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Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer, songwriter and bandleader. He was a regular performer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he became a popular vocalist of the swing era. His niche of mixing jazz and vaudeville won him acclaim during a career that spanned over 65 years.[2]

Calloway was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the most popular dance bands in the United States from the early 1930s to the late 1940s. His band included trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Jonah Jones, and Adolphus "Doc" Cheatham, saxophonists Ben Webster and Leon "Chu" Berry, guitarist Danny Barker, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Cozy Cole.[3]

Calloway had several hit records in the 1930s and 1940s, becoming the first African-American musician to sell one million copies of a record. He became known as the "Hi-de-ho" man of jazz for his most famous song, "Minnie the Moocher", originally recorded in 1931. He reached the Billboard charts in five consecutive decades (1930s–1970s).[4] Calloway also made several stage, film, and television appearances. He had roles in Stormy Weather (1943), Porgy and Bess (1953), The Cincinnati Kid (1965), and Hello Dolly! (1967). In the 1980s, Calloway enjoyed a marked career resurgence following his appearance in the musical comedy film The Blues Brothers (1980).

Calloway was the first African-American to have a nationally syndicated radio program.[5] In 1993, Calloway received the National Medal of Arts from the United States Congress.[6] He posthumously received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. His song "Minnie the Moocher" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2019.[7] In 2022, the National Film Registry selected his home films for preservation as "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films".[8] He was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame and the International Jazz Hall of Fame.

Early life

[edit]

Cabell Calloway III was born in Rochester, New York, on December 25, 1907, to an African American family.[9] His father, Cabell Calloway Jr., graduated from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania in 1898. His mother, Martha Eulalia Reed, was a Morgan State College graduate, teacher, and church organist,[10][11] and worked as a lawyer and in real estate. The family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1919.[12] Soon after, his father died and his mother remarried to John Nelson Fortune.[13]

Calloway grew up in the West Baltimore neighborhood of Druid Hill. He often skipped school to earn money by selling newspapers, shining shoes, and cooling down horses at the Pimlico racetrack where he developed an interest in racing and gambling on horses.[14][15] After he was caught playing dice on the church steps, his mother sent him to Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School in 1921, a reform school run by his mother's uncle in Chester County, Pennsylvania.[15] Calloway resumed hustling when he returned to Baltimore and worked as a caterer while he improved his education in school.[15] He began private vocal lessons in 1922, and studied music throughout his formal schooling. Despite his parents' and teachers' disapproval of jazz, he began performing in nightclubs in Baltimore. His mentors included drummer Chick Webb and pianist Johnny Jones. Calloway joined his high school basketball team, and in his senior year he started playing professional basketball with the Baltimore Athenians, a team in the Negro Professional Basketball League.[16] He graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1925.[12][17] After this, he spent a short period of time at law school in Chicago but left to continue performing in nightclubs.[18]

Music career

[edit]

1927–1929: Early career

[edit]

In 1927, Calloway joined his older sister, Blanche Calloway, on tour for the popular black musical revue Plantation Days.[13] His sister became an accomplished bandleader before he did, and he often credited her as his inspiration for entering show business.[19] Calloway's mother wanted him to be a lawyer like his father, so once the tour ended he enrolled at Crane College in Chicago, but he was more interested in singing and entertaining. While at Crane he refused the opportunity to play basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters to pursue a singing career.[15]

Calloway spent most of his nights at ‘Black and tan clubs’ such as Chicago's Dreamland Café, Sunset Cafe, and Club Berlin, performing as a singer, drummer, and master of ceremonies.[13] At Sunset Cafe, he was an understudy for singer Adelaide Hall. There he met and performed with Louis Armstrong, who taught him to sing in the scat style. He left school to sing with the Alabamians band.[20]

In 1929, Calloway relocated to New York with the band. They opened at the Savoy Ballroom on September 20, 1929. When the Alabamians broke up, Armstrong recommended Calloway as a replacement singer in the musical revue Connie's Hot Chocolates.[13] He established himself as a vocalist singing "Ain't Misbehavin'" by Fats Waller.[21] While Calloway was performing in the revue, the Missourians asked him to front their band.[22]

1930–1955: Success

[edit]

In 1930, the Missourians became known as Cab Calloway and His Orchestra. At the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York, the band was hired in 1931 to substitute for the Duke Ellington Orchestra while Ellington's band was on tour. Their popularity led to a permanent position. The band also performed twice a week for radio broadcasts on NBC. Calloway appeared on radio programs with Walter Winchell and Bing Crosby and was the first African American to have a nationally syndicated radio show.[5] During the depths of the Great Depression, Calloway was earning $50,000 a year at 23 years old.[21]

Calloway by Carl Van Vechten, 1933

In 1931, Calloway recorded his most famous song, "Minnie the Moocher". It was the first single record by an African American to sell a million copies.[5] Calloway performed the song and two others, "St. James Infirmary Blues" and "The Old Man of the Mountain", in the Betty Boop cartoons Minnie the Moocher (1932), Snow-White (1933), and The Old Man of the Mountain (1933). Calloway performed voice-over for these cartoons, and through rotoscoping, his dance steps were the basis of the characters' movements.[23]

As a result of the success of "Minnie the Moocher", Calloway became identified with its chorus, gaining the nickname "The Hi De Ho Man".[24] He performed in the 1930s in a series of short films for Paramount. Calloway's and Ellington's groups were featured on film more than any other jazz orchestras of the era. In these films, Calloway can be seen performing a gliding backstep dance move, which some observers have described as the precursor to Michael Jackson's moonwalk. Calloway said 50 years later, "it was called The Buzz back then."[25] The 1933 film International House featured Calloway performing his classic song, "Reefer Man", a tune about a man who smokes marijuana.[26] Fredi Washington was cast as Calloway's love interest in Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho (1934).[27] Lena Horne made her film debut as a dancer in Cab Calloway's Jitterbug Party (1935).[28]

