Delta Rhythm Boys
Source: Singers
The Delta Rhythm Boys were a swing era vocal group predating but contributing to the rise of doo wop, first recording in 1940. Consisting of Otha Lee Gaines (bass vocals), Essie Adkins (bass vocals), Traverse Crawford (second tenor) and Elmaurice Miller (first tenor), the group first came together in 1934 at Langston University in Oklahoma. In 1936 they moved to New Orleans to attend Dillard University. They there picked up arranger and pianist, Rene DeKnight, to make the quartet a quintet. Other personnel changes were made such that at the time of the group's first recording it consisted of DeKnight, Gaines and Crawford, with Adkins and Miller replaced by Harry Lewis and Clinton Holland (soon to be replaced by Carl Jones). The Boys' initial recording session is thought to have occurred on 16 December 1940 in NYC toward 'Dry Bones', 'Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho', 'Gimme Some Skin' and 'Chilly & Cold'.
'Dry Bones' Delta Rhythm Boys
First-known recording
16 Dec 1940 in NYC Matrix 68502 Decca 4406 / 8522 / 25019
Clinton Holland (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Harry Lewis (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Music: James Weldon Johnson Lyrics: J. Rosamond Johnson
'Chilly 'N' Cold' Delta Rhythm Boys
Fourth-known recording
16 Dec 1940 in NYC Matrix 68505 Decca 8514
Clinton Holland (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Harry Lewis (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Composition: Clarence Todd
The Delta Rhythm Boys first appeared in film in 1941 per the Soundie 'Rigoletto Blues' to which TMDB attaches a date of 20 February 1941, presumably the recording or release date. 'Rigoletto Blues' is a loosely arranged comic version of Giuseppe Verdi's 1851 'Bella figlia dell'amore' ('Beautiful Daughter of Love') in his opera 'Rigoletto'. The Soundie 'Jack You're Playin' the Game' saw release on 1 August 1941 followed by 'Take the A-Train' on 20 October 1941. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has the Delta Rhythm Boys in fifteen films up to 1956.
'Rigoletto Blues' Delta Rhythm Boys Soundie film
Released 20 Feb 1941 Directed by Robert R. Snody
Carl Jones (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Kelsey Pharr (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Composition: from Giuseppe Verdi's 'Rigoletto' of 1851 (libretto: Francesco Maria Piave)
'Georgia On My Mind' Delta Rhythm Boys backing Mildred Bailey
14 March 1941 in NYC Matrix 68819 Decca 3691 / 27919 / 11083
Guitar: Dave Barbour Piano: Herman Chittison
Upright bass: Frenchy Covetti Drums: James F. Hoskins
Composition: Hoagy Carmichael / Stuart Gorrell
'Jack You're Playin' the Game' Delta Rhythm Boys Soundie film
Released 1 August 1941 Directed by Robert R. Snody
'Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye' Delta Rhythm Boys backing Fred Astaire
10 Sep 1941 in NYC Matrix 69736 Decca 18187
Harry Sosnik Orchestra
Composition: Cole Porter
'Take the A-Train' Delta Rhythm Boys Soundie film
Released 20 Oct 1941 Directed by Robert R. Snody
Clinton Holland (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Harry Lewis (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Composition: Billy Strayhorn 1939
'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' Delta Rhythm Boys Soundie film
Released 1943 Directed by William Forest Crouch
Clinton Holland (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Kelsey Pharr (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Piano: Rene DeKnight
Music: Duke Ellington Lyrics: Bob Russell
'Gee Ain't I Good to You' Delta Rhythm Boys w the Gulf Coast Five
4 Jan 1945 in NYC Matrix 72674 Decca 18650
Carl Jones (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Kelsey Pharr (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Known personnel of the Gulf Coast Five:
Clarinet: Hank D'Amico Guitar: Tony Mottola
Upright bass: Felix Giobbe Drums: Morey Feld
Composition: Don Redman / Andy Razaf
'It's Only a Paper Moon' Delta Rhythm Boys backing Ella Fitzgerald
27 March 1945 in NYC Matrix 72798 Decca 23425 Billboard Pop #9 / R&B #4
