William Christopher (W.C.) Handy, known as the Father of the Blues, lived in Henderson from 1892 to 1903. Recognized as the first person to publish the blues, he received his calling to create this written record while in Henderson, where he realized that his experiences and the things he had seen and heard could be set down in a kind of music characteristic of his race. His first tune, originally written for a political campaign, was later changed to The Memphis Blues. Handy went on to write 40 blues songs and about twice as many spirituals.