People Flashcards
James Gideon Tanner
Role: Violinist, leader of the Skillet Lickers
Genre: Southern String Band
Location: Georgia
Decade(s): 1920s
Song(s): Soldier’s Joy
Contribution: First southern string band, Colombia Record’s first successful hillbilly act
Tommy Jarrell
Role: Old-time fiddler and banjo player Genre: Old-time Appalachian music Location: North Carolina Decade(s): 1980s Song(s): Soldier's Joy Contribution: Recorded solo performance of this song
Dink Roberts
Role: Banjo player & vocalist
Genre: African-American songster banjo music
Location: North Carolina
Decade(s): 1970s
Song(s): Coo Coo
Contribution: Showcased African-American influence on banjo music, representative of “songster” pre-blues tradition
Lightning Washington
Role: Prison songleader Genre: Work songs Location: Texas Decade(s): 1930s Song(s): Long John Contribution: Performed work songs with fellow prisoners
Mississippi John Hurt
Role: Guitarist & vocalist Genre: African-American songster music Location: Mississippi Decade(s): 1960s Song(s): Stagolee Contribution: Helped further folk music revival, demonstrated blend of European and African American elements
George Washington Dixon
Role: Entertainer Genre: Blackface entertainer Location: New York City Decade(s): 1830s-1850s Song(s): ? Contribution: First white performer to become popular blackface entertainer
Thomas Dartmouth “Daddy” Rice
Role: Entertainer Genre: Minstrel performer Location: New York City Decade(s): 1830s-1850s Song(s): Jim Crow Contribution: Demonstrated profitability of minstrelsy with his hit song Jim Crow (1829), first international American song hit
Stephen Collins Foster
Role: Composer
Genre: Minstrel songs, Parlor songs
Location: Pittsburgh (born)
Decade(s): 1840s-1860s
Song(s): Oh! Susanna, Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair, et al.
Contribution: First important composer of American popular song
John Philip Sousa
Role: Bandleader
Genre: Brass band music
Location: Touring band
Decade(s): 1890s-WWI
Song(s): “Stars and Stripes Forever”, et al.
Contribution: America’s “March King”, the most popular bandleader of the era
Paul Dresser
Role: Songwriter
Genre: early Tin Pan Alley, Parlor Song
Location: Tin Pan Alley
Decade(s): 1880s-1900s
Song(s): “On the Banks of Wabash, Far Away”, et al.
Contribution: One of the most important composers of early Tin Pan Alley
Harry von Tilzer
Role: Songwriter
Genre: early Tin Pan Alley, Parlor Song
Location: Tin Pan Alley
Decade(s): 1900s-1910s?
Song(s): “A Bird in a Gilded Cage”, et al.
Contribution: “Daddy of Popular Song”, calculating composer who kept tunes to a limited range for maximal success
James A. Bland
Role: Songwriter
Genre: Plantation songs
Location: ?
Decade(s): 1870s
Song(s): “Carry me Back to Old Virginny”, et al.
Contribution: First successful black songwriter. Criticized for pandering to black stereotypes
Charles K. Harris
Role: Banjo player Genre: Popular song Location: Wisconsin (born) Decade(s): 1890s Song(s): After the Ball Contribution: Wrote "After the Ball", first mega-hit pop song. Was performed by Sousa maximizing popularity
Scott Joplin
Role: Composer, pianist Genre: Ragtime Location: Missouri Decade(s): 1890s-1910s Song(s): Maple Leaf Rag, et al. Contribution: The best-known composer of ragtime music, was an African American.
