H.C. Speir

Henry Columbus (H.C.) Speir (1895-1972) played a crucial role in recording dozens of blues, country, and gospel artists in the 1920s and 30s. As owner of Speir Phonograph Company, founded at 225 N. Farish Street in Jackson, he located, recommended, or auditioned talent for various record labels, made test recordings to send to companies including Victor, Columbia, OKeh, Brunswick/ARC, Paramount, and Gennett, and supervised or organized recording sessions in Jackson, Hattiesburg, and other cities. Artists who recorded under his auspices included Charley Patton, Skip James, Tommy Johnson, Bo Carter, the Mississippi Sheiks, Ishmon Bracey, Robert Wilkins, the Mississippi Jook Band, Uncle Dave Macon, and the Leake County Revelers, and Robert Johnson’s Vocalion records reportedly came about through his recommendation. Though he did not own a record label or music publishing company and his name did not appear on records, he facilitated a wealth of historic recordings by legendary artists, scouted talent across the South and Midwest and even in Mexico, and sometimes accompanied performers to sessions in New Orleans, Birmingham, Grafton, Wisconsin, and elsewhere. Born into a farming family on October 6, 1895, in Prospect, Mississippi, Speir lived in Sebastopol and Walnut Grove, served briefly in the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school in Harpersville, studied agriculture at Mississippi A&M College, and worked assembling phonographs in New Orleans before moving to Jackson. He dated his start in Jackson to 1920, said he opened his own business in 1925, later moved the business to 111 North Farish, then to West Capitol Street, sold it in 1943, and established Speir’s Trading Post on Pocahontas Road. He later made his living as a realtor and was also known as an avid organic gardener, birdwatcher, and Biblical scholar. He died on April 22, 1972, and was buried at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson.

Jackson, Mississippi · United States