Noble Sissle

Noble Lee Sissle (* July 10, 1889 in Indianapolis, Indiana, † December 17, 1975 in Tampa, Florida) was an African-American singer, violinist, bandleader and songwriter.

Life and work

Sissle, whose father was also active as organist, sang first in minstrel and gospel groups. From 1917 to 1919 he served his military service as a drum major in the band of the 369th Division. After James Reese Europe's death, he took over his band, which was one of the first jazz -related ragtime orchestras before 1920. Then he met with Eubie Blake as " Dixie Duo " on, and wrote the lyrics to many of Blake's ragtime songs. The greatest success of the two was the 1921 Broadway musical Shuffle Along, including Josephine Baker appeared as a dancer in the. The waltz song from the show I'm Just Wild About Harry, they wrote in the 1940s in 4/4-time to as a campaign song for Harry S. Truman.

In 1922, she was with the Spencer Williams composition " Arkansas Blues ( A Down Home Chant )" ( # 10) in the charts successful; 1923 followed the rehearsed for Victor Records "Down Hearted Blues" by Alberta Hunter (# 13). 1924 followed the revue The Chocolate Dandies; 1925/26, toured with Sissle Blake and William Thornton Blue through Europe, where he remained until 1928 and appeared with French bands. During the 1930s he was also active as a bandleader; in his show and entertainment orchestra made ​​1935, the young Lena Horne take their first steps as a singer. His backing musicians were short, inter alia, also Sidney Bechet, Buster Bailey, Bill Coleman and Tommy Ladnier. Sissle had from 1938 to 1950, a longer exposure to Billy Roses Diamond Horseshoe Club in New York, 1942/43, with Jesse Olden Cryor as vocalists. In 1953 he played at the inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower. He then moved to Florida.