Ford Dabney

Ford Thompson Dabney (15 March 1883 – 6 June 1958) was an American

That same neighborhood, one block south — 52nd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues — contained, from the late 1930s until the early 1960s, a remarkable concentration of jazz night clubs.^[8]

Haiti

While in New York, Dabney won sponsorship of the Haitian consul to France, Joseph Jefford, who also was a special Haitian envoy to the United States.^[B] In the first week of January 1904, he sailed to Haiti to fill a four-month post as pianist to the president, Pierre Nord Alexis (1820–1910), for $4,000 (equivalent to $135,644 in 2023). His itinerary included a trip to France to play for President Émile Loubet, then to Germany.^[F] His appointment in Haiti was extended through 1907.^[9]

Dabney's Theater, Washington, D.C.

From around October 1910 through 1911, Dabney owned and operated a theater bearing his name, "Ford Dabney's Theater." It was located at the eastern edge of the Cardozo neighborhood, Washington, D.C., on the northeast corner of 9th and U Streets, N.W. (2001 9th Street, N.W.), around the corner from the current African American Civil War Memorial Museum. George W. Hamilton (1871–1910) was general manager. The theater's tagline in newspaper ads read, "Refined vaudeville and motion pictures."

In 1910, Dabney formed several touring vaudeville groups, among which, he and violinist Willie Carroll (né William Thomas Carroll; 1881–1943) conceived and produced Dabney's Ginger Girls, who first performed at his theater before going on the road. The Ginger girls were a duet:

When Dabney's theater manager Hamilton died December 10, 1910,^[G][H] James H. Hudnell took over as manager. Dabney's Theater received competition when the Hiawatha Theater, running vaudeville, opened in October 1910. It was also located in the Cardozo neighborhood at 2006-2008 11th Street, N.W. That theater ran until May 1922.^[10]

In October 1911, the

Two months later, around December 1, 1911, Dabney's Theater changed hands and James H. Hudnell became sole manager.[J] He kept the name, "Dabney's Theater," but operated it as a motion-picture theater until January 1912, then added back vaudeville.

Career (continued)

In 1909, Dabney began composing and publishing songs, namely "Oh! You Devil" (©1909), "That Minor Strain" (©1910), "Haytian Rag" (©1911), and "Shine" (©1910). Dabney began working with

In 1917, Ford Dabney's Syncopated Orchestra began recording jazz. In August 1917, during their first session, they recorded 5 songs for Aeolian Vocalion, including "At the Darkdown Strutter's Ball," which featured vocalist Arthur Fields.

Dabney and his instrumentalists were black and Fields was white. According to historian

The New Amsterdam Theatre in 1905

Dabney, leading his own Syncopated Orchestra, was the musical director of Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolic for 8 years, from 1913 to 1921. The shows were in the Roof Garden Club of the New Amsterdam Theatre, where more risqué productions were presented. In that setting, his Syncopated Orchestra stands as the first black orchestra to play regularly in a Broadway Theater.^[13][L][14]

In the summers, Dabney's orchestra performed at the Palais Royale in

Known members of Dabny's Orchestra

1917

1922

1917: death of Vernon Castle

After the start of

On May 9, 1919, Europe was performing in Boston at Mechanics Hall. During an intermission, he berated a snare drummer, Herbert B. Wright (born 1895), who became enraged and lunged at him, striking his neck with a pen knife in what seemed initially to be a minor nick. Even Europe dismissed it as a superficial wound. But, within a few hours it turned fatal. Wright was convicted of manslaughter and served 8 years of a 10-to-12-year sentence in the Massachusetts State Prison.^[18]

After Europe's death, Dabney continued leading his own ensembles, including Dabney's Band and Ford Dabney's Syncopated Orchestra, the latter of which recorded for

As a side note, when Wright was released on March 30, 1927, he, with his wife Lillie, went on to live in Roxbury, Boston, at 23 Haskins Street, working as an elevator operator, a danceband drummer, and a private drum teacher. Wright was the first music teacher for one particular 8-year-old Roy Haynes, who lived across the street at 30 Haskins.^{[Genealogy 1]}

Dabney's career (continued) and death

After losing his job in 1921 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, Dabney continued working in New York, composing for three more decades. Notably, he scored all the music and co-wrote the lyrics for Rang Tang in 1927. His film credits include the 1934 film, Social Register, and the 1943 film, Stormy Weather (as consultant). Dabney operated an entertainment bureau, and for many years, performed engagements in West Palm Beach and Newport.

