Black Pianist: Clarence Williams & His Orch. - I'm Through, 1928

Clarence Williams & His Orchestra, v.Clarence Williams - I'm Through, QRS 1928

NOTE: Clarence WILLIAMS (b.1898 in Plaquemine, Louisiana – d. 1965 in NYC) was an American jazz pianist, composer, promoter, vocalist, theatrical producer, and publisher. He ran away from home at age 12 to join Billy Kersand's Traveling Minstrel Show, then moved to New Orleans. At first Williams worked shining shoes and doing odd jobs, but soon became known as a singer and master of ceremonies. By the early 1910s he was a well regarded local entertainer also playing piano. Williams was a good business man and worked arranging entertainment at the local African-American vaudeville theater as well as various saloons and dance halls around Rampart Street and clubs in Storyville.
Williams started a publishing business with violinist Armand J. Piron 1915, which by the 1920s was the leading African-American owned music publisher in the country. He settled in New York in the early 1920s. In 1921, he married blues singer Eva Taylor with whom he would frequently perform. He supervised African-American recordings (Race Series) for New York offices of Okeh company in the 1920s; He recruited many of the artists who performed on that label. He also recorded extensively, leading studio bands for OKeh and Columbia . He was the recording director for the QRS Records label in 1928.
In 1943 Williams sold his extensive back-catalogue of tunes to Decca Records for $50,000 and retired, but then bought a used goods store which he ran to keep himself busy. He died in Queens, NYC in 1965 and was interred in St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY.
He mostly used "Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings" for his orchestra sides and "Clarence Williams' Washboard Five" for his washboard sides. He also produced and participated in early recordings by Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Bessie Smith and many others. King Oliver played cornet on a number of Williams' late 1920s recordings. Clarence Williams was a composer or co-composer on numerous tunes, including "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" (as publisher - not composer), "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home", "Royal Garden Blues", "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Shout, Sister, Shout" and many others.

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Tags:

• Clarence
• Williams
• Race
• Records
• OKeh
• Black
• Jazz
• pianist
• 1920
• 1930
• America
• hot
• dance
• band
• 78
• rpm

[ondaleo]

Lírico,grandioso;un himno a GRAN nivel.Me encanta...

[roybo1930]

I just found this AWESOME song on a Paramount 78!!! About a month agao, and I play it every day.

[easyfriend71]

This is absolute FIRE

[roybo1930]

I have 10 Q.R.S records in my collection all are just to DIE FOR!!! And Yes I`m back listening to this KILLER AWESOME SONG!!!!

[roybo1930]

GAWD!!! This is My FAVORIT Williams record yet!!!! Sompthing about it sends CHILLS down my spine!!!!

[Squarerig]

CW had some of the best bands ever.Playing superb,silky jazz with great tunes.Unforgettable.

[78timothy]

This is one of the best Williams I have heard - so blujesy, and introspective, hot yetalso emotional. Yowza!! 5***** on this

[roybo1930]

I Love Driving My 1925 Dodge Brothers & Listening To This. I Have A Converted Old Radio With A Hidden Tape Deck In It And Put A Ton Of These Songs I Record Off My 78 r.p.m Records, As Well As Some Of My Favorits On You Tube. Talk About Time Travel!!

[roybo1930]

I Just Can`t Seem To Get Enough Of This Awsome Song.

[roybo1930]

OH MY GOD!!! I LOVE THIS. Great Vedieo, Very Atmospheric Slow Fox Trot That Puts Goose Pimpels On My Goose Pimpels. The Photo At 1:20 Looks A Lot Like Bessie Smith To Me. THANKS for Posting.