Eddie Peabody (February 19, 1902 – November 7, 1970), the “King of the banjo”, was not only a superb banjoist but also a great showman who really defined how plectrum banjo could be played “chord melody” style. He reached national fame in America during the mid 1920’s by recording for many companies and offered them a cheap way of producing a record by playing melody, initially alone with a singer and later with piano accompaniment and singing himself . Eddie started to develop his unique solo technique as early as 1920, soon after he left the U.S. Navy submarine service. Although known as a solo artist, he also toured with his pal banjo playing Jimmy Maisel and during the mid 1920’s conducted and performed with his own band. Popular songs of the day were very good for the banjo repertoire, “Ain’t she sweet?”, “Ice cream, you scream!”, “Bye, bye blackbird”, etc, are all standards now in the American song book.
Eddie was among the very first artists in 1927 to record with the “new” medium of film with sound, known as “talkies”, and he made several movie shorts, initially for Vitaphone, for general cinema distribution including “Banjomania”, “Syncopating Sensation”, “Banjoland”, “Eddie Peabody’s College Chums” (with Hal Kemp’s Collegians Orchestra) “Strum Fun” and “Peabody’s Banjo School”. The effect of this new form of entertainment was dramatic and Eddie’s popularity rapidly spread from coast to coast. His appearances on radio programmes over WJZ in New York and subsequently the NBC network took his performances to every home with a radio coast to coast and he performed nightly at the famous singer Rudy Vallee’s nightclub, the “Villa Vallee” whilst in the city.
He visited England from 1929 until 1931 and again from 1937 until 1939, making several recordings whilst there for the Columbia and Decca companies. During his trips to England he helped to promote the banjo by visiting BMG clubs (Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar clubs) which were very active in the years up to the Second World War. He consequently toured across Europe before returning to the USA shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1941, when the U.S.A entered the war, Eddie became a morale / entertainments officer for the U.S. Navy. He already held the rank of commander and he was subsequently engaged to play shows in conflict areas to bring the servicemen “a touch of home”.
When the war was finished, Eddie went about restarting his concert career. Most of the Vaudeville halls had closed down and musical tastes had changed dramatically. However, in 1948, “I’m looking over a four leafed clover”, a hit from the 1920’s, was resurrected by the Art Mooney Orchestra and it became a runaway hit, creating interest in both nostalgic music and the banjo. DOT records capitalised on this by signing Eddie and he made over half a dozen albums for them up until the early 1960’s even producing albums of how to play the banjo. He kept employed for the rest of his life by taking his act into the many cabaret / supper clubs that were popular at the time. Eddie actively promoted the banjo and remained in the entertainment business all of his life and it must be remembered that in the days before Earl Scruggs and bluegrass music, the banjo was synonymous with Eddie Peabody. His very last concert was in 1970 at a supper club called “The Lookout House”, where he suffered a stroke during his act. He passed away the next morning in hospital, leaving a musical legacy that plectrum banjo players still cherish today.
Submitted and prepared by Sean Moyses. See www.SeanMoyses.com . Recording details researched from the book “The Banjo On Record” by Lotz and Heier. Further recommended reading “The Eddie Peabody Story”, by Lowell H. Schreyer.
| Eddie Peabody and his Band | Eddie Peabody and his Dance Orchestra |
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| At Sundown (Walter Donaldson) | 6-6-1927 | New York, New York | Banner 6042 Oriole 973 Apex 8628 Regal 8367 Domino 4005 Starr 10260, Leonora 10260 7302 |
| Baby Face (Benny Davis / Harry Akst) | 7-13-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1822 Regal 8141 Domino 3804 6710 |
| Bam, Bam, Bammy Shore (Mort Dixon / Ray Henderson) | 10-26-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1647 Domino 3618 Regal 9953 6262 |
| Beale Street Blues (W.C. Handy) | 10-14-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1646 Domino 3617 REgal 9952 |
| Blaze Away | 10-31-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-661 Columbia FB-1951 Columbia DO-584 Regal G-24351 CA-12141-1 |
| Brown Eyes Why Are You Blue (Alfred Bryan / George W. Meyer) | 10-12-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1625 Domino 3596 |
| Bye, Bye Blackbird Vocal refrian by Billy Jones (Mort Dixon / Ray Henderson) | 10-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1808 Regal 8111 Domino 3779 6695-4 |