Dabney was close friends with the family of Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall and was an honorary pallbearer for the funeral of Marshall's first wife, Vivian Burey Marshall (1911–1955).^[P]

Dabney died June 6, 1958, in

Works

Songs and rags

1. "Call Me Dear" (©1908), words by Henry Creamer (1879–1930), music by Dabney, published by Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd.^[i]
2. "You Can Learn the Hootchie-Kootchie for a Dollar and Thirty Cents" (©1908), words by Henry Creamer (1879–1930), music by Dabney, published by M. Witmark & Sons; featured in the 1909 production, The Blanche Ring Vaudeville Act^[ii][I]
3. "Oh! You Devil" (©1909), rag for piano, by Dabney, was published by

   Maurice Shapiro. Dabney composed it as a quasi-ballet number for Aida Overton Walker, initially as part of his 1909 one-act operetta, The King's Quest.^[19] Its premiere is unclear. One account states that Aida Overton Walker introduced it in February 1909 as a dance in Chicago as part of a post-Broadway production of Bandanna Land^[20] billed as The New Bandanna Land or "the 2nd edition" of Bandanna Land. The publisher, on February 25, 1910, copyrighted a song version with words by E. Ray Goetz (1886–1954).^{[II][21][iii]} "Oh! You Devil" became a favorite of the Clef Club

   Symphony Orchestra.

4. "

   R.C. McPherson (aka Cecil Mack) and Ford Dabney, publisher^[iv] words Cecil Mack, music by Dabney.^[III][IV]

The song debuted in

Time Warner Center. Stars included Dudley and Aida Overton Walker

(1880–1914), who sang "Shine."

According to songwriter Perry Bradford, the song was inspired by a real person named 'Shine' (possibly 'Kid Shine'), a street tough kid who was a friend of George Walker, and who was caught with Walker in the New York City race riot of August 1900.^[11]

David Krasner, in his 1995 article, "Parody and Double Consciousness in the Language of Early Black Musical Theatre," stated, "Not only do the lyrics echo themes in

antiracism."^[22]

In 1924, fourteen years after "That's Why They Call Me Shine" was published, Lew Brown shortened the title to "Shine" and changed the lyrics from a black man singing about himself to a shoe shine man who has a sunny outlook.^[v][vi]

Songs (continued)

5. "Anoma," [characteristic] rag,

   anonym of "Anoma," in Haitian Creole

   , translates to "grandmother")
6. "The Pensacola Mooch" (©1910), Will Cook & Dabney (w&m), copyright by Cook, published by Harry Von Tilzer Music Publishing Co.^[viii]
7. "Haytian Rag" (©1911), Jerome H. Remick & Co., publisher. The composition was copyrighted after the death of then former Haitian President Pierre Nord Alexis (1820–1910).^[ix] President Alexis, after Dabney's tenure in Haiti, had declared himself President for life. He was then ousted from power December 2, 1908, followed by going into exile – first to Jamaica, then to New Orleans.

From Ziegfeld Follies of 1910

8. "That Minor Strain" (©1910), Gotham-Attucks Music Publishing Company, publisher^[x]
9. "Porto Rico," rag intermezzo (©1910),

   Maurice Shapiro, publisher^[xi][VI]
10. "Oh! You Angel," rag (©1911),

    Maurice Shapiro, publisher^[xii][VII]
11. "Georgia Grind" (©1915), Jos. W. Stern & Co., publisher[xiii]

Castle compositions, co-composed with James Reese Europe, Joseph W. Stern (1870–1934), publisher^[23]

The syndicated cartoon, Strange as It Seems, by Elsie Hix (née Elsie Teresa Huber; 1902–1995), dated September 21, 1959, states that "The fox trot was born because Ford Dabney, the band leader, played "Down Home Rag" too slow! The new step was improvised by Vernon and Irene Castle because the tempo was too slow their brisk one-step . . . "^[24]

From Kern and Bolton's Nobody Home (1915)^{[Note 6]}

— Princess Theatre April 20, 2015, through June 1915; Maxine Elliott's Theatre June 7, 1915, through August 7, 1915

21. "At That San Francisco Fair," lyrics by Schuyler Greene (né Schuyler Rawson Greene; 1880–1929), music by Dabney, Europe, and Jerome Kern; published by T. B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter, Inc.^[xvi][IX] performed in Act 2, sang by the character Miss Tony Miller with Chorus; Miller was played by Adele Rowland and Zoe Barnett

Songs (continued)

