Charles H. Hunter  (1876-1906)
Last updated: 01.02.24
According to the Internet source given below, Charles H. Hunter was a blind white American pioneer ragtime pianist and composer. Born almost totally blind in Columbia, Tennessee, he trained as a piano tuner at the Nashville School for the Blind and then worked at Jesse French Piano Company, also in Nashville, in that trade. Being a self-taught pianist he readily assimilated the Nashville simple country folk music into his compositions without any "classical" graces and ornamentation. His employers sent him to St Louis in 1902 where, very much like Louis Chauvin, he lead a dissolute life ultimately quitting his job to spend all his time in a life of wine, woman and ragtime. Only just before his untimely death did he attempt to reform himself and married late in 1905. Just six weeks later he died of tuberculosis shortly before his 30th birthday. His last work was the hopelessly optimistic "Back to Life" which was acquired surprisingly by the New York publisher, Charles K. Harris.

Websites:
url15.gif Charles H. Hunter Biography and list of works by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards  
  Title Co-Author(s) Sequencer
       
audiomidi15.gif Back to Life (1905) Sakae Watanabe
audiomidi15.gif Cotton Bolls (1901) Sakae Watanabe
audiomidi15.gif Just Ask Me (1902) Colin D. McDonald
audiomidi15.gif Possum and Taters (1900) Sakae Watanabe
audiomidi15.gif Queen of Love (1901) Sakae Watanabe
audiomidi15.gif Tennessee Tantalizer (1900), A Sakae Watanabe
audiomidi15.gif Tickled to Death (1899) Sakae Watanabe
audiomidi15.gif Why We Smile (1903) Colin D. McDonald
  Title (Release Year) Performers Instruments
       
audiodbemp315.gif Back to Life (1905) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A/T/T/T/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif Back to Life (1905) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A/T/B
audiodbemp315.gif Cotton Bolls (1901) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A/T/T+S/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif Just Ask Me (1902) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A(T)/T/T/T+B/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif Possum and Taters (1900) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. T/T/T/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif Possum and Taters (1900) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. T/T/B
audiodbemp315.gif Queen of Love (1901) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. D/A/T/T/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif Tennessee Tantalizer (1900), A Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A/T/T/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif Tickled to Death (1899) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A/T/T/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif Why We Smile (1903) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A(T)/T/T/B/GB(B)
     Performer CD Title Supplier
       
Brass Music CDs:
cd15.gif Eastern Brass Quintet Ragtime flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif
Ragtime Music CDs:
cd15.gif Various Artists Piano Music In America 1900-1945 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Various Artists Pianola Ragtime: Early Piano Jazz and Ragtime Played on Pianola Rolls: Vol. 2 CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra Creole Belles CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif David Thomas Roberts Folk Ragtime 1899-1914 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Jenks/Grinstead Ragtime Bigtime flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra Echoes from the Snowball Club
cd15.gif Miguel Pineda-Van Gelder A Ragtime Feast: Forgotten Rags flag15us.gif flag15de.gif
cd15.gif Pickles and Peaches Ragtime Orchestra Picnics flag15us.gif flag15de.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Ralph Press The Great American Ragtime Revival/with Sound Effects CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif  Trebor Jay Tichenor The Tichenor Family Trio
cd15.gif Richard Egan From the Land of Ragtime
cd15.gif Evergreen Ragtime Trio It's a Rouser flag15us.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif John Roache Syncopated Odyssey
cd15.gif Sue Keller Rag Time Sue flag15us.gif flag15de.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Jon Weaver Those Long Gone Dog Gone Nashville Rags CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Jack Bradshaw Takes Two [Ragtime Piano Duos] flag15us.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frederick Hodges Kitten on the Keys: Ragtime, Novelty & Stride Classics flag15us.gif
cd15.gif Bill Edwards The Rag's the Thing
Item Title Available €     £     $     Other
             
DBE691 Back to Life (1905) - Rag Time March & Two Step
A/T/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 3 mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE691C Back to Life (1905) - Rag Time March & Two Step
A/T/B, approx. 3 mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE692 Cotton Bolls (1901) - Two Step
A/T/T+S/B/GB(B), approx. 3½ mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE693 Just Ask Me (1902) - A Ragtime Two Step
A(T)/T/T/T+B/B/GB(B), approx. 3 mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE694 Possum and Taters (1900) - A Ragtime Feast
T/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 3½ mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE694C Possum and Taters (1900) - A Ragtime Feast
T/T/B, approx. 3½ mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE695 Queen of Love (1901) - Two Step
D/A/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 4¾ mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
 DBE697 A Tennessee Tantalizer (1900) - A Ragtime Tickler
A/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 2½ mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE698 Tickled to Death (1899) - Rag Time March and Two Step
A/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 2¾ mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
DBE699 Why We Smile (1903)
A(T)/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 3 mins.
1-2 days
other.gif
     Title Instruments Remarks
       
sm15.gif Back to Life (1905) A/T/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifwvicon.gif
sm15.gif Back to Life (1905) A/T/B dbe15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Cotton Bolls (1901) A/T/T+S/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifpdf15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Just Ask Me (1902) A(T)/T/T/T+B/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Possum and Taters (1900) T/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifpdf15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Possum and Taters (1900) T/T/B dbe15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Queen of Love (1901) D/A/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifpdf15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Tennessee Tantalizer (1900), A A/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifpdf15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Tickled to Death (1899) A/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifpdf15.gifPub.
sm15.gif Why We Smile (1903) A(T)/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifPub.
     Title Attribution Instruments Source Remarks
           
pdf15.gif Back to Life : (1905) C.H. Hunter (music) Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Cotton Bolls (1901) C.H. Hunter (music) Piano IMSLP wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Possum and Taters (1900) C.H. Hunter (music) Piano IMSLP wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Queen of Love (1901) C.H. Hunter (music) Piano IMSLP Pub.
pdf15.gif Tennessee Tantalizer (1900), A C.H. Hunter (music) Piano IMSLP Pub.
pdf15.gif Tickled to Death (1899) C.H. Hunter (music) Piano IMSLP wvicon.gif
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 9 works by Charles H. Hunter (1876-1906). It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: ER pdf15.gif
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Tickled to Death 1899 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  wvicon.gif audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Possum and Taters 1900 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  wvicon.gif audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Tennessee Tantalizer, A 1900 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  Pub. audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Cotton Bolls 1901 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  wvicon.gif audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Queen of Love 1901 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  Pub. audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Just Ask Me 1902 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  Pub. audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Why We Smile 1903 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  Pub. audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Back to Life 1905 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  wvicon.gif youtube15.jpg audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Seraphine Waltzes 1905  wvicon.gif
     Composer Title Performer
       
youtube15.jpg C.H. Hunter Back to Life (0:00) Ragtime Dorian Henry