Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1937-04-16
FLETCHER HENDERSON'S
LIFE STORY


poser of Christopher Columbus"
born December is, 1898, at Cuth-
bert, Georgia; his father, Fletcher
Henderson, ST., who is 80 years old
is an educator, and for so years
has been principal of the Randolph
County Training School in Geor-
gia; his mother, Ozie Henderson,
talented pianist, for many years
was an instructor in music, has
one brother, Horace, pianist and
composer; his sister, Marguerite
Rima, concert pianist and at pres
ent is head of the music depart
ment Of the Randolph County
Training School. Fletcher took up
the study of piano at the age of
six, under the tutelage of his
father, continued piano study dur
ing his grade school education at
Randolph County Training School
and later at Atlanta University
where he majored in chemistry
and mathematics, played football
and baseball at Atlanta Univers-
ity and in those days never con-
sidered music as profession.
In 1880 he went to New York to
further his studies in chemistry.
While there he got a part time
job as piano player and demon
strator for w. C. Handy, famed
Negro composer and writer of "St.
Louis Blues" "Beale Street Blues"
and many other popular compost
tions. While in the employment of
the Pace & Handy music publish
ing house, in 1922, received an Of
fer to become the manager of the
recording department of the Black
Swan Recording Company, the
first and only Negro photograph
recording organization. During
that time made many records with
his "Black Swan Troubadors" fea-
turing the vocalizing of a then un-
known vocalist, Ethel Waters. Left
Black Swan Record Company to
serve as general manager of Irving
Mills Down South Music Company,
in 1924 formed his own orchestra
of 10 men and made the first
FLETCHER Henderson and his or
chestra" recordings. They were
Henderson's own compositions:
'Doo Doodle Oom," ':Dicty Blues"
"Sugar Foot Stomp" and "What
You Call I'm Blues" Was swing
ing out in those days and his re-
cordings attracted the attention of
the manager of the Club Alabam
on Forty-fourth St., just west of
Broadway. Fletcher's band was
engaged to play at the Club Ala
BAN in 1924 marking the first
"spot" engagement of the famous
colored maestro. From the Club
Alabam, Fletcher and his "Swing-
sters" moved to the Roseland Ball
room in New York City and re-
manned there for seven consecutive
seasons, alternating with other
bands. During his stay at Rose
land, Fletcher saw 81 bands come
and go.
In 1927, while making a summer
tour, Henderson played the Con-
gress Hotel in Chicago. 1t marked
the first time that colored orches-
ira ever played the Michigan Ave-
nue. hotel and he remained there
seven weeks. Other engagements
following the successful Congress
Hotel stay include the Willow at
Oakmont, Pennsylvania; Castle
Farms, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Crys-
tai Beach at Ontario, Canada. In
January of 1886 Ed Fox, owner of
the Grand Terrace restaurant in
Chicago, induced Henderson to
bring his band west-the rest is
musical history. Two weeks after
his opening at the Grand Terrace,
Henderson introduced his new ra-
dio theme song-"Christopher Co
lumbus"-and overnight it became
the swing sensation of the nation.
Christopher Columbus" by the
way, was the re-vamped melody