Hudson Whittaker, born Hudson Woodbridge on January 8, 1903, in Smithville, Georgia, was an influential American Chicago blues musician known professionally as Tampa Red. After the death of his parents, he moved to Tampa, Florida, where he was raised by his aunt and grandmother, adopting their surname, Whittaker. Inspired by local musicians and early blues recordings, he developed a distinctive single-string slide guitar style that would influence future blues legends like Muddy Waters and Elmore James.

In the 1920s, Tampa Red moved to Chicago, where he began his career as a street musician. His big break came when he was hired to accompany Ma Rainey and later collaborated with pianist Thomas A. Dorsey. Their song "It's Tight Like That" became a national sensation, selling over a million copies and establishing Tampa Red as a leading figure in the hokum blues style. Over his career, he recorded numerous popular songs, including "Anna Lou Blues" and "It Hurts Me Too." Tampa Red passed away on March 19, 1981, in Chicago, leaving behind a legacy that significantly shaped the Chicago blues scene.