Emmett Miller

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Emmett Dewey Miller (born February 2, 1900 in Macon , Georgia , † March 29, 1962 ) was an American singer and entertainer who appeared in minstrel shows and was known for his yodel-like falsetto voice . Miller was one of the most famous blackface artists of his time and influenced subsequent country singers such as Hank Williams , Jimmie Rodgers , Bob Wills , Milton Brown , Tommy Duncan and Merle Haggard with his Blue Yodeling . His music combined southern old-time music , minstrel, jazz and western swing .

Life

Miller started appearing in minstrel shows in his early twenties. In 1924 recordings were made for Okeh Records , the "Lovesick Blues", which Okeh talent scout Ralph Peer recorded at the Vanderbilt Hotel in Asheville (North Carolina), followed by "Anytime" / "Pickaninnies' Paradise" (Okeh 40239), Bei seine Okeh -Sessions 1928/29 in New York City (with a new recording of "Lovesick Blues") his backing band - The Georgia Crackers - consisted of jazz musicians such as Tommy Dorsey , Jimmy Dorsey , Gene Krupa and Eddie Lang . Miller's other titles at that time were “Big Bad Bill” (1925, Okeh 40465), “I Never Had the Blues” / “You're Just the Girl for Me” (1925, Okeh 40545), “Sweet Mama” and “The Gypsy ”(as Emmett Miller And his Georgia Crackers 1929, Parlophone 402948,“, I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None O'This Jelly Roll ”(1929),“ The Ghost Of The St. Louis Blues ”“ Anytime ”(Bluebird , 1936), “Sam's New Job” and “Take You To-Morrow (and Give Me To-Day” (Okeh 41235), as well as dialogue numbers like “Hungry Sam” (with Roy Cowan, Okeh 41005). In 1929 he toured with Smith Ballew , Fiddlin 'John Carson and Moonshine Kate on the Okeh Medicine Show (Okeh 45380).

Miller appeared with Ches Davis in the 1951 blackface minstrel comedy Yes Sir, Mr Bones (directed by Ron Ormond ). He continued to perform in minstrel shows well into the 1950s, long after they went out of style. Thereafter, Macon returned to his birthplace, where he died in 1962. He is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery.

influence

Miller was known for breaking the voice within words and drawing out single sounds; his influence on subsequent musicians can be seen a. in Hank Williams ' cover version of "Lovesick Blues" and Bob Wills ' recording of the song "I Ain't Got Nobody," both of which are closely based on Miller's versions. Also, Merle Haggard , Van Dyke Parks , Ry Cooder ( "Big Bad Bill"), Leon Redbone , Louis Prima , Van Halen and David Lee Roth took songs of Emmett Miller.

Discographic notes

  • Minstrel Man from Georgia (Columbia / Legacy, ed. 1996), u. a. with Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, Jack Teagarden and Gene Krupa
  • Emmett Miller with His Georgia Crackers (Old Masters, ed. 2000)

literature

  • Nick Tosches: Where Dead Voices Gather Boston, Little, Brown and Company 2001 ISBN 0-316-89507-5
  • Nick Tosches: Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock 'n' Roll . ' New York, Da Capo Press 1996 ISBN 0-306-80713-0

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Emmett Miller. In: Loyal Jones: Country Music Humorists and Comedians. , University of Illinois Press, 2008, p. 270
  2. ^ Robert W. Harwood: I Went Down to St. James Infirmary . 2008
  3. ↑ http://www.78discography.com/OK40000.html
  4. ↑ http://www.78discography.com/OK40500.html
  5. ↑ The accompanying musicians were Leo McConville (tp), Tommy Dorsey (trb), Jimmy Dorsey (cl), Arthur Schutt (p), Eddie Lang (git), Joe Tarto (b) and Gene Krupa (dr).
  6. ↑ published on the Odeon_Kompilation Odeon Swing Music Series (Vol. 9), Emmet (Sic!) Miller With Vocal Accompaniment By His Georgia Crackers , with Joe Tarto, Jimmy Dorsey, Stan King , Eddie Lang, Arthur Schutt, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey , Mannie Klein , Phil Pavey (voc).
  7. ^ Tony Russell, Bob Pinson: Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921-1942 . 2004
  8. ↑ Tom Lord : The Jazz Discography (online, accessed November 16, 2014)
  9. ^ Emmett Miller in the Find a Grave database . Retrieved January 8, 2015.
personal data
SURNAME Miller, Emmett
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Miller, Emmett Dewey (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer and entertainer
DATE OF BIRTH February 2, 1900
PLACE OF BIRTH Macon , Georgia
DATE OF DEATH March 29, 1962
Place of death Macon , Georgia