Did You Know Trivia. He purchased an organ that cost $75 by paying 25 cents each week. "[13] Rudolf Fisher insisted that Shuffle Along "had ruined his favorite places of African-American sociability in Harlem" due to the influx of white patrons. (Missing Lyrics), Baltimore Todalo The station's manager tries to inject some passion. Download sheet music for Eubie Blake. Lyrics to 'I'm Just Wild About Harry' by Judy Garland. [16] That same year he and his orchestra provided as well most of the music for the film Harlem Is Heaven.[17]. The Blakes purchased a pump organ for US$75.00, making payments of 25 cents a week. Of his kisses In 1921, Blake and long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote the Broadway musical Shuffle Along, one of the first Broadway musicals to be written and directed by African Americans. I'm just wild about Harry About. (Missing Lyrics), As Long As You Live Blake got his first big break in the music business in 1907, when the world champion boxer Joe Gans hired him to play the piano at Gans's Goldfield Hotel, the first "black and tan club" in Baltimore. And Harry's wild about me I'm just wild about Harry And Harry's wild about me However, he recorded an album in 1969 that renewed his popularity. [2], Blake claimed in later life to have been born in 1883, but records published beginning in 2003—U.S. ed. [3][4][5][6][7], Blake's musical training began when he was four or five years old. The heav'nly blisses During this period, he also studied composition in Baltimore with Llewellyn Wilson. Sugar Cane - Scott Joplin - 1908 18. She was a performer and a businesswoman and became his valued business manager until her death in 1982. (Chorus) In 1938, Avis was diagnosed with tuberculosis. His career has extended from ragtime (see jazz ) to the 1980s. Of his loss, Blake said, "In my life I never knew what it was to be alone. I'm just wild about Harry And Harry's wild about me The heavenly blisses Of his kisses Fills me with ecstasy [2] In 1933, Sissle, Blake, and Flournoy Miller got back together and attempted an unsuccessful revival of "Shuffle Along." Eubie Blake. Before Fame. 12th Street Rag - Euday Bowman - 1915 16. In Eubie Blake's words, 'It wasn't Broadway but we made it Broadway.' By kindness of fate His headstone, engraved with the musical notation of "I'm Just Wild About Harry", was commissioned by the African Atlantic Genealogical Society. (Missing Lyrics), Eubie’s Boogie In 1978 he came to Broadway in “Eubie!,” a musical revue of the songs of overlooked African-American composer Eubie Blake (whose most famous song was “I’m Just Wild About Harry”). Blake's compositions included such hits as "Bandana Days", … In a rare filmed record, the famed songwriters and vaudevillians perform. In the 1920s he recorded for the Victor and Emerson labels among others. In 1946, Blake retired from performing and enrolled in New York University, where he studied the Schillinger System of music composition, graduating in two and a half years. The 1978 Broadway musical Eubie! was first staged at the Memminger Auditorium last fall as part of the MOJA Festival. Census, military, and Social Security records and Blake's passport application and passport—uniformly give his birth year as 1887. While out shopping with his mother, he wandered into a music store, climbed on the bench of an organ, and started "foolin’ around". James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist, lyricist, and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. Cannot do without In 1972, Mr. Blake started a record company, Eubie Blake Records, for which he was the principal performer, and continued to write and publish rags. His parents had both been slaves. One of De Forest's earliest experimental sound films. (Missing Lyrics), Blue Rag in 12 Keys In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote Shuffle Along, one of the first Broadway musicals to be written and directed by African Americans. One of the most enduring ragtime pianists was Eubie Blake, who took that music well into the 1980’s. And he's just wild about Of his kisses [19][20] By 1975, he had been awarded honorary doctorates from Rutgers, the New England Conservatory, the University of Maryland, Morgan State University, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn College, and Dartmouth. Later in life, Sissle became involved in the Negro Actor's Guild, which he helped found, serving as its first president. … showcased his works. Oh I'm just wild about Harry But my Harry says [10], According to Blake, he also worked the medicine show circuit and was employed by a Quaker doctor. I'm the girl of all girls top albums The show was filmed in 1981 with the original cast members, including Lesley Dockery, Gregory Hines and Maurice Hines. I mean the vamps Although his main importance was as a songwriter for Broadway shows in the 1920s, late in