Calloway made his first Hollywood feature film appearance opposite Al Jolson in The Singing Kid (1936). He sang several duets with Jolson, and the film included Calloway's band and 22 Cotton Club dancers from New York.[29] According to film critic Arthur Knight, the creators of the film intended to "erase and celebrate boundaries and differences, including most emphatically the color line...when Calloway begins singing in his characteristic style – in which the words are tools for exploring rhythm and stretching melody – it becomes clear that American culture is changing around Jolson and with (and through) Calloway".[30][31]: watch 

In 1938, Calloway released Cab Calloway's Cat-ologue: A "Hepster's" Dictionary, the first dictionary published by an African American. It became the official jive language reference book of the New York Public Library.[32] A revised version of the book was released with Professor Cab Calloway's Swingformation Bureau in 1939. He released the last edition, The New Cab Calloway's Hepsters Dictionary: Language of Jive, in 1944.[33] On a BBC Radio documentary about the dictionary in 2014, Poet Lemn Sissay stated, "Cab Calloway was taking ownership of language for a people who, just a few generations before, had their own languages taken away."[34]

Calloway's band in the 1930s and 1940s included many notable musicians, such as Ben Webster, Illinois Jacquet, Milt Hinton, Danny Barker, Doc Cheatham, Ed Swayze, Cozy Cole, Eddie Barefield, and Dizzy Gillespie. Calloway later recalled, "What I expected from my musicians was what I was selling: the right notes with precision, because I would build a whole song around a scat or dance step."[21] Calloway and his band formed baseball and basketball teams.[35][36] They played each other while on the road, played against local semi-pro teams, and played charity games.[37]

In 1941, Calloway fired Gillespie from his orchestra after an onstage fracas erupted when Calloway was hit with spitballs. He wrongly accused Gillespie, who stabbed Calloway in the leg with a small knife.[38]

From 1941 to 1942, Calloway hosted a weekly radio quiz show called The Cab Calloway Quizzicale.[39] Calling himself "Doctor" Calloway, it was a parody of The College of Musical Knowledge, a radio contest created by bandleader Kay Kyser.[40] During the years of World War II, Calloway entertained troops in United States before they departed overseas.[41] The Calloway Orchestra also recorded songs full of social commentary including "Doing the Reactionary", "The Führer's Got the Jitters",[42] "The Great Lie", "We'll Gather Lilacs", and "My Lament for V Day".[43]

In 1943, Calloway appeared in the film Stormy Weather, one of the first mainstream Hollywood films with a black cast.[44] The film featured other top performers of the time, including Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Lena Horne, the Nicholas Brothers, and Fats Waller. Calloway would host Horne's character Selina Rogers as she performed the film's title song as part of a big all-star revue for World War II soldiers.[45]

Calloway wrote a humorous pseudo-gossip column called "Coastin' with Cab" for Song Hits magazine. It was a collection of celebrity snippets, such as the following in the May 1946 issue: "Benny Goodman was dining at Ciro's steak house in New York when a very homely girl entered. 'If her face is her fortune,' Benny quipped, 'she'd be tax-free.'" In the late 1940s, however, Calloway's bad financial decisions and his gambling caused his band to break up.[20]

One of Cab Calloway's zoot suits on display in Baltimore's City Hall, October 2007

1956–1960: Cotton Club Revue

[edit]

Calloway and his daughter Lael recorded "Little Child", an adaption of "Little Boy and the Old Man". Released on ABC-Paramount, the single charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1956.[46][4]

For the second season, Lee Sherman was the choreographer of The Cotton Club Revue of 1958, which starred Calloway. The revue featured tap dancing prodigies Maurice Hines and Gregory Hines.[47]

In March 1958, Calloway released his album Cotton Club Revue of 1958 on Gone Records. It was produced by George Goldner, conducted and arranged by Eddie Barefield. That year, Calloway appeared in the film St. Louis Blues, the life story of W.C. Handy, featuring Nat King Cole and Eartha Kitt.[48]

The Cotton Club Revue of 1959 traveled to South America for engagements in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. They also stopped in Uruguay and Argentina before returning to North America which included a run on Broadway.[49]

1961–1993: Later years

[edit]

Calloway remained a household name due to TV appearances and occasional concerts in the US and Europe. In 1961 and 1962, he toured with the Harlem Globetrotters, providing halftime entertainment during games.[50][51]

Calloway was cast as "Yeller" in the film The Cincinnati Kid (1965) with Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret, and Edward G. Robinson. He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on March 19, 1967, with his daughter Chris Calloway.[52] In 1967, he co-starred with Pearl Bailey as Horace Vandergelder in an all-black cast of Hello, Dolly! on Broadway during its original run. Chris Calloway also joined the cast as Minnie Fay.[53] The new cast revived the flagging business for the show[54] and RCA Victor released a new cast recording, rare for the time. In 1973–74, Calloway was featured in an unsuccessful Broadway revival of The Pajama Game with Hal Linden and Barbara McNair.[citation needed]

His autobiography, Of Minnie the Moocher and Me was published in 1976. It included his complete Hepster's Dictionary as an appendix. In 1978, Calloway released a disco version of "Minnie the Moocher" on RCA Victor which reached the Billboard R&B chart.[55][4] Calloway was introduced to a new generation when he appeared in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers performing "Minnie the Moocher".[3]

