Clifton Avon "Cliff" Edwards (June 14, 1895 â€" July 17, 1971),
nicknamed "Ukulele Ike", was an American musician, singer and actor,
who enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s,
specializing in jazzy renditions of pop standards and novelty tunes.
He had a number one hit with "Singin' in the Rain" in 1929. He also
did voices for animated cartoons later in his career, and he is best
known as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's Pinocchio (1940)
and Fun and Fancy Free (1947), and Dandy (Jim) Crow in Walt Disney's
Dumbo (1941).Edwards was born in Hannibal, Missouri. He left school at
age 14 and soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri and Saint Charles,
Missouri, where he entertained as a singer in saloons. As many places
had pianos in bad shape or none at all, Edwards taught himself to play
ʻukulele to serve as his own accompanist (choosing it because it was
the cheapest instrument in the music shop). He was nicknamed "Ukulele
Ike" by a club owner who could never remember his name. He got his
first break in 1918 at the Arsonia Cafe in Chicago, Illinois, where he
performed a song called "Ja-Da", written by the club's pianist, Bob
Carleton. Edwards and Carleton made it a hit on the vaudeville
circuit. Vaudeville headliner Joe Frisco hired Edwards as part of his
act, which was featured at the Palace in New York Cityâ€"the most
prestigious vaudeville theaterâ€"and later in the Ziegfeld Follies.
Edwards made his first phonograph records in 1919. He recorded early
examples of jazz scat singing in 1922. The following year he signed a
contract with Pathé Records. He became one of the most popular
singers of the 1920s, appearing in several Broadway shows. He recorded
many of the pop and novelty hits of the day, including "California,
Here I Come", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", and
"I'll See You in My Dreams".In 1924, Edwards performed as the
headliner at the Palace, the pinnacle of his vaudeville success. That
year he also featured in George and Ira Gershwin's first Broadway
musical Lady Be Good, alongside Fred and Adele Astaire. As a recording
artist, his hits included "Paddlin’ Madeleine Home" (1925), "I Can't
Give You Anything but Love" (1928), and the classic "Singin' in the
Rain" (1929), which he introduced. Edwards's own compositions included
"(I'm Cryin' 'Cause I Know I'm) Losing You", "You're So Cute (Mama o'
Mine)", "Little Somebody of Mine", and "I Want to Call You 'Sweet
Mama'". He also recorded a few "off-color" novelty songs for
under-the-counter sales, including "I'm a Bear in a Lady's Boudoir,"
"Take Out That Thing," and "Give It to Mary with Love".
nicknamed "Ukulele Ike", was an American musician, singer and actor,
who enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s,
specializing in jazzy renditions of pop standards and novelty tunes.
He had a number one hit with "Singin' in the Rain" in 1929. He also
did voices for animated cartoons later in his career, and he is best
known as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's Pinocchio (1940)
and Fun and Fancy Free (1947), and Dandy (Jim) Crow in Walt Disney's
Dumbo (1941).Edwards was born in Hannibal, Missouri. He left school at
age 14 and soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri and Saint Charles,
Missouri, where he entertained as a singer in saloons. As many places
had pianos in bad shape or none at all, Edwards taught himself to play
ʻukulele to serve as his own accompanist (choosing it because it was
the cheapest instrument in the music shop). He was nicknamed "Ukulele
Ike" by a club owner who could never remember his name. He got his
first break in 1918 at the Arsonia Cafe in Chicago, Illinois, where he
performed a song called "Ja-Da", written by the club's pianist, Bob
Carleton. Edwards and Carleton made it a hit on the vaudeville
circuit. Vaudeville headliner Joe Frisco hired Edwards as part of his
act, which was featured at the Palace in New York Cityâ€"the most
prestigious vaudeville theaterâ€"and later in the Ziegfeld Follies.
Edwards made his first phonograph records in 1919. He recorded early
examples of jazz scat singing in 1922. The following year he signed a
contract with Pathé Records. He became one of the most popular
singers of the 1920s, appearing in several Broadway shows. He recorded
many of the pop and novelty hits of the day, including "California,
Here I Come", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", and
"I'll See You in My Dreams".In 1924, Edwards performed as the
headliner at the Palace, the pinnacle of his vaudeville success. That
year he also featured in George and Ira Gershwin's first Broadway
musical Lady Be Good, alongside Fred and Adele Astaire. As a recording
artist, his hits included "Paddlin’ Madeleine Home" (1925), "I Can't
Give You Anything but Love" (1928), and the classic "Singin' in the
Rain" (1929), which he introduced. Edwards's own compositions included
"(I'm Cryin' 'Cause I Know I'm) Losing You", "You're So Cute (Mama o'
Mine)", "Little Somebody of Mine", and "I Want to Call You 'Sweet
Mama'". He also recorded a few "off-color" novelty songs for
under-the-counter sales, including "I'm a Bear in a Lady's Boudoir,"
"Take Out That Thing," and "Give It to Mary with Love".
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