Lizzie Douglas (June 3, 1897 – August 6, 1973), better known as Memphis Minnie, was a blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter whose recording career lasted for over three decades.

Her parents, Abe and Gertrude Douglas, nicknamed her Kid when she was young, and her family called her that throughout her childhood.

She played on street corners for most of her teenage years, occasionally returning to her family's farm when she ran out of money.

[6] She then went back to Beale Street, with its thriving blues scene, and made her living by playing guitar and singing, supplementing her income with sex work (at that time, it was not uncommon for female performers to turn to sex work out of financial need).

They were discovered by a talent scout for Columbia Records, in front of a barber shop, where they were playing for dimes.

[8] She and McCoy went to record in New York City and were given the names Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie by a Columbia A&R man.

Each singer was to sing two songs; after Broonzy sang "Just a Dream" and "Make My Getaway," Minnie won the prize with "Me and My Chauffeur Blues" and "Looking the World Over".

[14] By 1935, Minnie was established in Chicago and had become one of a group of musicians who worked regularly for the record producer and talent scout Lester Melrose.

By 1941 Minnie had started playing electric guitar,[16] and in May of that year she recorded her biggest hit, "Me and My Chauffeur Blues".

A follow-up date produced two more blues standards, "Looking the World Over" and Lawlars's "Black Rat Swing" (issued under the name "Mr. Memphis Minnie").

[17] Minnie often played at "Blue Monday" parties at Ruby Lee Gatewood's, on Lake Street.

[2] A headstone paid for by Bonnie Raitt was erected by the Mount Zion Memorial Fund on October 13, 1996, with 34 family members in attendance, including her sister Bob.

[27] Her headstone is inscribed: Lizzie "Kid" Douglas Lawlers aka Memphis MinnieThe inscription on the back of her gravestone reads: The hundreds of sides Minnie recorded are the perfect material to teach us about the blues.

[5] She presented herself to the public as being feminine and ladylike, wearing expensive dresses and jewelry, but she was aggressive when she needed to be and was not shy when it came to fighting.

[5] According to Homesick James, she chewed tobacco all the time, even while singing or playing the guitar, and always had a cup at hand in case she wanted to spit.

"[13] Minnie lived to see a renewed appreciation of her recorded work during the revival of interest in blues music in the 1960s.

She was an influence on later singers, such as Big Mama Thornton, Jo Ann Kelly[2] and Erin Harpe.

A 1929 Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy song, "When the Levee Breaks",[41] was adapted (with altered lyrics and a different melody) by Led Zeppelin and released in 1971 on their fourth album.