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James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist and composer of
ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...
,
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
, and popular music. Blake began his career in 1912, and during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
he worked in partnership with the singer, drummer, and comedian Broadway Jones. After the war he began a collaboration with
Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...
with whom he wrote '' Shuffle Along'' (1921), one of the first
Broadway musicals Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...
written and directed by African Americans. When his collaboration with Sissle ended in 1927, he resumed a partnership with Jones which lasted until either 1932 or 1933. He reunited with Sissle briefly for ''Shuffle Along of 1933'', and later the pair worked together in the
United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Blake's compositions included such hits as "Bandana Days", "Charleston Rag", "Love Will Find a Way", " Memories of You" and " I'm Just Wild About Harry". The 1978 Broadway musical '' Eubie!'' showcased his works, and in 1981, President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
awarded Blake the
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to "any person recommended to the President ...
.


Early years

Blake was born at 319 Forrest Street in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, Maryland. Of the many children born to former
slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
Emily "Emma" Johnstone and John Sumner Blake, he was the only one to survive childhood. John Sumner Blake was a
stevedore A dockworker (also called a longshoreman, stevedore, docker, wharfman, lumper or wharfie) is a waterfront manual laborer who loads and unloads ships. As a result of the intermodal shipping container revolution, the required number of dockwork ...
on the Baltimore Docks. Blake claimed in later life to have been born in 1883, but records published beginning in 2003— U.S. Census, military, and
Social Security Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance ...
records and Blake's passport application and passport—uniformly give his birth year as 1887.


Music

Blake's musical training began when he was four or five. While out shopping with his mother, he wandered into a music store, climbed onto the bench of an organ, and started "foolin’ around". When his mother found him, the store manager told her: "The child is a genius! It would be criminal to deprive him of the chance to make use of such a sublime, God-given talent." The Blakes purchased a pump organ for
US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
75.00, making payments of 25 cents a week. When Blake was seven, he received music lessons from a neighbor, Margaret Marshall, an organist for the
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
church. At age 15, without his parents' knowledge, he began playing piano at Aggie Shelton's
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
bordello. Blake gained his first big break in the music business in 1907, when world champion boxer Joe Gans hired him to play the piano at Gans's Goldfield Hotel, the first " black and tan club" in Baltimore. Blake played at the Goldfield during the winters from 1907 to 1914, and spent his summers playing clubs in Atlantic City. During this period, he also studied composition in Baltimore with Llewellyn Wilson. According to Blake, he also worked the medicine show circuit and was employed by a
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...
doctor. He played a melodeon strapped to the back of the medicine wagon. He stayed with the show only two weeks, however, because the doctor's religion didn't allow the serving of Sunday dinner. Blake said he composed the melody of "Charleston Rag" in 1899, when he would have been only 12 years old. He did not commit it to paper until 1915, when he learned musical notation. In 1912, Blake began playing in
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
with James Reese Europe's Society Orchestra, which accompanied Vernon and Irene Castle's ballroom dance act. The band played
ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...
music, which was still quite popular. He made his first recordings in 1917, for the
Pathé Pathé SAS (; styled as PATHÉ!) is a French major film production and distribution company, owning a number of cinema chains through its subsidiary Pathé Cinémas and television networks across Europe. It is the name of a network of Fren ...
record label and for Ampico piano rolls. In the 1920s he recorded for the Victor and Emerson labels, among others.Brooks, Tim, ''Lost Sounds'', p. 368-382. His 1917 Pathé records billed as the Eubie Blake Trio possibly were made with Broadway Jones as the drummer. Jones, who was primarily a vocalist and comedian but had a background as the leader of a dance band, was Blake's performing partner during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. After having already formed a music partnership, the duo created a
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
music and comedy act which they toured in 1918. Blake later became a regular performer at a Harlem nightclub owned by Jones in 1923-1924. Shortly after World War I, Blake ceased his partnership with Jones and formed a
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
musical act, the Dixie Duo, with performer
Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...
. After vaudeville, they began work on a musical revue, '' Shuffle Along'', which incorporated songs they had written, and had a
book A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...
written by F. E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles. When it premiered in June 1921, ''Shuffle Along'' became the first hit musical on Broadway written by and about African Americans. It also introduced hit songs such as " I'm Just Wild About Harry" and "Love Will Find a Way". Rudolf Fisher insisted that ''Shuffle Along'' "had ruined his favorite places of African-American sociability in Harlem" due to the influx of white patrons. Its reliance on "stereotypical black stage humor" and "the primitivist conventions of cabaret," in the words of Thomas Brothers, made the show a hit, running for 504 performances with three years of national tours. In 1923, Blake made three films for
Lee de Forest #REDIRECT Lee de Forest {{redirect category shell, {{R from move{{R from other capitalisation ...
in de Forest's
Phonofilm Phonofilm is an optical sound-on-film system developed by inventors Lee de Forest and Theodore Case in the early 1920s. In 1919 and 1920, de Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patents on a sound-on-film process, DeForest Phonofi ...
sound-on-film Sound-on-film is a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying a picture is recorded on photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an Analog s ...
process: ''Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake'', featuring their song "Affectionate Dan"; ''Sissle and Blake Sing Snappy Songs'', featuring "Sons of Old Black Joe" and "My Swanee Home"; and ''Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River'', featuring Blake performing his "Fantasy on Swanee River". These films are preserved in the Maurice Zouary film collection in the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
collection. Blake also appeared in
Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
' 1932 short film '' Pie, Pie Blackbird'' with the Nicholas Brothers, Nina Mae McKinney and
Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...
. That year, he and his orchestra also provided most of the music for the film ''
Harlem Is Heaven ''Harlem Is Heaven'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code crime drama and musical (film), musical film directed by Irwin Franklyn and featuring a virtually all African-American cast.Loew's State Theatre in November 1927. Blake then joined Jones for an extended engagement at the Royal Poinciana Hotel in
Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from West Palm Beach, Florida, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach, Florida, ...
where Jones had often performed since 1915. The pair then formed their own theatre troupe, and toured a new show in vaudeville's Orpheum Circuit called ''Shuffle Along Jr.'' after the earlier musical with some of the same performers from the earlier work. The duo then performed together in numerous musical revues in the early 1930s; including touring ones led by Fanchon and Marco and the Broadway musical revue '' Blackbirds of 1930''. Blake also played in a band founded by Jones until either 1932 or 1933 when financial pressures during the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
led Jones to end the collaboration. The pair later reunited briefly in the mid 1930s for performances with the Monarch Symphonic Band in Harlem. In 1932 Blake resumed working with Sissle for a brief period as the authors and stars of the musical revue ''Shuffle Along of 1933''. It failed to make a profit during the hard times of the depression. They would not work together again until
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
when they reunited to work together in the
United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
. Their earlier 1921 song " I'm Just Wild About Harry" became the theme song for
Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...
during his campaign leading up to the
1948 United States presidential election Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 2, 1948. The Democratic ticket of incumbent President Harry S. Truman and Senator Alben Barkley defeated the Republican ticket of New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey and Californ ...
.


