Blue Steele

Eugene Staples, better known by the stage name Blue Steele (March 11, 1893 – July 1, 1971) was an American jazz singer, trombonist and bandleader. He also played mellophone.

Staples was born in Arkansas and played in a hot jazz group called Watson's Bell Hops in the early 1920s. He put together an orchestra in the middle of the decade in Atlanta, and had his first engagement in Tarpon Springs, Florida soon after. The group became a popular territory band in Florida and the American South, later touring in the Midwest as well. Steele recorded around 20 songs for Victor Records during the period 1927-1930. His sidemen included Frank Martinez, Pat Davis, Joe Hall, Sammy Goble, Gene Gifford, and Kenny Sargent, all of whom later joined the Casa Loma Orchestra. Singers for the group included Kay Austin, Mabel Batson, Clyde Davis, George Marks, and Bob Nolan.

Staples had a notoriously bad temper and was regarded by his bandmates as difficult to work with; big band historian Leo Walker wrote, "musicians, anxious to depart the Steele orchestra, had sometimes...been physically beaten by the bandleader." His popularity waned over the course of the 1930s, and by 1941 he was conducting a radio orchestra on Mexico City's XEW and leading smaller ensembles. In the 1950s he led a dixieland revival group known as the Rhythm Rebels, which included Elmer Schoebel as a sideman.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 11, 1893 (Arkansas), Died July 7, 1971

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: director, composer, tenor vocal, trombone, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-36 of 36 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-55556 10-in. 9/20/1929 You're so different Blue Steele Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, director  
Victor BVE-59920 10-in. 5/13/1930 Sweetheart I love you Blue Steele Orchestra ; Clyde Davis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, director  
Victor BVE-59921 10-in. 5/13/1930 Missouri moon Blue Steele Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-59922 10-in. 5/14/1930 Pumpernickel Blue Steele Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-59923 10-in. 5/14/1930 You darlin' Blue Steele Orchestra ; Ernie Winburn Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-59924 10-in. 5/14/1930 All muggled up Blue Steele Orchestra ; Frank Myers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, director  
Victor BVE-59925 10-in. 5/15/1930 Shooin' flies Blue Steele Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer, director  
Victor BVE-59926 10-in. 5/15/1930 'Til the end of the world (I will love you) Blue Steele Orchestra ; George Marks Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, director  
Victor BVE-59927 10-in. 5/15/1930 How can you forget Blue Steele Orchestra ; Clyde Davis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, director  
Victor BVE-59928 10-in. 5/16/1930 There's a tear for every smile in Hollywood Mabel Batson ; Blue Steele Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-59931 10-in. 5/16/1930 Worries on my mind Blue Steele Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and humming composer, director  
(Results 26-36 of 36 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Steele, Blue," accessed November 6, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113047.

Steele, Blue. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113047.

"Steele, Blue." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113047

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