Red Hot Musicians

At age twelve Alberta Hunter (April 1, 1895 – October 17, 1984) ran away from her hometown of Memphis to go to Chicago to become

Before Jimmy Durante (February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) became one of the most famous and lovable entertainers of the Twentieth Century, he was

Jasper Taylor (January 1, 1894-November 7, 1964) was an early Jazz percussionist. He left his home Texas as a teenager in 1912 playing drums with

Clarence “Pine Top” Smith (June 11, 1904 – March 15, 1929) was one of the earliest pianists to recorded a boogie-woogie” piano solo. His 1928

Dolly Kay (12 June 1900? – 26 August 1982) was a vaudeville and cabaret singer who started performing sometime around 1920 on the Orpheum curcuit

When it comes to the discussion of blues and jazz throughout the early part of the twentieth century, there are bound to be crossovers, musicians

This multimedia presentation of the music of Lt. James Reese Europe was made possible by the permission and cooperation of the following parties: Written by

Fletcher Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) led the most commercially successful of the African-American Jazz bands of the 1920s. The smooth sound

Junie Cobb could play many instruments, but was best on reed instruments and piano. He began as pianist in Johnny Dunn’s Band as a teenager , then

Fate Marable (December 2, 1890 – January 16, 1947) is a very important figure in the early history of Jazz. The bands he led on

One does not normally associate Vincent Lopez with Jazz, but at the outset of his career, he co-led with clarinetist Billy Hamilton a successful five-piece

Billy Murray (May 25, 1877 – August 17, 1954) , known in his heyday as “The Denver Nightingale,” was one of America’s best-selling recording artists

Rosa Henderson (November 24, 1896 – April 6, 1968) got her start in show business working in carnivals. In 1918 she married Douglas “Slim” Henderson

Little is known about the biographical details of Bob Fuller’s life, but he was a very prolific sideman throughout the early and mid-1920s in the

Lucille Hegamin (November 29, 1894 – March 1, 1970) was the second African-American Blues singer to release a record in 1920, just few a months

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company Happy Hour Blues (1) (Lloyd Scott / Don Frye) 1-10-1927 New York, New York Victor unissued Happy Hour Blues (2) (Lloyd

Reedman Cecil Scott (November 22, 1905 – January 5, 1964) and his older brother Lloyd (born 8-21-1902), who played drums, came out of the relatively

In the autumn of 1965, I had the great pleasure of hearing by letter from the man who in the late 1920s was billed as

Frankie Trumbauer‘s (May 30, 1901 – June 11, 1956) accomplishments as a Jazz musician have been overshadowed by the role he played in Bix Beiderbecke’s career.

Drummer Abe Lyman, born Abraham Simon in Chicago (August 4, 1897 – October 23, 1957), led an orchestra that was successful at the Ambassador Hotel

Clarinetist Pee Wee Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969) is one of those unique players that comes along only once in a lifetime.

Nick La Rocca (April 11, 1889 – February 22, 1961) claimed to have invented Jazz and often complained that African-American musicians have been given too

Alcide Nuņez (March 17, 1884 – September 2, 1934) was an early White New Orleans jazz clarinetist. He played with Papa Jack Laine’s Reliance Brass Band,

Like most early Jazz musicians from New Orleans Ray Lopez got his start playing in street parades. Around 1906 he was playing in Papa Jack Laine’s Reliance