The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

gramophone78 wrote:Another early black American woman recording artist was Miss Belle Davies (and her Piccaninnies) of New Orleans. She recorded in London
"Honeysuckle and The Bee" and "Just Because She Made Dem Goo Goo Eyes".

To date, only one copy of her singing "Goo Goo Eyes" as been discovered.

Belle Davies & her Piccaninnies.jpg

Dat look like a white lady there ! How she get so white ?

Wolfe wrote:

gramophone78 wrote:Another early black American woman recording artist was Miss Belle Davies (and her Piccaninnies) of New Orleans. She recorded in London
"Honeysuckle and The Bee" and "Just Because She Made Dem Goo Goo Eyes".

To date, only one copy of her singing "Goo Goo Eyes" as been discovered.

The attachment Belle Davies & her Piccaninnies.jpg is no longer available

Dat look like a white lady there ! How she get so white ?

Unless your being facetious, you may find this of interest.

http://www.arsc-audio.org/journals/v25/ ... 78-191.pdf

Unfortunately, a copy of "Goo-Goo Eyes" had not been found at the time of Dr. Lotz's writing. Interestingly, they spelled her name "Devies" on the record.

Hi, The two Welte-Mignon reproducing piano rolls that I spok about earlier were recut by The Gryphon Comp. Austin, TX and are sa follows:
roll number, title, composer, artist duo, date of recording
3566 Maxie, Dengoso J. Nazareth J. Europe/ F. Dabney, 1914
3571 Puppchen (one step), J. Gilbert, J. Europe/ F. Dabney, 1914
Allen

A Ford 1 wrote:Hi, The two Welte-Mignon reproducing piano rolls that I spok about earlier were recut by The Gryphon Comp. Austin, TX and are sa follows:
roll number title composer artist duo date of recording
3566 Maxie, Dengoso J. Nazareth J. Europe/ F. Dabney 1914
3571 Puppchen one step J. Gilbert J. Europe/ F. Dabney 1914
Allen

Ah- then duet recordings. Wasn't aware of those.

Didn't "Williams & Walker" make some (now rare) records for Victor, ca. 1901-02?

gramophone78 wrote:
Unless your being facetious, you may find this of interest.

http://www.arsc-audio.org/journals/v25/ ... 78-191.pdf

I was being facetious. Interesting article.


Thomas Craig "The Colored Basso" recorded for Berliner around 1898.

dennis wrote:Didn't "Williams & Walker" make some (now rare) records for Victor, ca. 1901-02?

They first recorded for Victor in 1901. Bert Williams made a few cylinders in the late 1890's.

Minstrel performers the Bohee Brothers might have recorded in London as early as 1889. If so, they would be before George W. Johnson - notwithstanding Johnson's rumored tinfoils of ca. 1877-1880.

Wolfe wrote:

gramophone78 wrote:
Unless your being facetious, you may find this of interest.

http://www.arsc-audio.org/journals/v25/ ... 78-191.pdf

I was being facetious. Interesting article.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's a shame Miss Davies was shy recording in a studio setting and yet prolific on stage.

Very few copies of her recordings have survived. As previously mentioned, some only one.

1337 The Honeysuckle And The Bee #GC-3273 (01-24-02), 15166 The Rainbow Coon #GC-3278, Ma Rainbow Coon Zonophone X-43029 (02-??-02), 4596a The Honeysuckle And The Bee #3244 (05-??-02), 4643e Just Because She Made Dem Goo Goo Eyes #3245 (06-??-02).

A small amount of recorded work for an artist known as the "Queen of ragtime singers". Now virtually forgotten.

I would be most interested in knowing if a member happens to have any of the above records in their collection. Feel free to PM me if you do.

Louis Vasner recorded in 1891, another early alongside Geo. W. Johnson.

Not the earliest, but early
https://www.discogs.com/release/3335813 ... -Gray-Mule