In 1985, Calloway and his Orchestra appeared at The Ritz London Hotel where he was filmed for a 60-minute BBC TV show called The Cotton Club Comes to the Ritz. Adelaide Hall, Doc Cheatham, Max Roach, and the Nicholas Brothers also appeared on the bill.[56][57] A performance with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra directed by Erich Kunzel in August 1988 was recorded on video and features a classic presentation of "Minnie the Moocher", 57 years after he first recorded it.[58]

In January 1990, Calloway performed at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, with the Baltimore Symphony.[59] That year he made a cameo in Janet Jackson's music video "Alright".[3][60] He continued to perform at Jazz festivals, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Greenwood Jazz.[61][62] In 1992, he embarked on a month-long tour of European jazz festivals.[63] He was booked to headline "The Jazz Connection: The Jewish and African-American Relationship," at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall in 1993, but he pulled out due to a fall at home.[64]

Personal life

[edit]

In January 1927, Calloway had a daughter named Camay with Zelma Proctor, a fellow student.[65][15] His daughter was one of the first African-Americans to teach in a white school in Virginia.[66] Calloway married his first wife Wenonah "Betty" Conacher in July 1928.[65] They adopted a daughter named Constance and divorced in 1949.[67] Calloway married Zulme "Nuffie" MacNeal on October 7, 1949. They lived in Long Beach on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, on the border with neighboring Lido Beach. In the 1950s, Calloway moved his family to Westchester County, New York, where he and Nuffie raised their daughters Chris Calloway (1945–2008),[68] Cecilia "Lael" Eulalia Calloway,[69] and Cabella Calloway (1952–2023).

Calloway was an Episcopalian.[70]

[edit]

In December 1945, Calloway and his friend Felix H. Payne Jr. were beaten by a police officer, William E. Todd, and arrested in Kansas City, Missouri after attempting to visit bandleader Lionel Hampton at the whites-only Pla-Mor Ballroom. They were taken to the hospital for injuries, then charged with intoxication and resisting arrest. When Hampton learned of the incident he refused to continue the concert.[71] Todd said he was informed by the manager, who did not recognize Calloway, that they were attempting to enter. He claimed they refused to leave and struck him. Calloway and Payne denied his claims and maintained they had been sober; the charges were dismissed. In February 1946, six civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, demanded that Todd be fired, but he had already resigned after a pay cut.[72]

In 1952, Calloway was arrested in Leesburg, Virginia on his way to the race track in Charles Town, West Virginia. He was charged with speeding and attempted bribery of a policeman.[73]

Death

[edit]

On June 12, 1994, Calloway suffered a stroke at his home in Westchester County, New York.[59] He died five months later from pneumonia on November 18, 1994, at the age of 86, at a nursing home in Hockessin, Delaware.[24] A memorial service was held in his honor at Cathedral of St. John the Divine.[74] He was survived by his wife, who died in 2008, five daughters, and seven grandsons. Calloway was buried at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.[14][3]

Legacy

[edit]

Music critics have written of his influence on later generations of entertainers such as James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Janet Jackson, as well as modern-day hip-hop performers.[75][2] John Landis, who directed Calloway in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers, stated, "Cab Calloway is hip-hop."[12] Journalist Timothy White noted in Billboard (August 14, 1993): "No living pathfinder in American popular music or its jazz and rock 'n' roll capillaries is so frequently emulated yet so seldom acknowledged as Cabell "Cab" Calloway. He arguably did more things first and better than any other band leader of his generation."[21]

In 1998, the Cab Calloway Orchestra directed by Calloway's grandson Chris "CB" Calloway Brooks was formed.[76][77] In 2009, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy released an album covering Calloway's music titled How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway.[78] In 2012, Calloway's legacy was celebrated in an episode of PBS's American Masters titled "Cab Calloway: Sketches".[12][75]

Calloway's boyhood home in Baltimore, before its demolition in September 2020

In 2019, plans were announced to demolish Calloway's boyhood home at 2216 Druid Hill Avenue in Baltimore, replacing the abandoned structure and the rest of that block with a park to be named Cab Calloway Legends Park in his honor.[79][80] Family members and the National Trust for Historic Preservation advocated preservation of the house, however, as a significant artifact of African-American cultural heritage. Although the block is designated "historically significant" on the National Register of Historic Places, Baltimore City officials said at a hearing on July 9, 2019, that there is "extensive structural damage" to the Calloway house as well as adjacent ones.[81] The Commission on Historical and Architectural Preservation's executive director, however, said that properties in worse condition than the Calloway House have been restored with financial support from a city tax credit program. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan also urged that demolition of the Calloway House be forestalled for its potential preservation as a historic house museum akin to the Louis Armstrong House in New York.[5][81] Design options for the planned Cab Calloway Square may include an archway from the facade (pictured) as part of the Square's entrance, as proposed by architects working with Baltimore City and the Druid Heights Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit community-oriented group.[82] Despite objections, the house was razed on September 5, 2020.[83]

Awards and honors

[edit]

In 1985, Town Supervisor Anthony F. Veteran issued a proclamation, declaring a ''Cab Calloway Day'' in Greenburgh, New York.[84]

In 1990, Calloway was presented with the Beacons in Jazz Award from The New School in New York City. New York City Mayor David Dinkins proclaimed the day "Cab Calloway Day".[85]

In 1992, the Cab Calloway School of the Arts was founded in Wilmington, Delaware.[86]

In 1994, Calloway's daughter Camay Calloway Murphy founded the Cab Calloway Museum at Coppin State College in Baltimore, Maryland.[87][12]