Piano: Rene DeKnight Guitar: Hy White
Upright bass: Haig Stephens Drums: George Wettling
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Yip Harburg / Billy Rose
'Just a-Sittin' and a-Rockin'' Delta Rhythm Boys
9 July 1945 in NYC Matrix 72969 Decca 18739 Billboard Pop #17 / R&B #3
Carl Jones (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Kelsey Pharr (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Composition: Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn / Lee Gaines
'The Honeydripper' Delta Rhythm Boys w the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
9 Aug 1949 in Los Angeles Matrix L 3908 Decca 23451
Trumpet: Russell Green
/ Bob Mitchell / William "Chieftie" Scott / Charles "Chuck" StewartTrombone: Fernando Arbello / Earl Hardy / James Williams
Alto sax: Kirtland Bradford / Omer Simeon (clarinet)
Tenor sax: Ernest Purce / Joe Thomas Baritone sax: Earl Carruthers (clarinet)
Piano: Eddie Wilcox Guitar: John Mitchell
Bass: Charles "Truck" Parham Drums: Kaiser Marshall Vocal: Joe Thomas
Composition: Joe Liggins
'(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons' Delta Rhythm Boys backing Ella Fitzgerald
29 August 1946 in NYC Matrix 73669 Decca 29136 Billboard Pop #8
Piano: Rene DeKnight Guitar: Jimmy Shirley
Upright bass: Benny Moten Drums: Eddie "Mole" Bourne
Composition: William Best / Deek Watson
'Gimme Some Skin' Delta Rhythm Boys Soundie film
Released Dec 1946
Piano: Rene DeKnight
Composition: Tiny Parham / Gladys Hampton
Becoming highly popular in Europe upon their first tour there in 1948, the group migrated across the Atlantic in 1956 and would later make Paris home base.
'Sweetheart of Mine' / 'The Laugh's On Me' Delta Rhythm Boys
1 March 1949 in NYC Matrices 209 / 210 Atlantic 889
'Sweetheart of Mine': Paul Rusincky / Larry Poppo
'The Laugh's On Me': Traverse Crawford / Otho Lee Gaines / Elmaurice Miller
'Dry Bones' Delta Rhythm Boys Television
'Ed Sullivan Show' 9 Nov 1952
Music: James Weldon Johnson Lyrics: J. Rosamond Johnson
'Don't Even Change a Picture On the Wall' Delta Rhythm Boys w the George Siravo Orchestra
8 April 1955 in NYC Matrix 87704 Decca 29582
Carl Jones (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Kelsey Pharr (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Composition: Lee Morse
'That's Just The Way I Feel' Delta Rhythm Boys w the George Siravo Orchestra
8 April 1955 in NYC Matrix 87707 Decca 29582
Carl Jones (tenor) Traverse Crawford (tenor)
Kelsey Pharr (baritone) Lee Gaines (bass)
Composition: Larry Fotine / Dick Hardt / Moe Jaffe
'Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho' Delta Rhythm Boys Film
'Iskelmäketju' ('Iskelmä Chain') Directed Hannes Häyrinen / Esko Töyri
Released in Finland 30 Oct 1959
Piano: Rene DeKnight
Composition: anonymous spiritual preceding the Civil War
'Come Softly to Me' Delta Rhythm Boys Television
1960 Venue unknown
Composition: Barbara Ellis / Franck Gerald / Gary Troxel / Gretchen Christopher / Pierre Delanoe
'Sixteen Tons' Delta Rhythm Boys Television
3 March 1971 for RTVE (Radiotelevisión Española)
Piano: Rene DeKnight
Composition: Merle Travis
Medley Delta Rhythm Boys Television
1977 for RTVE (Radiotelevisión Española)
The Delta Rhythm Boys performed well into the eighties with various personnel changes, Gaines the only original member of the group upon his retirement in 1986 and death the following year in Finland on July 15 1987.
Sources & References for the Delta Rhythm Boys:
Craig Harris (All Music)
VF History (notes)
Audio of the Delta Rhythm Boys: Internet Archive YouTube
Billboard Popularity Charts: Music VF
Filmographies: IMDb
Interviews: 2001 (Carl Jones by Jason Gross / text)
Recordings: Catalogs:
45 Cat (45 rpm vinyl)
45 Worlds (78 rpm shellac)
Recordings: Compilations:
Just A-Rockin' & A-Jivin' (Dee Jay Germany / 2001)
Recordings: Sessionographies:
DAHR (Delta Rhythm Boys / 1940-60)
DAHR (Lee Gaines / 1940-55)
Tom Lord: 20 sessions 1944-50
Further Reading: Lewis Porter (Vocalese / 2024)
Other Profiles: David J. Brown
Classical Main Menu Modern Recording
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