Perry Bradford
Encyclopedia
Perry Bradford was an African American
composer, songwriter, and vaudeville
performer.
Perry Bradford grew up in Atlanta where his family moved when he was six, and in 1906 started working with minstrel
shows. He played in Chicago
as a solo pianist as early as 1909 and visited New York City the following year.
Through extensive experience with traveling minstrel shows and theatre companies, Bradford obtained huge exposure and experience to African American folksongs. A huge feat of Bradford’s was severing the walls of racial prejudice that kept African American singers from recording. He is, too often, unrecognized for this accomplishment. Prior to Bradford’s influence, African American artists recorded in a style that was closely similar to those of white dance orchestras. There was little to no trace of African American musical characteristics present in their recordings. Bradford persevered in getting the recording industry to value recordings of African American artists recording in the style of their own subculture.
As a pianist, singer, dancer and composer, Bradford worked in theatre circuits throughout the South and into the North for the next decade (1908–1919) in a song and dance act billed as "Bradford and Jeanette".,
While in New York City, Bradford convinced Fred Hager, of OKeh Records
, to record Mamie Smith
and became her musical director. Smith starred in Bradford's show Made in Harlem (1918). Bradford was also responsible for Smith being the first African American blues
singer to appear on record (singing his "Crazy Blues") in 1920. Bradford claimed that his revue, “Made in Harlem,” was the first stage production that offered blues matter to the large, northern audience in Harlem. Bradford was able to organize the first recording session, “That Thing Called Love,” that highlighted an African American artist, accompanied by a white studio band, performing material specific to the African American culture.
He had offices in the Gaiety Theatre office building
in Times Square
.
Bradford toured and recorded with Smith, worked with Alberta Hunter
and also headed seven recording sessions of his own during 1923–1927. Among Bradford's sidemen were Johnny Dunn
, Bubber Miley, Garvin Bushell
, Louis Armstrong
(on two numbers in 1925), Buster Bailey
, and James P. Johnson
.
Bradford continued to promote blues and jazz recordings by publishing and managing. Bradford’s influence in the recording industry was negatively affected by the crash of the stock market, as well as by changes in the character of jazz and African American songs. He was an irregular participant after the 1940s.
With the rise of the Great Depression
, Bradford slipped away into obscurity. In later years, he appeared to exaggerate his role in early blues, possibly a reaction to his being nearly forgotten. In 1957, Little Richard
had a hit with Bradford's "Keep A-Knockin'
". In 1965, Bradford's autobiography Born With the Blues was published (New York: Oak Publications) with a foreword by Noble Sissle
. His best-known songs were "Crazy Blues
", "That Thing Called Love", and "You Can't Keep a Good Man Down".
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
composer, songwriter, and vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
performer.
Perry Bradford grew up in Atlanta where his family moved when he was six, and in 1906 started working with minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
shows. He played in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
as a solo pianist as early as 1909 and visited New York City the following year.
Through extensive experience with traveling minstrel shows and theatre companies, Bradford obtained huge exposure and experience to African American folksongs. A huge feat of Bradford’s was severing the walls of racial prejudice that kept African American singers from recording. He is, too often, unrecognized for this accomplishment. Prior to Bradford’s influence, African American artists recorded in a style that was closely similar to those of white dance orchestras. There was little to no trace of African American musical characteristics present in their recordings. Bradford persevered in getting the recording industry to value recordings of African American artists recording in the style of their own subculture.
As a pianist, singer, dancer and composer, Bradford worked in theatre circuits throughout the South and into the North for the next decade (1908–1919) in a song and dance act billed as "Bradford and Jeanette".,
While in New York City, Bradford convinced Fred Hager, of OKeh Records
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
, to record Mamie Smith
Mamie Smith
-External links:* African American Registry* with photos* with .ram files of her early recordings* NPR special on the selection on "Crazy Blues" to the 2005...
and became her musical director. Smith starred in Bradford's show Made in Harlem (1918). Bradford was also responsible for Smith being the first African American blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
singer to appear on record (singing his "Crazy Blues") in 1920. Bradford claimed that his revue, “Made in Harlem,” was the first stage production that offered blues matter to the large, northern audience in Harlem. Bradford was able to organize the first recording session, “That Thing Called Love,” that highlighted an African American artist, accompanied by a white studio band, performing material specific to the African American culture.
He had offices in the Gaiety Theatre office building
Gaiety Theatre (New York)
The Gaiety Theatre was a Broadway theatre at 1547 Broadway in New York City from 1909 until 1982, when it was torn down.An office building above the theatre has been called the Black Tin Alley.It was designed by Herts & Tallant and owned by George M. Cohan...
in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
.
Bradford toured and recorded with Smith, worked with Alberta Hunter
Alberta Hunter
Alberta Hunter was an American blues singer, songwriter, and nurse. Her career had started back in the early 1920s, and from there on, she became a successful jazz and blues recording artist, being critically acclaimed to the ranks of Ethel Waters and Bessie Smith...
and also headed seven recording sessions of his own during 1923–1927. Among Bradford's sidemen were Johnny Dunn
Johnny Dunn
Johnny Dunn was an American traditional jazz trumpeter and vaudeville performer, who was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He is probably best known for his work during the 1920s with musicians such as Perry Bradford or Noble Sissle. In 1928, Dunn recorded four tracks with Jelly Roll Morton, and two...
, Bubber Miley, Garvin Bushell
Garvin Bushell
Garvin Bushell was an American woodwind multi-instrumentalist.Though never a major name in jazz, Bushell had a lengthy career from the music's early era, to the avant garde of the 1960s.-Biography:Bushell was born in Springfield, Ohio...
, Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
(on two numbers in 1925), Buster Bailey
Buster Bailey
William C. "Buster" Bailey was a jazz musician specializing in the clarinet, but also well versed on saxophone...
, and James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson was an American pianist and composer...
.
Bradford continued to promote blues and jazz recordings by publishing and managing. Bradford’s influence in the recording industry was negatively affected by the crash of the stock market, as well as by changes in the character of jazz and African American songs. He was an irregular participant after the 1940s.
With the rise of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Bradford slipped away into obscurity. In later years, he appeared to exaggerate his role in early blues, possibly a reaction to his being nearly forgotten. In 1957, Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
had a hit with Bradford's "Keep A-Knockin'
Keep A-Knockin'
"Keep A-Knockin' " is a popular song from the late 1920s, possibly written by Perry Bradford. Variations were recorded by James "Boodle It" Wiggins in 1928, Lil Johnson in 1935, Milton Brown in 1936 and Louis Jordan in 1939...
". In 1965, Bradford's autobiography Born With the Blues was published (New York: Oak Publications) with a foreword by Noble Sissle
Noble Sissle
Noble Sissle was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer and playwright.-Early life:...
. His best-known songs were "Crazy Blues
Crazy Blues
Crazy Blues is a song written by AJ Bower. It was recorded on August 10, 1920, by Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Hounds, featuring the pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith, and released that year on a grammophone record by Okeh Records, catalogue 4169. Within a month of release, it had sold 75,000 copies...
", "That Thing Called Love", and "You Can't Keep a Good Man Down".