James Hubert Blake, later known as Eubie Blake, was born on February 7, in Baltimore, Maryland, and would go on to become one of the most influential figures in African American music during the early 20th century, making significant contributions to ragtime and early jazz.
At the tender age of four, Blake began his musical journey by playing a pump organ, and by the time he was fifteen, he had already become a professional musician, performing ragtime songs in a brothel.
In 1905, Blake made the move to New York City, where he enlisted the help of Will Cook to promote his first song, "Sounds of Africa." Although the negotiations ultimately ended without a sale, the song would later be renamed "The Charleston Rag."
Blake returned to his hometown of Baltimore, where he collaborated with C. Luckeyeth Roberts and James Johnson. In 1910, he married Avis Lee, a classically trained pianist, and four years later, he published his first song, "Chevy Chase."
In 1915, Blake met his longtime songwriting partner, Noble Sissle, with whom he would go on to write a hit song for the renowned singer Sophie Tucker, "It's All Your Fault."
Together, Blake and Sissle created Shuffle Along, the first all-black musical to hit Broadway, featuring hit songs such as "I'm Just Wild About Harry" and "Love Will Find a Way." The show's immense popularity led to three different touring companies performing the show in 1921.
Blake also created shows on his own, including Swing It and Blackbirds. However, when ragtime began to fade in popularity by the early 1920s, Blake shifted his focus to jazz, performing continuously until 1946, when he took a twenty-three-year hiatus from show business.
Blake returned to the stage in 1969, at the age of 86, and went on to tour the world, playing piano and giving lectures on ragtime music, helping to promote the ragtime revival of the 1970s, which was partly sparked by the popularity of the Robert Redford film The Sting.
Eubie Blake continued to give talks and perform his music well into his nineties, and in 1979, the musical Eubie was created from his work, with Blake making several cameo appearances in performances across the United States.
Eubie Blake passed away in New York City shortly after his 100th birthday.