| Bye, Bye Blues (Hamm / Bennett / Lown / Grey) | 10-16-1930 | New York, New York | Banner 869 Oriole 2120 Regal 10175 10139 |
| Carry Me Back To Old Virginny (Stephen Foster) | 3-6-1925 | New York, New York | Gennett 5683 Gennett 3031 Gennett 3864 9385-A |
| Cecilia (Herman Ruby / Dave Dreyer) | 8-19-1925 | New York, New York | Imperial 1535 Banner 1590 Regal 9890 Domino 3561 Silvertone 2560 6129 |
| Charleston Mad (Lovie Austin) | 11-21-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1665 Domino 3635 Regal 9971 National Music Lovers 1137 |
| Collegiate (Nat Bonx / Moe Jaffe) | 6-23-1925 | New York, New York | Imperial 1493 Banner 1572 Regal 9872 6062 |
| Deed I Do (Walter Hirsch / Fred Rose) | 12-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1900 Domino 3871 Regal 8216-A 6971 |
| For My Sweatheart (Gus Kahn / Walter Donaldson) | 12-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1900 Domino 3871 Regal 8216-A 6972 |
| Hallelujah (Robin / Grey) | 6-1927 | New York, New York | Banner 944 7300 |
| Happy Highways | 11-15-1929 | New York, New York | Banner 9161 Oriole 1807 |
| Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider (Eddie Leonard) | 6-6-1927 | New York, New York | Banner 6017 Oriole 944 Regal 8367 Domino 4005 7301 |
| If I Had A Talking Picture Of You (Buddy De Sylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson) | 11-20-1929 | New York, New York | Banner 0580 Regal 8920 Domino 4475 9188-3 |
| I Love My Baby (Bud Green / Harry Warren) | 1-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1718 Domino 3689 6415 |
| I’m Coming Virginia (Will Marion Cook / Donald Heywood) | 6-7-1927 | New York, New York | Victor 20839 39226-3 |
| I Miss My Swiss (My Swiss Miss Misses Me) Vocal chorus by Arthur Fields (Abel Baer / L. Wolfe Gilbert) | 8-10-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1590 Imperial 1512 Regal 9890 Domino 561 Apex 8396 Silvertone 2560 Starr 2560 6128-1 |
| I’m Sitting On Top Of The World (Sam M. Lewis / Joseph Young) | 12-21-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1682 Domino 3653 6352 |
| Indian Love Call (Harbach / Hammerstein / Friml) | 11-20-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-812 Columbia FB-2100 Columbia DO-744 Columbia DW-4681 CA-12200-1 |
| Indian Dawn Minnetonka (Roos / Zamecnik) | 3-6-1925 | New York, New York | Gennett 5688 G09387 |
| I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight (Gus Kahn / Walter Donaldson) | 11-26-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1664-B 6302-1 |
| Just A Crazy Song | 10-31-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-702 Columbia DO-617 CA-12142-1 |
| Lambeth Walk | 6-29-1938 | London, England | Decca F-6729 Decca X-1583 DR-2774-1 |
| La Paloma (Yradier) | 12-10-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-930 Columbia FB-1738 Columbia DO-884 1931CA-12267-1 |
| Londonderry Aire | 12-10-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-769 Columbia DO-700 CA-12269-1 |
| Loveable And Sweet (Oscar Levant / Sidney Clare) | 11-15-1929 | New York, New York | Banner 0553 Cameo 0153 Imperial 2213 Imperial 1690 Domino 4463 Regal 8808 Romeo 1172 9146 |
| Lucia Di Lammermoor-Sextette | 11-20-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-719 Columbia DO-646 CA-12193-1 |
| Mary Lou (Lyman / Waggner / Robinson) | 1926 | New York, New York | Regal 8195-A |
| Me And My Shadow (Rose / Jolson / Dreyer) | 5-13-1927 | Los Angeles, California | Victor 20699-A 39234 |
| Many Happy Returns Of The Day (Al Dubin / Joseph Burke) | 10-31-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-661 Columbia DO-584 CA-12143-1 |
| Mary Lou (Abe Lyman / George Waggner) | 10-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1880 Domino 3851 6892 |
| Melody in F | 12-10-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-769 Columbia FB-1951 Columbia DO-700 Regal G-24351 CA-12266-1 |
| Never Too Busy For You | 10-16-1930 | New York, New York | Banner 869 Oriole 2120 Regal 10175 10140 |
| Oh Boy, What A Girl! (Green / Bessinger / Wright) | 10-12-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 162S Regal 9928 Apex 8424 Domino 3596 Starr 10083 Leonora 10083 6226-1 |
| Oh Say, Can I See You Tonight? Vocal chorus by Arthur Fields | 6-24-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1573Domino 35436 6064 |
| Old Timer’s Medley | 8-10-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 2117 Imperial 1492 Domino 694 0142 Regal 9891 Apex 8405 Olympic 1438 Silvertone 2561 Starr 10068 Leonora 10068 6127-2 |
| Paddlin’ Madelin’ Home | 10-27-1925 | New York, New York | Imperial 1535 Banner 1642 Domino 3618 Regal 9953 Silvertone 2699 Oriole 515 |
| Painting The Clouds With Sunshine (Al Dubin / Joseph Burke) | 10-22-1929 | New York, New York | Pathe 21214 Perfect 11287 Imperial 1740 |