Vernon and Irene Castle
Role: Dancers Genre: Ballroom dance, tango Location: New York City Decade(s): 1910s Contribution: Biggest superstars around WWI, changed the course of social dance in America
James Reese Europe
Role: Pianist, conductor of the Society Orchestra
Genre: Dance music
Location: New York City
Decade(s): 1910s
Song(s): Castle House Rag
Contribution: Wrote dance music for the Castles, dreamed of forming black symphony orchestra
Nick LaRocca
Role: Composer, leader of Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB)
Genre: Jazz
Location: New Orleans
Decade(s): 1918
Song(s): Tiger Rag
Contribution: Performed first jazz recording
King Joe Oliver
Role: Cornetist, leader of Creole Jazz Band
Genre: Jazz
Location: New Orleans
Decade(s): 1920s
Song(s): Dipper Mouth Blues
Contribution: Unique wah-wah playing style, mentor of Louis Armstrong
Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake
Role: Songwriters Genre: Jazz-influenced Broadway musicals Location: Broadway Decade(s): 1910s Song(s): Shuffle Along (show) Contribution: Began career with James Reese Europe, launched first all-black Broadway musical Shuffle ALong
Paul Whiteman
Role: Bandleader of the Ambassador Orchestra
Genre: Symphonic Jazz
Location: New York City
Decade(s): 1920s
Song(s): “Whispering”, et al.
Contribution: Dubbed “King of Jazz”, controversial title since African-Americans invented the genre. Influential leader of most successful dance band of the 20s.
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington
Role: Pianist, bandleader of the Washingtonians
Genre: 1920s-30s
Location: Cotton Club (Harlem)
Decade(s): Jazz-influenced African-American dance band, “jungle music”
Song(s): East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Contribution: One of the most important American musicians of the 20th century. Created “jungle music” style, dense textures and muted brass
James “Bubber” Miley
Role: Trumpeter Genre: Jazz-influenced dance music Location: Cotton Club (Harlem) Decade(s): 1920s Song(s): East St. Louis Toodle-oo Contribution: Influenced by King Joe Oliver's playing style, performed with Duke Ellington in the Washingtonians and co-wrote East St. Louis Toodle-oo.
Justo “Don” Azpiazu
Role: Bandleader Genre: Cuban dance band Location: New York City Decade(s): 1930s Song(s): El Manisero Contribution: Gave America first authentic Cuban music. El Manisero's performance was a "pregon", based on Havana street vendor calls.
Irving Berlin
Role: Songwriter
Genre: Tin Pan Alley, ragtime-influenced pop songs, broadway, film scores
Location: Tin Pan Alley
Decade(s): 1910s-1960s
Song(s): “Blue Skies”, “White Christmas”, et al.
Contribution: Most productive & varied Tin Pan Alley songwriter.
Cole Porter
Role: Songwriter Genre: Tin Pan Alley Location: Tin Pan Alley Decade(s): 1920s-30s Song(s): Kiss Me Kate (show), et al. Contribution: One of the major songwriters for the Broadway musical stage.
George Gershwin
Role: Songwriter, pianist
Genre: Tin Pan Alley, Broadway
Location: Tin Pan Alley
Decade(s): 1910s-30s
Song(s): Rhapsody in Blue, I Got Music, et al.
Contribution: Bridged gulf between art music and pop music. Interest in African-American Jazz influenced “I Got Music”. Paul Whiteman commissioned Rhapsody in Blue from him.
Al Jolson
Role: Singer, performer
Genre: Minstrelsy, Vaudeville, Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, Hollywood
Location: Tin Pan Alley
Decade(s): 1910s-1930s
Song(s): The Jazz Singer (movie), April Showers
Contribution: Career overlapped vaudeville and new 1920s media. Starred in first talking picture, The Jazz Singer.
Gene Austin
Role: Singer Genre: Tin Pan Alley, crooner Location: Tin Pan Alley Decade(s): 1920s Song(s): "My Blue Heaven" Contribution: One of the first crooners, sung "My Blue Heaven", the bestselling record of its era
Bing Crosby
Role: Singer Genre: Tin Pan Alley, crooner Location: Tin Pan Alley Decade(s): 1930s Song(s): "How Deep is the Ocean?" Contribution: The most popular representative of the crooner style.
Ira Gershwin
Role: Lyricist Genre: Tin Pan Alley Location: Tin Pan Alley Decade(s): 1920s-30s Song(s): I Got Music Contribution: Wrote lyrics for George Gershwin's songs.