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) annually honors the jazz legend, a native of Rochester, New York, with a stakes races restricted to New York-bred three-year-olds, as part of their New York Stallion Series. First run in 2003, The Calloway[88] has since undergone various distance and surface changes. The race is currently run at Saratoga Racecourse, Saratoga Springs, New York. The Cab Calloway Stakes celebrated its 13th renewal on July 24, 2019, and was won by Rinaldi.[citation needed]

In 2020 Calloway was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.[89]

Calloway received the following accolades:

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
  • 1943: Cab Calloway And His Orchestra (Brunswick)
  • 1956: Cab Calloway (Epic)
  • 1958: Cotton Club Revue 1958 (Gone Records)
  • 1959: Hi De Hi De Ho (RCA Victor)
  • 1962: Blues Makes Me Happy (Coral)
  • 1968: Cab Calloway '68 (Pickwick International)

Select compilations

[edit]
  • 1968: Cab Calloway Sings The Blues (Vocalion)
  • 1974: Hi De Ho Man (Columbia)
  • 1981: Minnie The Moocher (RCA International)
  • 1983: Mr. Hi. De. Ho. 1930–1931 (MCA)
  • 1990: Cab Calloway: Best Of The Big Bands (Columbia)
  • 1992: Cab Calloway & Co. (RCA)
  • 1992: The King Of Hi-De-Ho 1934–1947 (Giants of Jazz)
  • 1998: Jumpin' Jive (Camden)
  • 2001: Cab Calloway and His Orchestra Volume 1: The Early Years 1930–1934 (JSP)
  • 2003: Cab Calloway & His Orchestra Volume 2: 1935–1940 (JSP)

Charting singles

[edit]
Release
date 		Title Chart

positions

[97][98][4]

1930 "Saint Louis Blues" 16
1931 "Minnie the Moocher" 1
"Saint James Infirmary" 3
"Nobody's Sweetheart" 13
"Six or Seven Times" 14
"You Rascal, You" 17
"Kicking the Gong Around" 4
"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" 15
"Trickeration" 8
1932 "Cabin in the Cotton" 17
"Strictly Cullud Affair" 11
"Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day" 8
"Reefer Man" 11
"Hot Toddy" 14
"I've Got the World on a String" 18
1933 "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues" 17
1934 "Jitter Bug" 20
"Moon Glow" 7
"Chinese Rhythm" 7
1935 "Keep That Hi-De-Hi in Your Soul" 20
1936 "You're the Cure for What Ails Me" 20
"Copper Colored Gal" 13
1937 "Wake up and Live" 17
"Congo" 17
"Peckin'" 18
"She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific" 17
"Moon at Sea" 19
"Mama, I want to Make Rhythm" 20
1938 "Every Day's a Holiday" 18
"Mister Toscanini, Swing for Minnie" 19
"F.D.R. Jones" 14
"Angels With Dirty Faces" 3
1939 "The Ghost of Smokey Joe" 13
"(Hep Hep!) The Jumpin' Jive" 2
1940 "Fifteen Minute Intermission" 23
1941 "Bye Bye Blues" 24
"Geechee Joe" 23
"I See a Million People" 23
1942 "Blues in the Night" 8
1943 "Ogeechee River Lullaby" 18
1944 "The Moment I Laid My Eyes on You" 28
1945 "Let's Take the Long Way Home" 28
1946 "The Honeydripper" 3
(R&B)
1948 "The Calloway Boogie" 13
(R&B)
1956 "Little Child" 62
1966 "History Repeats Itself" 89
1978 "Minnie the Moocher" (disco version) 91
(R&B)

Stage

[edit]
Year Production Location Role Notes
1953 Porgy and Bess Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City Sportin' Life[99][100]
1967 Hello, Dolly! St. James Theatre, New York City Horace Vandergelder Cast replacement in November 12, 1967[101]
1973–1974 The Pajama Game Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City Hines
1976–1977 Bubbling Brown Sugar ANTA Playhouse, New York City Calloway provided music [101]
1986 Uptown...It's Hot! Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City Calloway provided music [101]

Filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Cab Calloway

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from Grokipedia
Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer, bandleader, and entertainer renowned for pioneering scat singing and leading one of the era's most popular big bands during the swing period. Born in Rochester, New York, to Cabell Calloway Jr., a lawyer and real estate broker, and Martha Eulalia Reed, a teacher and church organist, he moved to Baltimore as a child and developed his musical talents despite initial family expectations for a legal career. Influenced by Louis Armstrong, Calloway mastered scat improvisation, blending it with vaudeville energy to captivate audiences. Calloway's breakthrough came in 1931 when he assumed leadership of the Missourians orchestra and secured a residency at Harlem's Cotton Club, where live NBC radio broadcasts propelled his fame nationwide. His orchestra, featuring top talents like Adolphus Anthony "Doc" Cheatham and Cozy Cole, became a swing staple, touring extensively and recording hits such as "Minnie the Moocher," which showcased his call-and-response style and sold over a million copies, marking a commercial milestone for African-American artists. Known for his zoot suits, rapid-fire lyrics, and theatrical flair, Calloway embodied the exuberance of jazz while maintaining a disciplined, high-energy performance ethic that sustained a 65-year career spanning clubs, films, Broadway revues, and later acting roles, including Curtis the bouncer in The Blues Brothers (1980). In recognition of his contributions, Calloway received the in 1993 from President and a posthumous in 2008, affirming his enduring impact on despite the racial barriers of his time. His later years focused on , founding short-lived institutions like the Cab Calloway School of the Arts, reflecting a commitment to nurturing young musicians amid the evolving landscape.