life he became known as the last living link to ragtime. Eubie teamed with Andy Razaf for the successful musical Blackbirds of 1930 whose hit song was “Memories of You.” Blake continued his many-faceted career until 1946 when he retired. For Industry Professionals. (Verse 2) And he's just wild about The heav'nly blisses Blake continued to play and record until his death, on February 12, 1983, in Brooklyn, five days after events celebrating his purported 100th birthday[21] (which was actually his 96th birthday). Shuffle Along yielded Sissle and Blake’s best-known song, “ I’m Just Wild About Harry,” as well as the romantic ballad “Love Will Find a Way,” the performance of which was revolutionary in that it allowed African Americans to express feelings of love on the American … Blake was a frequent guest of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin. Blake stayed with the show only two weeks, however, because the doctor's religion didn't allow the serving of Sunday dinner. Eubie Blake was born February 7, 1887, at 319 Forrest Street, in Baltimore, Maryland. " "I'm Just Wild About Harry" was the most popular number of the show. Blake conducted the show's orchestra and recorded the song … Blake’s most famous song and biggest commercial hit was this song written for the 1921 Broadway musical Shuffle Along. Semper Fidelis He was featured by leading conductors, such as Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Fiedler. Oh I'm just wild about Harry James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist, lyricist, and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. There's some fellow for me in this world Eubie! 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. The production received three nominations for Tony Awards, including one for Blake's score. He also appeared in Warner Brothers' 1932 short film Pie, Pie Blackbird with the Nicholas Brothers, Nina Mae McKinney, and Noble Sissle. I'm his Ideal [11], Blake said he composed the melody of the "Charleston Rag" in 1899, when he would have been only 12 years old. Shortly after World War I, Blake joined forces with the performer Noble Sissle to form a vaudeville musical act, the Dixie Duo. Blake was also a composer and lyricist. Must be a girl Listen to Eubie Blake live at Great American Music Hall (San Francisco, CA) on Sep 22, 1974 Blake and Tyler married in 1945. Of the eight children born to former slaves Emily "Emma" Johnstone and John Sumner Blake, he was the only one to survive infancy. With Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake. Complete song listing of Eubie Blake on OLDIES.com. In 1968, he and Blake recorded together on an album entitled 86 Years of Eubie Blake. He played a Melodeon strapped to the back of the medicine wagon. [12], In 1912, Blake began playing in vaudeville with James Reese Europe's Society Orchestra, which accompanied Vernon and Irene Castle's ballroom dance act. In Kernfeld, Barry. (Missing Lyrics), Stars and Stripes Forever April 1923–1941", "Eubie Blake, Ragtime Composer, Dies 5 Days After 100th Birthday", "Past Rutgers University Honorary Degree Recipients | Office of the Secretary of the University", American Theatre Hall of Fame Inductees (1995), Eubie Blake oral histories at Oral History of American Music, The Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eubie_Blake&oldid=995237547, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2015, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 December 2020, at 23:26. Eubie Blake Feb. 7, 1883 - Feb. 12, 1983 James Hubert "Eubie" Blake was born in Baltimore on Feb. 7, 1883. (Missing Lyrics), Troublesome Ivories [23], Media related to Eubie Blake at Wikimedia Commons. [14], Blake made his first recordings in 1917, for the Pathé record label and for Ampico piano rolls. The Cake Walk in the Sky - Ben Harney - 1899 13. With the songwriter Noble Sissle he produced early African-American Broadway musicals, e.g., Shuffle Along (1921). Eubie Blake and His Orchestra Eubie Blake & His Orchestra Real name James Hubert Blake Born February 7, 1887 Died February 12, 1983 Country United States IPI 00003303059 Comments Popular, ragtime and jazz pianist. I've found my mate Combination March - Scott Joplin - 1896 14. In the show, Jessie Williams finds a cause in Harry Walton, a virtuous man who aims to topple the crooked mayor of his city by running for office. Harry's his name Many of Blake's most famous songs came from Shuffle Along, including I'm Just Wild about Harry and Love Will Find a Way. [1] 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". Blake, Eubie (James Hubert Blake), 1883–1983, African-American pianist and composer, b. Baltimore. "[8], While serving as bandleader with the USO during World War II, he met Marion Grant Tyler, the widow of the violinist Willy Tyler. Charleston Rag - Eubie Blake - 1899 12. He wrote his first rag, "The ... read more. Eubie! Southern, Eileen (2002). (Chorus) To place an order or for customer service, call toll-free 1-800-336-4627 or outside the United States, call 1-610-649-7565 La Pas Ma La - Ernest Hogan - 1895 15. “Memories of You” was composed by pianist Eubie Blake and lyricist Andy Razaf in 1930 for Lew Leslie’s Broadway show Blackbirds of 1930.Vocalist Minto Cato sang it on the show: “I wrote that song in an octave and a fifth,” said Blake, “to show off a girl’s voice, Minto Cato. When it premiered in June 1921, Shuffle Along became the first hit musical on Broadway written by and about African-Americans. There are some fellows that like all the girls He's just wild about me. Fill me with ecstacy With his frequent partner, Noble Sissle, Blake wrote the groundbreaking show, Shuffle Along, which was the first American musical directed, produced, written and performed by African Americans to appear on the Broadway stage. Cannot do without Eubie Blake (1887-1983, born James Hubert Blake in Baltimore, Maryland) worked closely with musician Noble Sissle throughout his career.Together they helped create the Broadway show Shuffle Along (1921), whose cast included Josephine Baker and Paul Robeson. Composer and performer Eubie Blake had been playing piano in Baltimore bars and saloons when he began to experiment with ragtime, a jazz style featuring syncopated melodies. He spent the next two decades using the Schillinger System to transcribe songs that he had memorized but had never written down. (Missing Lyrics), Medley: Bleeding Moon/Under the Bamboo Tree, Medley: Charleston/Old-Fashioned Love/If I Could Be With You. (Missing Lyrics), Brittwood Rag He was the son of former slaves John Summer Blake and Emily. ... A DJ is tired of working at a radio station that plays nothing but love songs. He's sweet just like choc'late candy (Verse) Eubie!, a revue featuring the music of Blake, with lyrics by Noble Sissle, Andy Razaf, Johnny Brandon, F. E. Miller, and Jim Europe, opened on Broadway in 1978. Most Popular Movies and TV Shows With Eubie Blake Refine See titles to watch instantly, titles you haven't rated, etc. He's sweet just like choc'late candy Why for ev'ry fellow there James Hubert Blake (February 7, 1887[1] – February 12, 1983), known as Eubie Blake, was an American composer, lyricist, and pianist of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. Trivia. The show was a hit at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 439 performances. On October 9, 1981, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Ronald Reagan. Eubie Blake. With cruel lamps Blake was a composer, lyricist and performer who broke down racial barriers on the Broadway stage in the 1910s and '20s. [citation needed] John Blake was a stevedore on the Baltimore Docks. [8] At age 15, without his parents' knowledge, he began playing piano at Aggie Shelton's Baltimore bordello. In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote Shuffle Along, one of the first Broadway musicals to be written and directed by African Americans. These films are preserved in the Maurice Zouary film collection in the Library of Congress collection. It was at the center of American popular music from the end of the nineteenth century until the 1920s. James Hubert Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American composer, lyricist, and pianist of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. is a toe-tapping revue of Eubie Blake songs. He's just wild about me With Noble Sissle he wrote Shuffle Along, one of the earliest Broadway musicals written and directed by African-Americans. The original inscription indicated his correct year of birth, but individuals close to him insisted that Blake be indulged and paid to have the inscription changed. "Eubie Blake". She died later that year, at the age of 58. Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Small Group or Soloist with Small Group, "Portraits from Jelly Roll's later travels. (Missing Lyrics), Shuffle Along Medley In 1910, Blake brought his newlywed to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he had already found employment at the Boathouse nightclub. Noble Sissle wrote the lyrics and Eubie Blake wrote the music to the show which premiered on Broadway in 1921. A photograph of the cover for the sheet music for the song "I'm Just Wild About Harry," the most popular song from the musical comedy Shuffle Along. Ragtime pianist Eubie Blake was one of the most famous composers of 20th century musicals, known for hit “I’m Just Wild About Harry.” Blake was born James Hubert Blake on February 7, 1883, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Emily Johnston and John Sumner Blake. It gained new popularity in 1948, when President Harry Truman used it as the official song of his successful re-election campaign. 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