| Poet And Peasent Overture (Franz von Suppe) | 10-12-1925 | New York, New York | Regal 9929 |
| Piccolo Pete (Phil Baxter) | 11-15-1929 | New York, New York | Cameo 0152 Imperial 2213 Imperial 1689 Domino 4463 Regal 8908 Romeo 1174 |
| Rhapsody In Blue (George Gershwin) | 12-10-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-812 Columbia FB-1738 Columbia DO-744 |
| San ‘N’ Blue (Henry Davis / Harry Akst) | 6-9-1927 | New York, New York | Victor 20699-B |
| Sextet From Lucia (Gaetano Donizetti) | 12-10-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-930 Columbia DO-884 Columbia DW-4681 CA-12268-1 |
| Show Me The Way To Go Home (Irving King) | 11-26-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1664-A 6301-2 |
| Some Of These Days (Shelton Brooks) | 11-20-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-713 Columbia FB-1987 Columbia DO-834 Oriole 1744 CA-12198-2 |
| Some Of These Days (Shelton Brooks) | 8-10-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 6042 Oriole 973 Regal 8344 Domino 3983 Silvertone 1544 CA-12198-2 |
| Southern Medley | 8-10-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 2117 Imperial 1492 Domino 1492 6126-3 |
| Spanish Shawl (Elmer Schoebel / Billy Meyer) | 12-22-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1734 Domino 3705 6353 |
| St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) | 10-14-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1646 Domino 3617 Regal 9952 |
| St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) | 5-13-1927 | New York, New York | Victor 20698 |
| St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) | 11-20-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-713 Columbia FB-1987 Columbia DO-834 CA-12196-1 |
| Strike Up The Band (George Gershwin) | 7-9-1938 | London, England | Decca F-6752 DR-2793-1 |
| Sweet Child (Al Lewis / Richard Whiting) | 1-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1718 Domino 3689 6415 |
| Sweet Thing (Williams / Kahn / Verges) | 1926 | New York, New York | Regal 8195-B |
| Sweet Man (Roy Turk / Maceo Pinkard) | 11-21-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1665 Domino 3635 Regal 9971 National Music Lovers 1137 |
| Sweet Thing (Gus Kahn / Joseph Williams) | 10-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1880 Domino 3851 6893 |
| That Certain Party (Gus Kahn / Walter Donaldson) | 1-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1702 Domino 3672 6416-2 |
| That Tumble Down Shack In Athlone (Richard W. Pascoe / Monte Carlo / Alma M. Sanders) | 3-3-1925 | New York, New York | Gennett 5683 Gennett 3864 9375-A |
| The Doll Dance (Nacio Herb Brown) | 5-13-1927 | Los Angeles, California | Victor 20698 CA-12141-1 |
| Then I’ll Be Happy (Cliff Friend / Lew Brown) | 12-21-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1682 Domino 3653 Regal 9989 6351 |
| This Is The Day Of Days | 10-31-1931 | London, England | Columbia DB-702 Columbia DO-617 CA-12144-1 |
| Tiptoe Through The Tulips (Al Dubin / Joseph Burke) | 10-22-1929 | New York, New York | Pathe 21214 Perfect 11287 Imperial 1739 Banner 6565 Oriole 1745 Regal 8886 Cameo 9316 Lincoln 3340 Romeo 1148 Vocalion 500 Broadcast W 635 Kristall S071 Cristal 5060 Angelus 3172 Banner 6564 Oriole 1744 Domino 4437 Regal 8886 Cameo 9317 Lincoln 3341 Romeo 1149 Apex 41054 Crown 81239 Vocalion 500 Angelus 3171 9074-5 |
| Ukulele Lady (Gus Kahn / Richard Whiting) | 6-23-1925 | New York, New York | Imperial 1493 Banner 1572 Regal 9872 Silvertone 2558 Apex 8379 Domino 3544 Starr 10045 Leonora 10045 6061 |
| Valencia Vocal refrain by Billy Jones (Jose Padilla / Clifford Grey) | 7-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1808 Regal 8111 Domino 3779 6694-1 |
| Where’d Ya Get Those Eyes? (Walter Donaldson) | 7-13-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1822 Regal 8141 Domino 3804 6063 |
| Who? (Jerome Kern / Otto Harbach) | 1-1926 | New York, New York | Banner 1702 Domino 3672 6417-3 |
| Yellow Dog Blues (W.C. Handy) | 12-22-1925 | New York, New York | Banner 1734 Domino 3705 6353 |
| Yes Sir! That’s My Baby (Gus Kahn / Walter Donaldson) | 6-3-1925 | New York, New York | Imperial 1512 Banner 1573 Regal 9873 Domino 3543 Silvertone 2559 Brunswick 1573 6063 |
| You Don’t Like It – Not Much (Ned Miller / Art Kahn / C.Cohn) | 6-9-1927 | New York, New York | Victor 20839 39235-3 |
| Title | Director | Year |
| Banjomania | Vitaphone | 1927 |
| Syncopating Sensation | Vitaphone | 1928 |
| Banjoland | Vitaphone | 1928 |
| Shoestring Follies | Vitaphone | ? |
| Eddie Peabody’s College Chums | Adolph Zukor | 1929 |
| Hollywood On Parade | 1932 | |
| The Lemon Drop Kid | Marshall Neilan | 1934 |
| Pirate Party on Catalina Isle | Alexander Van Horn | 1935 |
| Hula Heaven | Leslie M. Roush | 1937 |
| Rainbow’s End | Roy Mack | 1938 |
| Strum Fun | William Forest Crouch | 1943 |
| Eddie Peabody and Sonny Burke’s Orchestra | Will Cowan | 1951 |
