07/05/2024
Do you know the incredible story of Cab Calloway, the bandleader and singer who was a true pioneer of the Harlem Renaissance era? 🎺
Born Cabell Calloway III in 1907, he initially studied law and accounting at Crane College in Chicago, even co-writing the school's official song "CraneIculums." But music was his true calling, and boy are we glad he answered it! 🎶
Cab first rose to fame leading one of the most popular African American big bands in the 1930s and 1940s. His energetic performances and outrageous zoot suits (the long jacket sleeves and wide legs were meant to parody a fad but became his iconic look!) made him a symbol of the vibrant Harlem scene. But it was his unique s**t singing that really set him apart.
You've likely heard his most famous s**t vocals on the classic "Minnie the Moocher." That wild song, with its "Hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi" (a phrase he claimed to have coined!) call-and-response, caused an absolute frenzy when first performed at the Cotton Club in 1931!
During WWII, Cab was one of the first to take an integrated band on tour for Black and white soldiers, defying racial segregation. He was even named a Duke by the Zulu tribe in South Africa after a 1940s goodwill tour there!
Beyond music, this talented sketch artist and trendsetter paved the way for Black performers in film and TV. Cab remained a beloved figure until his death in 1994 at 86.
So let's celebrate the "Hi-de-Ho Man" who shattered barriers and got everyone s**t singing! His multi-talented, one-of-a-kind legacy sings on. 🎤