Later life

In July 1910, Blake married Avis Elizabeth Cecelia Lee, proposing to her in a chauffeur-driven car he hired. They met around 1895, when they attended Primary School No. 2 at 200 East Street in Baltimore. In 1910, Blake brought his bride to
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...
, where he had already found employment at the Boathouse nightclub. In 1938, Avis was diagnosed with
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
. She died later that year, at the age of 58. Of his loss, Blake said, "In my life I never knew what it was to be alone. At first when Avis got sick, I thought she just had a cold, but when time passed and she didn’t get better, I made her go to a doctor and we found out she had TB … I suppose I knew from when we found out she had the TB, I understood that it was just a matter of time." While serving as bandleader with the
USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
during World War II, he met Marion Grant Tyler, the widow of violinist Willy Tyler. They married in 1945. A performer and businesswoman, she became his valued business manager until her death in 1982. In 1946, Blake retired from performing and enrolled in
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
, where he studied the Schillinger System of music composition, graduating in two and a half years. He spent the next two decades using the Schillinger System to transcribe songs that he had memorized but had never written down. In the 1970s and 1980s, public interest in Blake's music was revived following the release of his 1969 retrospective album '' The Eighty-Six Years of Eubie Blake.'' Blake was a frequent guest of ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...
'' and ''
Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...
''. He was featured by leading conductors, such as
Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; born Louis Bernstein; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was th ...
and Arthur Fiedler. In 1977 he played Will Williams in the
Jeremy Kagan Jeremy Paul Kagan (born December 14, 1945) is an American Film director, film and television director, screenwriter, and television producer. Early life Born as the son of a rabbi into a Jewish family in Mount Vernon, New York. Kagan received hi ...
biographical film '' Scott Joplin''. By 1975, he had been awarded honorary doctorates from Rutgers, the New England Conservatory, the
University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the Univ ...
,
Morgan State University Morgan State University (Morgan State or MSU) is a Public university, public historically black colleges and universities, historically black research university in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. It is the largest of Maryland's historically bla ...
,
Pratt Institute Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York. It has an additional campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. The institute was founded in 18 ...
,
Brooklyn College Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn in New York City, United States. It is part of the City University of New York system and enrolls nearly 14,000 students on a campus in the Midwood and Flatbush sections of Brooklyn as of fall ...
, and Dartmouth. On October 9, 1981, he received the
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to "any person recommended to the President ...
from President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
. '' Eubie!'', a revue featuring Blake's music, with lyrics by Noble Sissle, Andy Razaf, Johnny Brandon, F. E. Miller and Jim Europe, opened on Broadway in 1978. It was a hit at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 439 performances. It received three nominations for
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
s, including one for Blake's score. The show was filmed in 1981 with the original cast members, including Lesley Dockery, Gregory Hines and Maurice Hines. Blake performed with Gregory Hines on the television program ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' on March 10, 1979 ( season 4, episode 14).


