Each year, the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress chooses 25 recordings of American recorded sound heritage to increase awareness of music preservation. On March 25, 2020 the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, named “Me and My Chauffeur Blues” by Algiers, Louisiana-born singer songwriter Memphis Minnie as one of the 25 sound recordings, that includes singles, albums, speeches, sports recordings and more.

Carla Hayden is the first woman and the first African-American to hold the post of Librarian of Congress. She is the first professional librarian appointed to the post in over 60 years.

Lizzie Douglas, better known as Memphis Minnie, was born in Algiers, Louisiana in 1897. She took up guitar as a child after her family moved to the Memphis, Tennessee, in 1904. She was singing and playing on Beale Street by age 13. She started recording for Columbia and went on to record more than 200 songs, more than any other female country blues artist. “Me and My Chauffeur Blues” showcases her uncompromising vocal delivery and guitar work. It’s her best-known song and has been covered by Big Mama Thornton, Nina Simone and Jefferson Airplane.

Also making the list are “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh” by Allan Sherman, who adopted the melody from the “Dance of the Hours” from Ponchielli’s opera La Gioconda, along  with “Wichita Lineman” by Glen Campbell; “Make the World go Away” by Eddy Arnold; “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People; the Dolly Parton composition “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston; and other singles. Albums chosen are Dusty in Memphis by Dusty Springfield, Cheap Trick at Budokan by Cheap Trick, Private Dancer by Tina Turner, The Chronic by Dr. Dre and others.

For more information on these and other registrants, the complete list can be found here.