Group announces Walk of Fame inductees

Four more artists with ties to the Paramount Records recording studio will be recognized along Grafton’s Paramount Plaza Walk of Fame.

Paramount Records, which operated in Grafton, is credited for creating many important recordings in blues history.

Artists with connection to the historic production company have been recognized along the Walk of Fame each year since 2006.

The four artists include blues singer and guitarist Willie Brown, country singer and guitarist Elvie Thomas, blues singer and songwriter Lucille Bogan and American blues singer and guitarist Admirl Amos Easton, who was also known as Bumble Bee Slim.

The names of each artist will be engraved on the Walk of Fame’s piano keys.

On the left side of each name there will be a record graphic and on the right side, an artist-related graphic.

The engravings were approved by the Plan Commission on Feb. 22.

Brown is considered one of the pioneering musicians of the Delta blues genre and was an influence on Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. He made six sides for Paramount Records in 1930.

Thomas, who left school at the age of 11 and began performing at restaurants, recorded two songs issued by Paramount, “Motherless Child Blues” and “Over to My House” in March 1930.

Bogan, also known as Bessie Jackson, began recording at Paramount in 1927. Her first major success was a tune called “Sweet Petunia.”

Easton worked for a time with Ringling Brothers circus before moving to his home state Georgia. He later settled in Indianapolis before moving to Chicago in 1931, where he made his first recordings as Bumble Bee Slim for Paramount.