete is known to be strict and take the law seriously, evident from him arresting the singer's partner and leaving her in jail. However, he surprises everyone by turning back and bailing her out himself.
"Reachin' Pete" reflects the challenges and complexities of law enforcement in a small town in the early 20th century. The lyrics provide us with insight into the strict code of conduct and the importance of law enforcement during that time. The song also reveals the reputation Reachin' Pete has as the most feared cop in Helena. Minnie's tale illustrates justice and fairness that Reachin' Pete showed when he bailed out the singer's partner. At the same time, it highlights the uncompromising stance he takes regarding other criminal activities, given his strict code of conduct.
Line by Line Meaning
When you go to Helena stop on Cherry Street
When you're in Helena, make sure to ask someone to show you Reachin' Pete's location at Cherry Street
He's the tallest man, walks on Cherry Street
Pete is the tallest man in Cherry Street
And he, the baddest copper ever walked that beat
Pete is also known to be the toughest cop that ever worked in that area
Met me one Sunday morning, just about the break of day
One Sunday morning, Pete encountered the singer at dawn
Lord, he met me one Sunday morning, just about the break of day
The singer emphasizes the incredible experience of encountering Reachin' Pete
I was drinking my moonshine, he made me throw my knife away
At the time of the encounter, the singer had to discard their weapon because of Pete's authority
Well, he taken my partner, carried her to the jail
Pete arrested the singer's accomplice and took her to jail
After he locked her up, he turned and went her bail
Surprisingly, Pete then released her from jail by posting bail
Reachin' Pete's all right, but his buddy almost ill
The singer acknowledges Pete's power, but dislikes his partner who is always prepared for a fight
Every time he meet you, he ready for a plenty hell
Upon seeing someone, Pete's partner always seems ready to start a quarrel.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MINNIE MCCOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind