14 Facts About Erwin Helfer

Erwin Helfer was born on January 20,1936 and is an American boogie-woogie, blues and jazz pianist.

Erwin Helfer is a Chicago boogie woogie and jazz innovator, performer, and educator.

Erwin Helfer was mentored by William Russell, who introduced him to Glover Compton, Baby Dodds, Mahalia Jackson, Cripple Clarence Lofton, and Estelle Mama Yancey, as a young teenager growing up in Chicago in the early 1950s.

Erwin Helfer followed Russell to New Orleans and studied at Tulane University.

Erwin Helfer studied psychology but he did not complete a degree.

Erwin Helfer became close to Billie Pierce and De De Pierce.

Erwin Helfer spent time outside of class studying the piano style of Crescent City pianists Archibald and Professor Longhair.

In 1956, Erwin Helfer made the only recordings of house rent party pianist Doug Suggs and recorded Speckled Red, Billie Pierce, and James Robinson.

Erwin Helfer began his professional career when Estelle Yancey, wife of pianist and boogie-woogie pioneer Jimmy Yancey, coaxed him to fill in for her accompanist, Little Brother Montgomery.

Peter J Welding, one of the preeminent blues historians and scholars of all time, wrote that Helfer had "mastered the rhythmic and melodic subtleties" of the blues piano style.

In 1976, Erwin Helfer recorded Heavy Timbre - Chicago Boogie Piano for The Sirens Records; the recording session simulated a house rent party and included blues pianists Blind John Davis, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Mabon, and Jimmy Walker.

In 1982 Erwin Helfer partnered with Pete Crawford and started Red Beans Records, and released albums by Estelle Yancey, Blind John Davis, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, and other Chicago blues artists.

In 2001, Erwin Helfer began collaborating with The Sirens Records, which restarted in 2001.

Erwin Helfer has recorded St James Infirmary, Careless Love, and Erwin Helfer Way for The Sirens Records.