Early Life

Birth and Family Background

Cabell Calloway III was born on December 25, 1907, in Rochester, New York, to Cabell Calloway Jr., an African American lawyer and real estate broker who had earned degrees from Lincoln University in 1900 and Howard University Law School in 1903, and Martha Eulalia Reed Calloway, a graduate of Morgan State College who worked as a teacher and church organist. The family originated from Baltimore, Maryland, where Calloway Jr. was born in 1878 and initially practiced his professions before a temporary relocation to Rochester, possibly tied to business opportunities. As the third of four children, Calloway had an older sister, Blanche, who shared musical interests; a brother, Milton Elmer; and a younger sister, Etta. The Calloways represented a middle-class professional household, with the parents emphasizing education and cultural involvement, including church activities where Eulalia's organ playing exposed the children to music early on. In 1918, when Calloway was eleven, the family returned to Baltimore's Old West neighborhood, settling into a stable environment that shaped his formative years amid the city's vibrant African American community.

Education and Early Influences

Calloway relocated with his family to , , circa 1918, enrolling in local public schools and later attending High School (formerly the Colored High and Training School), one of the city's premier institutions for Black students. He graduated from Douglass in February 1927, crediting the school's rigorous music program with foundational training in vocals and performance. In 1922, during high school, Calloway commenced private vocal lessons and integrated music studies into his curriculum, honing skills on drums and voice amid parental resistance to jazz as a viable pursuit. His initial forays into music stemmed from church choir singing and familial exposure, particularly his older sister , an aspiring bandleader whose stage work in modeled professional entertainment and spurred his interest. Though his father, a and county clerk, directed him toward legal studies, Calloway briefly enrolled at Crane College in to appease family expectations before abandoning academia for nightlife gigs. These years laid groundwork for Calloway's style through Baltimore's vibrant musical community, blending gospel roots with emerging rhythms, though scat improvisation crystallized later via encounters like Louis Armstrong's tutelage. His mother's background as an educator further emphasized discipline, influencing his eventual bandleading rigor despite early diversions into and odd jobs.

Music Career

Early Performances and Formative Years ()

Calloway's entry into professional performance occurred in during the early , with his debut in the revue Plantation Days at the Loop Theatre and a brief collaboration with his sister Blanche Calloway's touring group, where he sang in the quartet The Crackerjacks to support his family. By 1925, he had joined the Sunset Cafe orchestra as a , gaining exposure in a venue known for its mixed-race audiences and converted from an automobile garage. These initial gigs honed his stage presence amid Chicago's burgeoning scene. In 1927, after the birth of his daughter , Calloway toured with Blanche in Plantation Days and formed his first band, Cab Calloway and His Alabamians, serving as lead vocalist and achieving local popularity in nightclubs. He married Wenonah "" Conacher in 1928 and relocated to , where an engagement at the faltered, dissolving the Alabamians, before he joined the ensemble The Missourians. The year 1929 marked a transitional phase, as Calloway returned to Chicago in spring to act as master of ceremonies and vocalist with The Alabamians, then shifted back to New York for nightclub appearances, a role in the Broadway production Connie's Hot Chocolates (where he performed "Ain't Misbehavin'"), and a fill-in stint for at the . He intermittently led The Missourians, contributing vocals to their recordings such as "Market Street Stomp," which foreshadowed his bandleading style. During this period, influenced by Blanche's call-and-response techniques, Calloway began experimenting with in live settings.

Rise at the Cotton Club and Breakthrough Success (1930–1940)

Cab Calloway and his orchestra established a residency at the in from 1931 to 1940, succeeding Duke Ellington's band and performing under white management for predominantly white audiences. This engagement featured elaborate revues, including which highlighted Calloway's dynamic stage presence, , and orchestra's swing arrangements, broadcast live on radio to a national audience. The 's format, emphasizing exoticized "primitive" themes, propelled Calloway's visibility despite racial restrictions limiting black patronage. Calloway's breakthrough came with recordings for starting in 1930, including early tracks like "" and "Gotta Darn Good Reason Now," but fame surged in 1931 with "," his signature tune featuring the call-and-response "hi-de-hi-de-ho" scat chorus. Released that , it topped charts and sold over one million copies, reportedly the first single by an African-American artist to achieve such commercial success. Follow-up hits like "St. James Infirmary," "Kickin' the Gong Around," and "You Rascal You" followed, with the orchestra's disciplined ensemble work and Calloway's charismatic vocals driving sales and popularity through the decade. The orchestra's success extended beyond the club after its 1936 relocation to , where Calloway headlined, and through tours, including a pioneering 1932 Jim Crow South itinerary as the first prominent black to navigate segregated states. Radio milestones, such as the December 29, 1931, broadcast—the first white-sponsored show featuring a black —amplified reach. By 1939, "" sold one million copies, underscoring sustained breakthrough with innovative arrangements by alumni like and quality solos from players such as . This era cemented Calloway's status as a icon, blending entertainment rigor with musical excellence amid industry barriers.

Wartime and Postwar Engagements (1941–1955)

During World War II, Calloway led his orchestra in performances for American troops stationed in the United States and Canada, entertaining soldiers prior to their overseas deployment. These shows often occurred at military bases and camps, providing morale-boosting entertainment amid the war effort. The orchestra also participated in radio broadcasts like the Armed Forces Radio Service's Jubilee program, with Calloway hosting its debut episode on January 2, 1943, featuring swing music tailored for servicemen. In 1943, Calloway appeared in the all-Black cast film Stormy Weather, performing "" alongside the in a sequence noted for its energetic dance and . The orchestra continued recording during this period, including patriotic tunes to support the . By 1945, Calloway featured in the short "Blowtop Blues," a precursor to showcasing his vocal style. Postwar, Calloway resumed club and theater engagements, but faced declining popularity due to economic shifts and the rise of . He disbanded his full in 1948, transitioning to a smaller while occasionally reforming larger ensembles for tours in (early 1949) and . In 1947, he starred in the Hi De Ho, portraying a navigating underworld pressures. Calloway made early television appearances starting in 1947, adapting to the new medium with live performances. By 1950, he joined a revival of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, singing the role of Sportin' Life, and reprised it in the 1953 film adaptation. These acting roles marked a pivot toward stage and screen work, sustaining his career amid changing musical landscapes through 1955.

