Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-16

an Ohio born man. the greater part
OF his travelling I'm his early MANHOOD
was through the southern states, He
loved the southern people, their ways
and manner OF life, and to one
thoroughly familiar with the southern
gentleman Of the olden time Uncle
Dan was counterpart.
A TRUE GENTLEMAN.
HE was dignlhed, reserved and yet
sociabe Even after he had returned
to his humble cottage In the out
skirts of Mt Vernon, Ohio living alone,
as he did for many years, visitors were
forcibly impressed by the digniiied ana
hospitable manner In which he well
coined them Had It been a mansion
the hospitality and heartiness OF the
welcome and the dignlfed manner In
which II was extended would have done
honor TO II.
1.-THE earliest authentic data l have
OF Uncle Dang appearance as a per-
former is a bill, or program, which he
gave me I'm 1897. The bill advertises a
performance given by the Cincinnati
Circus IN Charleston, S. c., on Friday,
Nov. ?, 1871.
I'm those days, | am informed, the
travelling circus interspersed their aero
batic and equestrian performances with
negro song or a banjo solo, some
sort Of single black-face speciality
for in these days the black-faoed per-
former confined himself TO plantation
songs, a dance, banjo solo or the
essence Of Old Virginia. There were
no teams or even negro acts or bur-
lesques, as we know them today.
CONCERT GREW FROM 1T,
This introduction OF the single ne
gro speciality In the circus perform
ance eventually led to the after con-
cert, which all circuses offer their pat
rons nowadays find on the program
OF the Cincinnati Circus then perform
ing In Charleston, S. c., Nov. 2, lS4l
the name OF Dan Emmett, banjo and
violin solo and negro songs, Frank
Brewer is also on the program for
a fancy Jig and dance. That Emmett
was the originator OF so-called mintrel
first part of the American minstrelsy
as we know Il cannot be denied. The
originating OF the minstrel first part,
as told me by himself, was as follows;
New York city was the mecca then
as now for show folks. Boarding nc
the same hotel in the Bowery were a
number of circus and theatrical man
were Daniel Decatur Emmett Frank
Brewer Whtlock aud one other whose
name / have forgotten. They were all
black-face performers, doing their spe-
cialtles during the summer With
travelling circus. They conceived the
idea OF giving u performance with
quartet for the editiCation of the guests
OF the hotel, without previous an
nouncement They had long-tailed,
blue coats, white pants and calico
shirts with large collars made.
AN INSTANTANEOUS HIT
after several rehearsals the quar-
tet repaired to the large dining room
Of the hotel In their other rehearsals
IN the room they had seated themselves
In different parts Of the room without
any regard to order on the night In
question they had settled themselves
at one end of the room facing their
guests In a semicircle. Frank Brewer
with the bones was on one end. with
one OF the other performers on the
other end with tamhourine, Uncle
Dan and the remaining members OF
the quartet with the violin and concer-
tina occupying the other two chairs.
While this arrangement was accident
al IL has been followed ever since by
all minstrel companies. They began
their performances with n quartet, n
glee and chorus, a southern plantation
song, ON the Ohio Numerous other
quartets and solos were sung, and the
theatrical managers present were de-
lighted with the novel entertainment.
few nights later they appeared be-
tween the acts In a theater, and all
winter they were the theatrical hit OF
lANs me- Ian. .
at first was composed entirely Of vocal
and instrumental numbers. The intro
duction OF the gag or joke, as we now
know Il, was accidental.
THE FIRST MINSTREL JOKE.
"Uncle Dan broke his 70 string
on his violin during an entertainment.
They could not proceed without this
instrument, and while he was replac-
ing the string the silence became
awkward Brewer, who was quick
wltted, began klddlng' Uncle Dan
This talk took immensely with the au-
dlcnce. Brewer, who was familiar with
many clCWn jokes, travelling as he did
With n circus, at their next performance
no introduced one OF these clown stories
and 80 the 'gasglng' was introduced
into the minstrel FIRST part,
After playing In New York City all
winter they we're induced the following
summer u go 90 ENGLAND. Their en-
,ertaInmeit In England vas fiat fall
ure. IL was long time before they
rot back 20 America, when Uncle DAN
lei returned. to his surprise he found
some four minstrel companies before
the public. They had elaborated on his
Idea ANA we're among the popular at
fractions OF the day. Shortly after this