William Christopher Handy (November 16 1873 – March 28 1958) was a blues composer and musician, often known as the "Father of the Blues". Handy remains among the most influential of American songwriters. Though he was one of many musicians who played the style of music that is distinctively American, he is credited with giving it its contemporary form not only because he was able to notate his music for publication and hence, posterity, but because of syncopated rhythms, a style unique to his music. While Handy was not the first to publish music in the blues form, he took the blues from a not very well-known regional music style from the Delta to one of the dominant forces in American music. Handy was an educated musician who used folk material in his compositions. He was scrupulous in documenting the sources of his works, which frequently combined stylistic influences from several performers. He loved this folk musi