Sykes, Roosevelt

Sykes, Roosevelt 31 January 1906; Elmar, AR – 17 July 1983; New Orleans, LA Roosevelt Sykes was born on January 31, 1906, in Elmar, Arkansas, although his family moved to St. Louis when he was still a baby. As a young child he started playing the organ at his grandfather’s home and graduated to accompanying morning prayers at school. The little school pump organ, or harmonium, was the instrument on which Sykes learned his first blues, “Single Tree Blues,” before his hands were big enough to do…