Later Touring and Revivals (1956–1993)

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Calloway reduced his commitments and focused on theatrical engagements, including tours with revivals of classic musicals. He appeared as Horace Vandergelder in touring productions of Hello, Dolly! during the 1960s, sharing the stage with in an all-Black cast that emphasized the show's enduring appeal amid shifting cultural audiences. This role highlighted his versatility beyond , drawing on his energetic stage presence to sustain performances into his later decades. Calloway's Broadway presence continued with a 1973 revival of The Pajama Game, where he starred alongside and , contributing financially with a $50,000 investment to support the production's short run of 65 performances. These stage revivals, combined with sporadic orchestra tours in the U.S. and , maintained his visibility, though his ensembles were smaller than in his peak years, adapting to economic realities of the post-swing era. A significant resurgence occurred in 1980 with his role in the film The Blues Brothers, where at age 72 he recreated his signature "Minnie the Moocher" performance, complete with the original zoot suit and scat routines, introducing his style to younger generations and boosting demand for live appearances. This exposure led to further revues, such as the 1986 off-Broadway Uptown... It's Hot!, featuring his compositions, and sustained touring with vocal groups into the early 1990s. Calloway received the National Medal of the Arts from President Bill Clinton on December 20, 1993, recognizing his six-decade influence on American music shortly before health issues curtailed his schedule.

Musical Style and Innovations

Scat Singing and Performance Techniques

Cab Calloway's scat singing featured improvised vocalizations using nonsense syllables delivered with rhythmic precision and high energy, often incorporating call-and-response patterns to engage audiences. His signature "hi-de-ho" phrases, as heard in the 1931 recording "Minnie the Moocher," exemplified this technique, where he scatted over brass-heavy orchestration to mimic instrumental solos while adding humorous, theatrical flair. This approach built on earlier scat precedents like Louis Armstrong's but distinguished itself through Calloway's emphasis on exuberant, dance-like vocal phrasing that synchronized with big band swing rhythms. In performance, Calloway integrated scat with dynamic physicality, employing wide-legged trousers and a white that facilitated high-kicking and exaggerated gestures, conducted via an oversized baton to direct his orchestra. His stage technique involved prowling the front of the bandstand, prompting audience participation through repeated scat refrains—such as "hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-ho"—which fostered communal energy during live sets at venues like the . This blend of vocal improvisation, comedic timing, and choreographed movement created a total package, influencing later vocalists in swing and eras by prioritizing showmanship over pure instrumental mimicry. Calloway's scat innovations extended to lyrical flexibility, where he altered nonsense syllables mid-performance to adapt to shifts or band interactions, maintaining strict discipline in his ensemble's tight arrangements despite the apparent chaos of . Recordings from 1933, such as "Harlem Camp Meeting," demonstrate his use of timbral variations—shifting between growls, yelps, and bursts—to evoke urban jive , enhancing scat's role as a bridge between vocals and street . These elements, honed through daily radio broadcasts and floor shows in the early , solidified his reputation as a scat pioneer whose techniques prioritized auditory spectacle and audience immersion over conventional lyricism.

Band Leadership and Orchestra Discipline

Cab Calloway maintained rigorous discipline within his orchestra, earning the moniker "the general" from band members who addressed him as "Fess" or "Professor" in deference to his authoritative style. This structure fostered a professional environment, with Calloway insisting that musicians comport themselves accordingly to uphold the band's reputation for precision and excellence. His orchestra, active from 1930 onward and prominently featured at the Cotton Club, became renowned for its crisp sound, dynamic showmanship, and superior musicianship, attributes directly attributable to these standards. To attract and retain elite talent, Calloway compensated his sidemen generously, which in turn supported the demanding regimen and contributed to the ensemble's evolution into an incubator for jazz innovators. Notable alumni included trumpeter , who joined in 1940, saxophonist , and bassist , whose tenures underscored the band's role in nurturing future pioneers amid Calloway's exacting oversight. An illustrative incident occurred in 1941 when Gillespie was dismissed following a backstage mishap involving a mistaken for expectorated matter, reflecting Calloway's for perceived that could undermine ensemble cohesion. Calloway's method prioritized collective reliability over individual flamboyance during performances, ensuring the orchestra's synchronized execution and visual polish aligned with the era's expectations, particularly in high-profile venues. This discipline not only sustained the group's commercial viability through and but also instilled habits of precision that propelled many alumni to prominence in subsequent developments.

Racial and Professional Challenges

Experiences with Segregation and Violence

Calloway was born and raised in during a period of strict enforced by [Jim Crow laws](/page/Jim Crow_laws), where Black residents were barred from skilled jobs and confined by restrictive covenants that limited housing options to specific neighborhoods. These barriers shaped his early environment, as detailed in his 1976 autobiography Of Minnie the Moocher and Me, which recounts the systemic exclusion faced by Black families in the city. As a touring bandleader in the 1930s and 1940s, Calloway encountered widespread segregation across the , particularly in the South, where Jim Crow regulations mandated separate facilities for lodging, dining, and transportation for Black performers and their ensembles. Venues often enforced segregated audiences, with Black patrons restricted to designated sections, while his performances at places like the in catered exclusively to white audiences despite featuring Black talent. During , Calloway defied some norms by leading one of the first integrated bands on USO tours for both Black and white troops, though such efforts still navigated entrenched discriminatory practices in military and civilian contexts. A notable incident of violence occurred on December 22, 1945, when Calloway and associate Felix H. Payne Jr. were assaulted by Kansas City police officer William E. Todd outside the Pla-Mor Ballroom, where they sought to visit bandleader ; Calloway was struck on the head with a and arrested, sparking national outrage and protests from prominent musicians against police brutality. The event highlighted the perils of and excessive force faced by celebrities, even as Calloway's fame offered partial protection compared to his band members, who routinely contended with inferior accommodations and threats during road tours.

