Blake Alphonso Higgs: Blind Blake 1915 - 1986
Biography of Blake Alphonso Higgs (Blind Blake)
Early Life and Background
Blake Alphonso Higgs, widely known as Blind Blake, was born on January 19, 1915, in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. He earned his nickname due to his visual impairment, though there is limited detailed information about the extent of his blindness or how he lost his sight. Despite this challenge, Blind Blake grew to become one of the most prominent Bahamian musicians of the 20th century. His early life in Nassau was steeped in the rich cultural traditions of the Bahamas, and it was here that he would develop a distinctive sound that blended various genres and styles, becoming a pioneer of Bahamian folk music.
Nassau in the early 20th century was a cultural melting pot. The Bahamian archipelago was exposed to both African and European influences, creating a vibrant mix of rhythms, melodies, and stories that greatly influenced Blind Blake’s music. Nassau's colonial British influence and the proximity to the United States made it a unique hub where local and foreign styles of music could converge. The calypso traditions of the Caribbean, the American jazz and blues scenes, and the folk traditions of the Bahamian islands shaped the musical atmosphere that Blind Blake would eventually come to embody.
Blake began experimenting with music at an early age, and his instrument of choice was the banjo. Despite his blindness, he became an exceptional banjo player, known for his remarkable finger-picking style and rhythmic precision, drawing comparisons to his American blues counterpart Blind Blake (Arthur Blake), though the two had no connection beyond their shared nickname and blindness.
