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'My first show job was in the summer of 1939 with Rabbit Foot
Minstrels. It travelled around for four months and closed in September. We
rehearsed for three weeks. A minstrel show rehearsed until it was perfect and
then went on the road. The band had about 14 pieces, which played in a tent
holding more than 2.000 people. It was not a real minstrel show with men only.
We had ten girls and three comedians. We played the same show every night. We
had a big bus and would room with people if there was no hotel. The show
advertised three or four weeks in advance and people would give their best room
to the show people. We would parade every day at noon from the tent to the heart
of town. And made the circle back to the tent. The girls wore costumes and the
band wore hot uniforms. A couple of years later they cut the parades. We played
mostly Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana, but we
didn't come to New Orleans. People awaited the show each year. We had vans,
light systems, stage and costumes. The band had written music for everything. If
necessary we had our own arrangers. Show Boy Thomas and I were the only ones
from New Orleans. The manager advertised in Billboard for performers as there
were many performers and shows then. Joe White was featured in the street and
coming down the aisle before the show. He was very good. You had the Rabbit Foot,
the Georgia and the New Orleans minstrels. We also used theaters. We left New
Orleans about May to rehearse. I enjoyed it very much.' (Jesse Charles, December
15, 1967).
Source:
http://www.thejazzgazette.be/december2001issue.htm
He was a parade musician for many years in George William's Brass band and
in the 40's with Abby Williams' Happy Pals Brass band.16
He recorded with the Harold Dejan's Olympia Brass Band on May 3. 1963
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