Eubie Blake
Born: February 7, 1887
Died: February 12, 1983
in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Died: February 12, 1983
in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Eubie Blake was born James Hubert Blake in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 7. He died later on February 12, 1983, having become one of the most important figures in early 20th-century African American music and a major contributor to ragtime and early jazz music and culture.
Blake began his musical journey at age four playing a pump organ. At fifteen, he became a professional musician playing ragtime songs in a brothel. In 1905, he moved to New York City, where he asked Will Cook to assist him in promoting his first song, “Sounds of Africa.” When a buyer offered $100, Blake was elevated to the status of a professional songwriter. Although negotiations between Blake and the buyer ended without a sale, the song was later renamed ‘The Charleston Rag.”
Blake returned to Baltimore where he performed with C. Luckeyeth Roberts and James Johnson. In 1910, he married Avis Lee, a classical pianist. Four years later he published his first song, “Chevy Chase.” In 1915, he met his longtime song writing partner, Noble Sissle, with whom he wrote a hit song for singer Sophie Tucker, “It’s All Your Fault.”
Blake and Sissle collaborated to create Shuffle Along, the first all-black musical hit on Broadway. The show and its hit songs, “I’m Just Wild about Harry” and “Love Will Find a Way,” were so popular that in 1921 the show was performed by three different touring companies. Blake also created some shows on his own including Swing It and Blackbirds.
When ragtime faded in popularity by the early 1920s, Blake shifted to jazz and performed continuously until 1946 when he took a twenty-three year hiatus from show business. He returned in 1969, at the age of 86. Blake toured the world playing piano and giving lectures on ragtime music and helped promote the ragtime revival of the 1970s, which partly grew out of the popularity of the Robert Redford film The Sting. Eubie Blake gave talks and performed his music well into his nineties. In 1979, the musical Eubie was created from his work; Blake himself made several cameo appearances in performances across the United States. Eubie Blake passed away in New York City shortly after his 100th birthday.
bio from www.blackpast.org
Blake began his musical journey at age four playing a pump organ. At fifteen, he became a professional musician playing ragtime songs in a brothel. In 1905, he moved to New York City, where he asked Will Cook to assist him in promoting his first song, “Sounds of Africa.” When a buyer offered $100, Blake was elevated to the status of a professional songwriter. Although negotiations between Blake and the buyer ended without a sale, the song was later renamed ‘The Charleston Rag.”
Blake returned to Baltimore where he performed with C. Luckeyeth Roberts and James Johnson. In 1910, he married Avis Lee, a classical pianist. Four years later he published his first song, “Chevy Chase.” In 1915, he met his longtime song writing partner, Noble Sissle, with whom he wrote a hit song for singer Sophie Tucker, “It’s All Your Fault.”
Blake and Sissle collaborated to create Shuffle Along, the first all-black musical hit on Broadway. The show and its hit songs, “I’m Just Wild about Harry” and “Love Will Find a Way,” were so popular that in 1921 the show was performed by three different touring companies. Blake also created some shows on his own including Swing It and Blackbirds.
When ragtime faded in popularity by the early 1920s, Blake shifted to jazz and performed continuously until 1946 when he took a twenty-three year hiatus from show business. He returned in 1969, at the age of 86. Blake toured the world playing piano and giving lectures on ragtime music and helped promote the ragtime revival of the 1970s, which partly grew out of the popularity of the Robert Redford film The Sting. Eubie Blake gave talks and performed his music well into his nineties. In 1979, the musical Eubie was created from his work; Blake himself made several cameo appearances in performances across the United States. Eubie Blake passed away in New York City shortly after his 100th birthday.
bio from www.blackpast.org
Movies for Eubie Blake...
Title: Music Inn
Character: Himself (archive footage)
Released: May 3, 2007
Type: Movie
During a decade rife with paranoia, in the middle of the McCarthy era, Music Inn was a bold experiment. Halfway between the Second World War and The Civil Rights Movement, Phil and Stephanie Barber created an oasis in the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts where aspiring musicians came to learn from the very best. Students and faculty, young and old, rich and poor, white, black, and brown convened together and learned from each other. Defying the surrounding environment, Music Inn harbored a racial and cultural harmony where music was all that mattered.
Title: Scott Joplin
Character: Will Williams
Released: February 11, 1977
Type: Movie
The life story of Scott Joplin and how he became the greatest ragtime composer of all time.
Title: Saturday Night Live
Character: Self - Musical Guest
Released: October 11, 1975
Type: TV
A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
Title: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1962
Type: TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
Title: The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self
Released: December 11, 1961
Type: TV
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Title: Pie, Pie Blackbird
Released: June 3, 1932
Type: Movie
Short featuring musician Eubie Blake and his orchestra, singer Nina Mae McKinney, and young tap dancers Fayard and Harold Nicholas.
Title: Harlem Is Heaven
Character: Eubie Blake
Released: May 26, 1932
Type: Movie
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson made his movie acting debut in this 1932 film, featuring Putney Dandridge, James Baskett (Oscar winner for "Song of the South"), Cotton Club dancer Anita Boyer, Henri Wassell, Alma Smith, Bob Sawyer, and composer/bandleader Eubie Blake and his orchestra.
Title: Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River
Released: September 29, 1923
Type: Movie
Blake plays his "Fantasy on Swanee River" (two takes of same piece, in different styles). The highest notes failed to record in this seminal experiment with synchronized sound.
Title: Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake Sing Snappy Songs
Released: May 4, 1923
Type: Movie
Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake sing snappy songs.
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