Biography of Herb Jeffries

Though he gained plenty of notoriety for appearing in several Oscar Micheaux films as the African-American equivalent to Gene Autry or Roy Rogers, Herb Jeffries has also been a wonderful vocalist since the '30s. His looks in today's market would make him a superstar matinee idol and ballad heartthob, but in the '30s,'40s and '50s environment Jeffries' possibilities were limited. He began his career singing with The Erskine Tate band in Chicago before joining Earl Hines in the early '30s. Jeffries briefly worked with Blanche Calloway, then was featured in a string of late '30s Micheaux films marketed to black audiences as a cowboy. The most famous was "The Bronze Buckaroo." Jeffries sang with Duke Ellington in the early '40s, and scored a huge hit with "Flamingo." Jeffries also appeared in the original production of "Jump For Joy." He worked in clubs on the West Coast in the '50s, and recorded with Lucky Thompson and Bobby Hackett. Jeffries cashed in on "Flamingo" again, re-recording it in 1957. He continued recording in the '60s, then in the '70s and '80s mixed vocals and acting. He operated his own label for a time, United National records, and served as master of ceremonies for several Ellington reunion conventions on both sides of the Atlantic. His role in African-American cinema was reaffirmed by an appearance in the black western "Posse" in 1992. Jeffries can be heard on some Ellington CD reissues. ~ Ron Wynn