Simeon "Blind Simmie" Dooley (July 3, 1881^[2] or June 1887^[3] – January 17, 1961) was an American country blues singer and guitarist.

Biography

Dooley was born in Hartwell, Georgia, United States.^[4]

Dooley met Pink Anderson in 1916 and taught him to play guitar. The two played on the street and at parties when Anderson was not traveling with Dr. Kerr's Medicine Show. In 1928, Dooley and Anderson went to Atlanta to record four pieces for Columbia Records.^[5] Two were published in the same year ("Papa's 'Bout To Get Mad", and "Gonna Tip Out Tonight"), with the other two ("Every Day In The Week Blues", and "C.C. & O. Blues") issued the following year.^[5] The records sold well.^{[citation needed]} Anderson was invited to make further recordings without Dooley, however Anderson refused to be without Dooley.^{[citation needed]}

Dooley died from heart disease in Spartanburg, South Carolina, at the age of 79.^[4]

Musical style

Blind Gary Davis described Dooley, along with Blind Blake and Blind Willie Davis, as one of the biggest pre-war country blues guitarists.^{[citation needed]}