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[[image - Eubie Blake]]

musical revue for impresario Lew Leslie at his plantation Club. The Blackbird of 1930 featured the music of Eubie Blake and the song, Memories of You with lyrics by Razaf became an instant classic.

During the Depression, Sisle [[Sissle]] and Blake came together again and played the vaudeville circuit, both Black and white. Then came the war. 

In an anecdote at the 92nd birthday tribute at the Waldorf, Cubie [[Eubie]] remembered asking a famous singer of the early 20's to sing I'm Just Wild About Harry for their show. The piece was originally written in waltz time and was to be a gentle ballad. After hearing the song she said it was nice but it wouldn't work at that tempo. The public wouldn't accept it. "Well I won't change it!" barked Eubie. Noble Sisle [[Sissle]] who was sitting there the whole time suddenly intoned, "oh yes you will!" "The rest is history," said Eubie.

Asked recently about his amazing longevity he said, "well, you know I had ten brothers and sisters, none of them made it but me, I was the youngest. So maybe I'ma making up for them. My mother used to say to me, "I wonder why the Lord spared you?"

That question most certainly has been answered, as a grateful world wishes Eubie Blake a happy 100th birthday.


Fans in farewell to Eubie Blake

By STEPHEN McFARLAND

Friends, admirers and fans of ragtime composer Eubie Blake yesterday were planning their farewells to the legendary figure, who died Saturday at his Brooklyn home six days after his 100th birthday.

No conventional memorial is likely to outlast Blake's music, so jazz pianist Ken Gates set up his electric keyboard in front of the composer's longtime home at 284 Stuyvesant Ave. in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn yesterday morning and played an impromptu concert of the songs Blake created.

A private funeral service was planned, said Blake's manager, Elliot Hoffman, but a memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Peter's Lutheran Church—the "jazz church"—at Lexington Ave. and 53d St.

"Until the last moment of his life he remained alert and appreciative of affection and recognition received from his friends and colleagues," Hoffman said.

BLAKE, THE SON of emancipated slaves, was born in Baltimore on Feb. 7, 1883. He began his musical career in the best traditions of ragtime, as a piano player in a Baltimore bordello at age 15.

A year later he composed his first piece of music, "Sounds of Africa," and for the next six decades was a successful and prolific composer whose work included such standards as "I'm Just Wild About Harry," "Memories of You" and "Charleston Rag."

In collaboration with Noble Sissle, Blake wrote "It's All Your Fault" for Sophie Tucker in 1915. Blake and Sissle toured the vaudeville circuit as The Dixie Duo and turned out a series of "Black Broadway" musicals such as "Shuffle Along" and "Chocolate Dandies" in the 1920s and '30s.

IN THE 1948 national elections, beleaguered President Harry S Truman adopted Blake's song, "I'm Just Wild About Harry," as the anthem for his come-from-behind campaign against Thomas Dewey, who had been conceded the White House by everyone but Truman and the voters.

Blake's career declined in the 1950s and '60s, but the revival of interest in Scott Joplin and ragtime in the '70s also revived the demand for Blake as a performer. He commanded $2,500 and up for a performance. His last public appearance was last June in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center with the United States Army Band.

[[image]]
[[caption]] Jazz pianist Ken Gates playing Eubie Blake's songs outside the composer's home in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. CLARENCE DAVIS DAILY NEWS [[/caption]] 

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Transcription Notes:
Noble Sissle is the correct spelling.