Death

Blake continued to play and record until his death, on February 12, 1983, in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, five days after events celebrating his purported 100th birthday (which was actually his 96th birthday). He was interred in Cypress Hills Cemetery in
Queens, New York Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
. His headstone, engraved with the musical notation of "I'm Just Wild About Harry", was commissioned by the African Atlantic Genealogical Society. Blake was reported to have said, on his birthday in 1979, "If I'd known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself", but this has been attributed to others and has appeared in print at least as early as 1966.


Honors and awards

* 1969: Nomination for a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for '' The Eighty-Six Years of Eubie Blake'' in the category of " Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Small Group or Soloist with Small Group"


Selected discography

Source: * Victor Orchestra- ''Chevy Chase Fox Trot'' (1914), Victor * Victor Military Band- ''Bugle Call Rag'' (1916), Victor * Eubie Blake and His Shuffle Along Orchestra- ''Bandana Days'' (1921), Victor *
Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American Jazz bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 193 ...
Orchestra- ''I'm Just Wild About Harry'' (1922), Victor * Bert Lown and the Hotel Biltmore Orchestra - ''Loving You the Way I Do'' (1930), Victor *
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...
, Dick Robertson, and the Cotton Club Orchestra- ''Memories of You'' (1930), Victor *
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
and the Cotton Club Orchestra- ''You're Lucky to Me'' (1930), Okeh * Eubie Blake- '' The Eighty Six Years of Eubie Blake'' (1969), Columbia


See also

* African American musical theater * Black and tan clubs * Age fabrication * Black and Blue (musical) * List of ragtime composers


References


Citations


Bibliography

* Brooks, Tim, ''Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890–1919'', 363–395, Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2004. * * * ''The New York Times''; December 27, 1982, Monday. "Eubie Blake Birthday Party. In honor of Eubie Blake's 100th birthday, St. Peter's Church, at Lexington Avenue and 54th Street, will hold a 24-hour celebration beginning at midnight February 6. The tribute to the composer will feature a host of musicians, vocalists and dancers, including Billy Taylor, Bobby Short, Dick Hyman, Honi Coles and the Copacetics, Bill Bolcom and Joan Morris,
Max Morath Max Edward Morath (October 1, 1926 – June 19, 2023) was an American ragtime pianist, composer, actor, and author. He was best known for his piano playing and is referred to as "Mr. Ragtime". He was a touring performer as well as being various ...
, Marianne McPartland, Maurice Hines and Cab Calloway. Mr. Blake, born in Baltimore February 7, 1882, may attend." * * *Williams, Iain Cameron ''Underneath a Harlem Moon: The Harlem to Paris Years of Adelaide Hall''. Bloomsbury Publishers, . Chapter 3: Shuffle-Along Nicely - recounts the ''Shuffle Along'' musical.


External links


Eubie Blake oral histories at Oral History of American Music
* * *
Eubie Blake recordings
at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
The Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center
Baltimore, MD
The Eubie Blake Collection
at the Maryland Historical Society
Eubie Blake & Ragtime
includes transcription of 1970 interview with Blake
William D. and Peggy Smith collection of Eubie Blake correspondence, printed sheet music, and other material, 1970-1977
a
Isham Memorial Library, Harvard University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, Eubie 1887 births 1983 deaths 20th-century African-American musicians 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American jazz composers African-American jazz composers African-American jazz pianists Age controversies American male jazz composers American male jazz pianists American musical theatre composers American street performers Broadway composers and lyricists Burials at Cypress Hills Cemetery DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame members Emerson Records artists George Peabody Medal winners Jazz musicians from Maryland American male musical theatre composers Musicians from Baltimore Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Ragtime composers Ragtime pianists American vaudeville performers Victor Records artists