• In April 1910, Dabney and several professional colleagues – including
  William Tyers (fr) (1870–1924), and Joe Jordan – formed the Clef Club, a union and booking agency that elevated the working conditions for black musicians in New York City
  .
• Around 1910, Dabney formed several touring vaudeville groups, among which, he and violinist Willie Carroll (né William Thomas Carroll; 1881–1943) conceived and produced Dabney's Ginger Girls, who first performed at his theater in Washington, D.C., before going on the road. The Ginger girls were a duet:
  New York Age, June 12, 1913, p. 6; accessible via Newspapers.com
  ; subscription required)
• Dabney, Europe, and others left the
  Irene and Vernon Castle
  .
• Dabney became a member of
  ASCAP
  in 1937
• Dabney was a member of the Negro Actors Guild of America

Selected audio, discography, rollography, filmography, and choreography

As composer

As band and orchestra leader

Rollography

Filmography

"Shine"

• 1931: A Rhapsody in Black and Blue – performed by Louis Armstrong and band
• 1941: Birth of the Blues – sang by Bing Crosby
• 1942: Casablanca – sang by Dooley Wilson as Sam accompanied by the band in the setting at Rick's Cafe
• 1943: Cabin in the Sky – John William Sublett (aka John W. Bubbles) animates "Shine" in a song-and-dance number; Duke Ellington conducting the MGM studio orchestra and chorus, with Shorty Baker on trumpet and Buck Washington on piano (video via YouTube)
• 1955: The Benny Goodman Story – performed on trumpet by Harry James
• 1956: The Eddy Duchin Story – performed by Tyrone Power as Eddy Duchin and Rex Thompson as Peter Duchin with accompaniment
• 1989: Satchmo: The Live of Louis Armstrong
• 1997: Wild Man Blues – documentary
• 1999: Sweet and Lowdown

"Honey Dear"

• 1934: Social Register

"The Castle Walk"

1939: The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Dance

• 1983: Low Down and Dirty Rag,
  Donald Byrd/Group II,^[32] choreographed by Donald Byrd, premiered in New York November 3, 1983, at the Dance Theater Workshop, was a new production set to piano arrangements of popular music by Dabney in a suite of three duets based on such period "animal" dances – the Grizzly Bear, the Turkey Trot, and the Chicken Glide – choreographed, according to Jennifer Dunning of The New York Times
  :

" . . . from slow, sexy clinging to stylish high-stepping, with the performers adding to their outfits at the side of the stage between dances, in stage business that is as potent as the dancing itself. By the last dance, they have become period fashion plates in handsome costumes by Stephen dePietri (born 1952)."[33]

Chief collaborators

As bandleader, songwriter, professional organization founder

• James Reese Europe (1880–1919)

As songwriter

• Joe Trent (né Joseph Hannibal Trent; 1892–1954), American lyricist; re: 1927 Broadway production of Rang Tang
• Cecil Mack (1873–1944); re: Shine
• Lew Brown (1893–1958)
• Tim Brymn (1874–1946)^[34]

In an effort to place Dabney as a ragtime pianist among peers, Elliott Shapiro (1895–1956), son of one of Dabney's publishers, Maurice Shapiro, in a 1951 article, offered a list of standout ragtime pianists — in two categories, (i) pioneers and (ii) later ragtimers. Shapiro included Dabney in the latter group.

Family

Parents
Ford Thompson Dabney was born to John Wesley (J.W.) Dabney (1851–1924)

J.W. Dabney's barber shop, in the latter 1880s, was at the Hamilton House Hotel, 14th and K Streets, N.W. (same site as the Hamilton Hotel erected in 1922 at the northwest corner of Franklin Square). On November 15, 1888, J.W. Dabney opened a barber shop at Welckers Hotel (see photo below), 721 15th Street, N.W., between New York Avenue and H Street, N.W.

Dabney's stepmother, Gertrude, in 1929, held the distinction of serving on the first all-women jury in Washington, D.C. She was the only non-white.^[U]

Wife
Dabney married – on March 14, 1912, in

Uncle and step-aunt: James H. and Ruby H. Dabney
Gertrude's sister (Ford Dabney's step-aunt), Ruby H. Dabney (née Ruby Adams; 1872–1901) (see photo below), was the second of three wives of one of Ford's uncles, James H. Dabney (1846–1923), a prominent and affluent Washington, D.C.-based undertaker and philanthropist. Ruby, in 1898, earned a professional degree from the Massachusetts College of Embalming, Boston^{[Note 9]} – notable for being the first African American woman in the history of Washington, D.C., to earn a college diploma.^[V]

Uncle: