This is my grandfather, who had an extremely active
music career
in Chicago between 1912 and 1928. One of the best accounts of his life
and career appeared in his obituary article in the Chicago Defender, a
paper that specialized in the news and events of Chicago's black
community.
Ollie L. Powers was of mixed heritage, which in those days meant that
he
would have been considered black by most white people, even though he
must
have appeared rather light to most black people! But his musical talent
made all who heard him put aside such issues. In his career, he worked
with important jazz musicians such as Jimmie
Noone, Louis
Armstrong,
Earl Hines, Johnny
St. Cyr, singers such as May Alix and Florence
Mills, and as the partner of the noted songwriter & comedian Shelton
Brooks---the duo were billed as "Two Dark Clouds of Joy"! (A story
told in our family is that Ollie wore blackface and gloves during the
performances,
but at the very last moment, just as he was leaving the stage, he would
remove his glove and wave at the audience with his bare, light-skinned
hand!)
Scroll down or click here
to
see the obituary that appeared in the Chicago Defender, April 21,
1928...
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