Jim Booker (1872–1940) was an African-American

hoedown A hoedown is a type of American folk dance or square dance in duple meter, and also the musical form associated with it. Overview The most popular sense of the term is associated with Americans in rural or southeastern parts of the country, par ...

fiddler A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially syno ...

from

Jessamine County, Kentucky Jessamine County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 52,991. Its county seat is Nicholasville. The county was founded in December 1798. Jessamine County is part of the Lexington-Fay ...

. His 1927 recordings with ''Taylor's Kentucky Boys'' and ''The Booker Orchestra'' are thought to be the first racially integrated recording session in America.

Biography

Jim Booker was born into a musical family in Camp Nelson in Jessamine County, Kentucky. The Booker family had been established in central Kentucky for multiple generations as prominent old-time musicians. Booker, along with his two younger brothers, John and Joe, and the black mandolinist, Robert Steele, performed under the name, 'The Booker Orchestra'. Booker, alongside his brothers and Steele, played fiddle in several recordings produced by

Gennett Records Gennett Records () was an American record company and label in Richmond, Indiana, United States, which flourished in the 1920s and produced the Gennett, Starr, Champion, Superior, and Van Speaking labels. The company also produced some Supertone, ...

Richmond, Indiana Richmond () is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana, United States. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 35,720. It is the principal c ...

in 1927. Richard Nevins, a

78 rpm A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The g ...

record collector and owner of the 78 reissue label, Yazoo Records, has conducted research suggesting that the Booker family were a direct source of repertoire for several later Kentucky fiddle players, including John Masters, Pretzel Broyle, and Clarence Skirvin.

1927 Gennett recording sessions

April

By early 1927, Booker had become acquainted with the white Kentuckian entrepreneur, Dennis W. Taylor, who between 1925 and 1931, acted as a scout, manager and booking agent for around one-hundred old-time musicians, mostly from Kentucky. In late April 1927, Taylor brought Booker to

in Richmond, Indiana to make several commercial recordings, all alongside white musicians. The resultant instrumental recordings were released by Gennett under the name, 'Taylor's Kentucky Boys'. While these records are believed to be the first commercial 'integrated' records featuring both black and white musicians playing alongside each other, Booker was excluded from promotional photography: Taylor, who could not play any instrument, posed with a fiddle in Booker's place, alongside the white musicians, Marion Underwood (banjo), and Willie Young (guitar). Therefore, the record was marketed as featuring an all-white band. Booker also played fiddle on several song recordings which were released with 'Marion Underwood & Sam Harris' and 'Aulton Ray' as the named musical artists. Typical of record companies of the era, Gennett additionally released the recordings under contract for several other labels using the following aliases in place of '''Taylor's Kentucky Boys: * '''The Tennessee Travelers' and 'Allen's Creek Players for Champion Records * Hill's Virginia Mountaineers''' for Silvertone Records and

Supertone Records Supertone Records was an American record label in the 1920s. Supertone Records were marketed by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1924 and again in 1929–1931. Supertone was one of several record disc brand names marketed by Sears. Supertone records wer ...

* The Clinch Valley Boys''' for Challenge Records

August

In August, 1927, Taylor brought Booker back to Gennett alongside the other members of The Booker Orchestra for a second series of recordings. They were joined by Marion Underwood and the white Kentuckian fiddler,

Doc Roberts Fiddlin' Doc Roberts (April 26, 1897 - August 4, 1978) was an American Kentucky-style old-time fiddler. Biography Dock Roberts was born and raised on a farm in Madison County, KentuckyKleber 1992, p. 775. and learned to play the fiddle at ...

. During these sessions, Booker recorded three twin-fiddle tunes with Roberts. His brother, John Booker played guitar. Of the three tunes recorded, two were rejected by Gennett. Of three songs the members of The Booker Orchestra recorded alongside Marion Underwood, one was rejected by Gennett.

Bibliography

{{DEFAULTSORT:Booker, Jim Wikipedia Student Program 1872 births 1940 deaths People from Jessamine County, Kentucky African-American fiddlers Appalachian old-time fiddlers 19th-century American fiddlers 20th-century American fiddlers Folk musicians from Kentucky