Conflicts with Musicians and Industry Practices

Calloway enforced strict discipline in his , requiring musicians to maintain professional attire, , and performance standards to uphold the band's . This approach, while fostering a tight-knit ensemble capable of precise executions, generated friction with players favoring looser , contributing to turnover despite competitive salaries that exceeded typical rates. He explicitly prohibited drug use, firing members caught with marijuana or other narcotics, which he regarded as undermining the orchestra's reliability and in an era when plagued circles. This policy, rooted in Calloway's personal aversion to intoxicants, contrasted with permissive norms among some contemporaries but aligned with his emphasis on self-discipline as essential for sustained success. A prominent clash arose in 1941 with trumpeter , who had joined the band in 1939. During a performance, a struck near Calloway onstage; he attributed it to Gillespie, sparking a backstage confrontation where Calloway slapped him, prompting Gillespie to stab Calloway in the leg with a pocket knife before being restrained and dismissed. The episode underscored stylistic tensions, as Gillespie's emerging experiments often drew reprimands for deviating from Calloway's structured swing format, exacerbating their mutual antagonism that persisted until a reconciliation. In the broader industry context, bandleaders like Calloway operated under hierarchical models where leaders bore financial risks for large payrolls—often $1,000 weekly for top in —necessitating authoritarian control to mitigate losses from unreliable personnel or economic downturns. Such practices, common amid shortages and union pressures from the , prioritized cohesion over individual , though Calloway's in grooming talent softened some resentments. No major public disputes with record labels marred his career, as he transitioned smoothly between firms like Brunswick, Vocalion, and Victor without litigation.

Personal Life

Marriages and Family Dynamics

Calloway married Wenonah "Betty" Conacher in July 1928. The couple had two daughters and separated in 1943 before finalizing their in 1949. During this period, Calloway began a relationship with Zulme "Nuffie" MacNeal around 1942, with whom he fathered two daughters prior to the . Following the divorce, Calloway wed MacNeal on October 7, 1949. The union produced three daughters: Cecilia, Chris, and Cabella. This second marriage endured for over 45 years until Calloway's death in 1994, with the family establishing residences in , and later . MacNeal, whom Calloway described as his "backbone," offered steadfast personal and professional support throughout his later career and family life. The dynamics of Calloway's first reflected strains common to his peripatetic , culminating in prolonged proceedings amid his rising fame and extramarital involvement. In contrast, his relationship with MacNeal emphasized stability, as she integrated into his household and helped manage family affairs while he toured extensively; the couple raised their daughters amid his commitments to music and performance, with no public records of significant familial discord in later years. Calloway's daughters from both marriages survived him, underscoring a legacy of familial continuity despite the challenges of his peripatetic lifestyle. Calloway maintained a personal policy of abstinence from drugs throughout his career, reportedly never using narcotics or marijuana despite the prevalence of such substances in circles during the 1930s and 1940s. He enforced strict no-drugs rules within his , dismissing musicians caught in possession of or using substances like marijuana, which he viewed as detrimental to professional discipline and performance reliability. This approach contrasted with the romanticized in some of his early hits, such as "" (1931), which alluded to ("kick the gong around") and ("cokey"), though Calloway later emphasized these were performative rather than endorsements of use. In a February 1951 Ebony magazine article titled "Is Dope Killing Our Jazz Musicians?", Calloway publicly condemned heroin addiction as a "menace" destroying the genre, naming specific musicians he accused of habitual use and arguing it undermined talent and longevity. He differentiated heroin's severe dangers from marijuana, which he criticized but deemed less ruinous, reflecting his broader view that any drug indulgence eroded musicians' focus and careers. No records indicate Calloway himself faced drug-related legal or personal incidents; his stance aligned with his emphasis on band professionalism, where violations led to immediate termination regardless of the musician's prominence.

Media and Broader Contributions

Stage and Broadway Roles

Calloway first appeared on Broadway in the 1953 revival of Porgy and Bess at the Ziegfeld Theatre, where he portrayed Sportin' Life from March 10 to November 28, running for 305 performances. The role, a slick drug dealer and gambler known for the song "It Ain't Necessarily So," drew on Calloway's charismatic stage presence and scat-singing style, with the character reportedly inspired by his own flamboyant persona during the Harlem Renaissance era. This production, directed by Robert Breen, featured an all-Black cast and marked a significant operatic turn for Calloway, who had trained in voice and brought his jazz inflection to the part. In 1967, Calloway joined the long-running Hello, Dolly! at the as Horace Vandergelder, replacing earlier actors in the original production that had opened in 1964; he performed in the role from November 12, 1967, to December 20, 1969, as part of the historic all-Black cast led by as Dolly Levi. This version revitalized the show amid declining attendance for the original, emphasizing comedic timing and song-and-dance numbers like "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," where Calloway's bandleader energy contributed to over 300 additional performances in this configuration. Calloway's final major Broadway acting role came in the 1973 revival of The Pajama Game at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, starring as Hines, the time-study man, from December 9, 1973, to February 3, 1974, for 65 performances. Co-starring with and , the production highlighted labor-themed songs such as "," with Calloway's comedic flair and even donating $50,000 to support the show despite its brief run due to mixed reviews and competition. Beyond Broadway, Calloway reprised Sportin' Life in international stage tours, including productions of , extending his theater presence into the 1950s and beyond.

