Charles Edward "Cow Cow" Davenport, born on April 23, 1894, in Anniston, Alabama, was a boogie-woogie and piano blues player. He began playing piano at age 12 with his mother and later joined Banhoof's Traveling Carnival around 1914. His breakthrough came as an accompanist for blues singers like Dora Carr and Bessie Smith on the T.O.B.A. circuit. His best-known tune was "Cow Cow Blues" (1925), which earned him the nickname "Cow Cow" and influenced the Ahmet Ertegun-written Ray Charles' song "Mess Around" (1953). He also worked as a talent scout for Vocalion Records. After suffering a stroke in 1938 that affected his piano playing, he was assisted by Art Hodes and continued recording. He died on December 3, 1955, in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
