- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJames Hubert Blake
- Songwriter ("I'm Just Wild About Harry", "You Were Meant For Me", "Memories of You"), pianist and arranger, Eubie Blake was educated at New York University. He studied the Schillinger System, and studied with Margaret Marshall and Llewellyn Wilson. He was a pianist and organist in cafés and in vaudeville and theatres.
In 1915 he joined a vaudeville team with Noble Sissle, and in 1917 he became assistant conductor to Jim Europe at the Clef Club, then he toured in a musical show organized by Europe from musicians of the US Army's 369th Infantry Regiment. During World War II he toured with the USO for five years.
He joined ASCAP in 1922, and his chief musical collaborators included Sissle and Andy Razaf. His other song compositions include "Love Will Find a Way", "Shuffle Along", "Bandana Days", "Gypsy Blues", "Goodnight, Angeline", "Slave of Love", "Lowdown Blues", "You're Lucky to Me", "Lindy Hop", "Lovin' You the Way I Do", "Green Pastures" and "Handy Man".
- IMDb mini biography by: A. Nonymous
- SpousesMarion Gant Tyler(December 27, 1945 - 1982) (her death)Avis Lee(July 1910 - 1939) (her death)
- His parents had both been slaves.
- He had seven siblings who all died in infancy. He was the only surviving child.
- In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote Shuffle Along, one of the first Broadway musicals written and directed by African Americans.
- Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1983.
- Blake's musical training began when he was four or five. While out shopping with his mother, he wandered into a music store, climbed onto the bench of an organ, and started "foolin' around". When his mother found him, the store manager told her: "The child is a genius! It would be criminal to deprive him of the chance to make use of such a sublime, God-given talent." The Blakes purchased a pump organ for US$75.00, making payments of 25 cents a week.
- [in 1983, on being asked why his compositions contained so many sharps and flats] Down South where I come from you don't go around hitting too many white keys.
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