In reality the name was a pseudonym for the Original Memphis Five. Jimmy Durante plays piano on the 1921 sides. Cliff Edwards’ makes his first appearance on record on the song “Virginia Blues” and he does his interesting “Effin”, which is what he called his half scat, half kazoo-sounding vocals towards the end of the song.
Thanks to Shane Davis, James Gallup, and Scott and Mark of Vintage Music Company
Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
Aggravatin’ Papa (Roy Turk / J. Russel Robinson) | 12-12-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 5023-A 9332 |
Aggravatin’ Papa Vocal by Mandy Lee (Roy Turk / J. Russel Robinson) | 2-16-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5060-B |
All Wrong (Martin / Kahn / Jones) | 10-3-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5272-B Starr 9472 |
Any Way The Wind Blows (Creamer / Hanley) | 8-7-1924 | New York, New York | Gennett 5521 Silvertone 4039 |
Aunt Hager’s Children Blues (W.C. Handy) | 8-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4762-A Starr 9150 Connerized 3011 |
Bad News Blues (Akst / Davis) | 6-22-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5187-A Starr 9426 |
Beale Street Mama Shufflin’ Phil Sings Chorus (Roy Turk / J. Russel Robinson) | 3-2-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5075-B |
Black-Eyed Blues (Jaxore / Kendall) | 4-14-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4869-A Cardinal 501 Starr 9246 |
Broken Hearted Blues (Ringle / Elickmann) | 6-22-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5187-B Starr 9426 Edison Bell Winner 3948 |
Brother Low Down (Al Bernard / Larry Briers) | 10-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4806-A Connerized 3034 7685-A-B |
Brother Low Down (Barnard / Briers) | 10-1921 | New York, New York | Starr 9189 7685-C |
Great White Way Blues (Phil Napoleon / Frank Signorelli) | 12-8-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 5018-A |
Gypsy Blues (Noble Sissle / Eubie Blake) | 10-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4794-A Connorized 3030 Rich Tone 7014 Starr 9177 |
Hopeless Blues (Roy Turk / J. Russel Robinson) | 5-25-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4886-A Starr 9258 |
I Ain’t Never Had Nobody Crazy Over Me (Jimmy Durante / Johnny Stein / Jack Roth) | 5-19-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5164-B Starr 9398 |
If Your Man Is Like My Man Vocal by Mandy Lee (A. J. Piron) | 4-5-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5125-B Starr 9385 |
I’m A Harmony Baby Vocal by Mandy Lee (Merrill / Da Costa / Jerome) | 4-5-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5125-A Starr 9385 |
I’m Just To Mean To Cry (Squires) | 10-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4794-B Connorized 3030 Rich Tone 7014 Starr 9177 |
I’ve Got A Song For Sale (Nelson) | 10-3-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5272-A Starr 9472 |
I’ve Got It, You’ll Get It Vocal by Billy De Rex (Pollack / Brown) | 11-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4809-B Connorized 3059 |
I’ve Got To Have My Daddy Blues (Erdman / Cohn / Jones) | 10-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4806-B |
I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate (A. J. Piron) | 8-21-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4938-A Starr 9288 |
Lonesome Mama Blues (Billie Brown) | 5-25-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4886-B Starr 9258 |
Long Lost Mama (Daddy Misses You) (Woods) | 4-17-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5150-A Starr 9409 |
Lots Of Mama (Elmer Schoebel) | 1-29-1924 | New York, New York | Gennett 5366-B Silvertone 4047 |
Louisville Lou (The Vampin’ Lady) (Milton Ager / Jack Yellen) | 4-9-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5127-B Starr 9388 |
Morning Won’t You Ever Come ‘Round? (Turk / Silver) | 8-7-1924 | New York, New York | Gennett 5521 Silvertone 4039 |
Muscle Shoals Blues (Thomas) | 4-14-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4869-B Connerized 3077 Starr 9246 |
My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms (Ruby Meyer) | 3-19-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4856-A Starr 9230 |
Nine O’Clock Sal Vocal Chorus, Vernon Dalhart (Leroy / Hayes / Leary / Ingham) | 1-29-1924 | New York, New York | Gennett 5366-A Silvertone 4047 |
Nobodys Sweetheart (Billy Meyers / Gus Kahn / Ernie Erdman / Elmer Schoebel) | 3-19-1924 | New York, New York | Gennett 5422-B Starr 9532 |
Papa Blues (Leslie / Wending / Kortlander) | 4-9-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5127-A Starr 9388 |
Papa Better Watch Your Step (Wells / Cooper) | 4-9-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5142 Cardinal 564 |
Railroad Men (Elmer Schoebel / Ernie Erdman / Billy Meyers) | 12-8-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 5018-B Starr 9332 |
Runnin’ Wild (Joe Grey / Leo Wood / A. Harrington Gibbs) | 1-16-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5035-B Starr 9343 |
Satanic Blues (Larry Shields / Emile Christian) | 3-19-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4856-B Starr 9230 Rich Tone 7034 Connorized 3077 |
Shake It And Break It (Chiha / Clark) | 8-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4762-B Starr 9150 Connerized 3011 |
She’s A Mean Job Vocal by Billy De Rex (Jimmy Selby) | 11-1921 | New York, New York | Gennett 4809-A |
Sittin’ On The Inside Lookin’ At The Outside (Waiting For The Evenin’ Mail) (Billy Baskette) | 5-19-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5164-A Starr 9398 |
Stop Your Kidding (Irving Mills / Ferd Groffe / Jimmy McHugh) | 11-6-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4995-B Starr 9315 Cardinal 540 |
Sugar Blues Shufflin’ Phil Sings Chorus (Lucy Fletcher / Clarence Williams) | 3-2-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5075-A |
Sweet Lovin’ Mama (Please Come Back To Me) (Wagner / Lockard) | 12-12-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 5023-B 9331 |
‘Taint Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do Vocal by Mandy Lee (Porter Grainger / Robbins) | 4-17-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5142-A Cardinal 564 |
Two Time Dan (Roy Turk / J. Russel Robinson) | 4-17-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5150-B Starr 9409 |
Unfortunate Blues (Winston / Hamm) | 3-19-1924 | New York, New York | Gennett 5422-A Starr 9532 |
Virginia Blues Featuring Cliff Edwards (Fred Meinken) | 2-25-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4843-B Connorized 3059 Starr 9229 |
Yankee Doodle Blues (George Gershwin) | 11-6-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4995-A Starr 9315 Cardinal 552 |
You Can Have Him, I Don’t Want Him (Tracy / Dougherty) | 8-21-1922 | New York, New York | Gennett 4938-B |
You’ve Got To See Your Mama Everynight (Rose / Conrad) | 1-16-1923 | New York, New York | Gennett 5035-A Starr 9343 |
Artist | Instrument |
Doc Behrendson | Clarinet |
Benny Bloom | Cornet |
John Cali | Banjo |
Billy the Rex | Vocals |
Jimmy Durante | Piano |
Cliff Edwards | Vocals |
Arthur Fields | Vocals |
Moe Gappell | Trombone |
Ernest | Vocals |
Sam Lanin | Vocals |
Mandy Lee | Vocals |
Jimmy Lytell | Clarinet |
Loren McMurray | Banjo |
Miff Mole | Trombone |
Phil Napoleon | Trumpet |
Charles Panelli | Trombone |
Jack Roth | Drums |
Frank Signorelli | Piano |