WHISTLER'S JUG BAND

One of the many African-American jug bands that flourished in the Louisville area in the '20s and '30s, Whistler's Jug Band, led by guitarist and novelty player Buford Threlkeld ("Whistler"), was distinctive on several counts. It was the first band of its type to record (starting in 1924), and it featured a ragtime and jazz repertoire that predated the later blues favored by groups like the Memphis Jug Band. Whistler's Jug Band became pioneers in preserving their music on film when they did a number for the Fox-Movietone newsreel in May 1930 ("Foldin' Bed"). Whistler's regular banjo player Willie Black is heard here, but other members are unknown.

Courtesy of palmpictures.com

Back to Artists