Film and Television Appearances

Calloway's early film appearances included animated shorts, such as the cartoon Snow-White (1933), where he supplied scat vocals for "" and influenced the depiction of a lively, improvisational character. He followed with live-action musical shorts like Cab Calloway's Hi-de-ho (1934), featuring performances of "Zazzy's Nappy" and "The Lady with the Fan." In feature films, Calloway portrayed himself in the all-Black cast musical Stormy Weather (), delivering energetic numbers including a signature "" routine with a dancing illusion created through and lighting. He starred as a bandleader mentoring a boxer in the low-budget comedy Hi-de-Ho (1947), incorporating real band performances amid a plot involving romantic and criminal elements. Additional musical revue films included Rhythm and Blues Revue (1955) and Basin Street Revue (1956), showcasing swing-era acts with Calloway as a headliner. Later cinematic roles were smaller but notable, such as the craps dealer "Yeller" in (1965), a poker drama where his brief presence added authenticity to a New Orleans gambling scene. Calloway's portrayal of Curtis, a wise mentor figure leading orphaned boys in gospel-soul numbers, in (1980) featured a revival of and highlighted his enduring scat prowess to a mainstream audience. On television, Calloway's appearances spanned variety and variety-hybrid formats, beginning with experimental broadcasts in the late 1940s, such as a January 17, 1947, late-night slot performing with his orchestra. He made recurring guest spots on The Ed Sullivan Show, including July 29, 1951; April 17, 1953; June 20, 1965; February 23, 1964 (singing "St. James Infirmary"); and March 19, 1967 (with daughter Chris Calloway). Other variety inclusions were The Love Boat episode "The Shipshape Cruise" (October 14, 1977), as a cruise performer, and animated voice work in Betty Boop for President (1980). In educational programming, Calloway appeared on Sesame Street during its twelfth season (1980–1981), leading scat lessons in segments like "Hi De Ho Man" and "Jumpin' Jive," collaborating with characters such as the Two-Headed Monster to demonstrate rhythmic improvisation. These outings emphasized his role in bridging jazz traditions with younger audiences through interactive performance.

Death

Final Years and Passing

In the 1980s, Calloway enjoyed a resurgence of interest in his career, appearing as the Curtis the Waiter in the film The Blues Brothers (1980) and touring with the revue Cotton Club Revisited (1985), where he demonstrated enduring stage energy. He continued performing sporadically into his 80s, including theatrical roles such as Horace Vandergelder in revivals of Hello, Dolly!, halftime entertainment for the Harlem Globetrotters, and appearances at Catskill Mountain resorts, occasionally collaborating with his daughter Lael. These activities reflected his sustained involvement in entertainment despite advancing age. On June 12, 1994, Calloway suffered a severe at his home in . He was subsequently transferred to the hospital unit of Cokesbury Retirement Village in . Calloway died on November 18, 1994, at the age of 86, from as a complication of the stroke, with his wife Nuffie and family at his bedside. His remains were cremated.

Legacy

Awards and Posthumous Honors

Calloway received the from the in 1993, presented by President in recognition of his contributions to American culture through and performance. Following his death on November 18, 1994, Calloway was posthumously awarded the in 2008 by the Recording Academy, honoring his enduring influence as a , singer, and scat innovator. His 1931 recording of "Minnie the Moocher" was inducted into the in 1999, acknowledging its historical and artistic significance in American music. Calloway was inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame in 1995, celebrating his role in advancing jazz during the . He was also recognized in the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame, reflecting his leadership of one of the era's premier ensembles. In 2012, his birthplace city honored him with induction into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame.

Cultural Impact and Enduring Influence

Calloway's energetic and call-and-response routines, exemplified in hits like "" (1931), popularized interactive performance styles that bridged with audience engagement, influencing the swing era's emphasis on spectacle over pure instrumental virtuosity. His band's integration of into lyrics separated "hep" insiders from outsiders, fostering a cultural divide that echoed in later subcultures. This approach, drawing from Louis Armstrong's scat innovations but amplified through theatrical flair, positioned Calloway as a key figure in making accessible to broader audiences during the 1930s . The 1938 publication of Hepster's Dictionary documented jive terminology from nightlife, such as "zaz" for marijuana and "hep cat" for the informed aficionado, embedding street vernacular into mainstream consciousness and anticipating slang's role in youth subcultures. By 1944, his song "Mr. Hepster's Dictionary" further disseminated these terms via radio and recordings, contributing to jive's adoption in wartime and films, where it symbolized urban sophistication. This linguistic legacy persisted, as elements of Calloway's rhythmic patter and boastful delivery prefigured rap's flow and , with scholars noting his routines as proto-rap for their emphasis on style, humor, and rhythmic speech over . Calloway's flamboyant stage presence and fashion—marked by zoot suits and dynamic conducting—influenced subsequent entertainers, including Michael Jackson's kinetic performances, while his hip-hop precursor status is evident in the genre's adoption of call-and-response and signifying humor. Warner Chappell Music's 2021 cataloging of his works underscores this continuum from 1930s swing to contemporary hip-hop, where his cool delivery and echo in emcees' rhythmic boasting. Despite critiques of his novelty songs diluting depth, Calloway's model of vocal-centric showmanship endures in music's performative evolution, as seen in ongoing tributes and samples of his recordings in modern tracks.

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