Edmonia Henderson

Jennie Katherine Edmonia Henderson, b. c. 1898 or 1900 in Jefferson County, KY, d. February 17, 1947 in Louisville, KY. She was active as a recording artist in the mid-1920s, and recorded at least 14 songs between 1924 and 1926. She later became an evangelist. At various times, Henderson sang accompanied by Jelly Roll Morton, Tommy Ladnier, Lovie Austin, Eddie Heywood, and Johnny Dodds.

She was born Jennie Katherine Edmonia Henderson, in Jefferson County, Kentucky (present-day Louisville). Henderson appeared in vaudeville, both as a solo artist and as part of Joe Clark's Revue, playing in a range of Theater Owners Booking Association locations, including Baltimore, Maryland, Chicago, Illinois, and Nashville, Tennessee. In 1925, she performed in Radio Girls, another vaudeville revue which included Bessie Williams, Mamie Jefferson, and Baby Badge. Henderson's first recording took place in 1924. "Dead Man Blues", a 1926 recording, featured the vocals of Henderson accompanied by its songwriter, Jelly Roll Morton, on piano. In 1927, she had a gramophone record released in the United Kingdom by the British record label, Oriole, as part of its 'Race Series' under licence from Vocalion. The series also included work by Rosa Henderson and Viola McCoy. By 1928, she was teaching and giving gospel concerts at the Griffith Conservatory of Music in Louisville. In 1932, she married and became the Reverend Edmonia Buckner. Henderson died on February 17, 1947 in Louisville and was interred in Louisville Cemetery.

Her work has appeared on various compilation albums, including The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records 1917-1927, Volume 1 (2013).