J. Mayo Williams
Williams in 1920 | |
| Born: | September 25, 1894 Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
|---|---|
| Died: | January 2, 1980 (aged 85) Chicago, Illinois |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | End |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | 174 lb (79 kg) |
| College | Brown |
| High school | Monmouth (IL) |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1921 | Canton Bulldogs |
| 1921–1923 | Hammond Pros |
| 1924 | Dayton Triangles |
| 1924 | Hammond Pros |
| 1925 | Cleveland Bulldogs |
| 1925–1926 | Hammond Pros |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1919 |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
Jay Mayo "Ink" Williams (September 25, 1894 – January 2, 1980) was a pioneering African-American producer of recorded blues music. Some historians have claimed that Ink Williams earned his nickname by his ability to get the signatures of talented African-American musicians on recording contracts, but in fact it was a racial sobriquet from his football days, when he was a rare Black player on white college and professional teams. He was the most successful "race records" producer of his time, breaking all previous records for sales in this genre.