Morris Ellis White

Morris Ellis "Fruit" White (January 17, 1911 – November 1986) was an American jazz banjoist and guitarist.

White was born in Nashville and grew up in Peoria, Illinois. He played in the 1920s with Charlie Creath, Dewey Jackson and Ethel Waters before joining The Missourians in 1928. In 1930, Cab Calloway became the leader of the ensemble and White became one of his most important sidemen, and remained with Calloway's band into 1938. He played with Lionel Hampton in 1941, then left the music industry for good.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 17, 1911, Died 1986

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: banjo

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-53802 10-in. 6/3/1929 Market street stomp Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-53803 10-in. 6/3/1929 Ozark mountain blues Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-53804 10-in. 6/3/1929 You'll cry for me, but I'll be gone Missourians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-53805 10-in. 6/3/1929 Missouri moan Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-53971 10-in. 8/1/1929 I've got someone Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-53972 10-in. 8/1/1929 '400' hop Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-53973 10-in. 8/1/1929 Vine Street drag Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-59173 10-in. 2/17/1930 Two hundred squabble Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-59174 10-in. 2/17/1930 Swingin' dem cats Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-59175 10-in. 2/17/1930 Stoppin' the traffic Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  
Victor BVE-59176 10-in. 2/17/1930 Prohibition blues Missourians Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, banjo  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "White, Morris Ellis," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115036.

White, Morris Ellis. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115036.

"White, Morris Ellis." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115036

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