OL' MAN RIVER

Created on 08/09/2006
Latest update on 16/05/2022

Artist: Jules Bledsoe
Author: Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II
Year: 1927

Who played Joe in Show Boat's original cast, premiered in Washington (National Theatre), before it hit Broadway and London's West End. Based on Edna Ferber's book, Show Boat is where modern musical began, far from the operettes and musical comedies of that era. First cleverly written musical with a plot and a theme, also the first one with black performers in a leading role.

Covers:

1927:

Kenn Sisson Orch. [oldest recording (Brunswick); vocal by Irving Kaufman]

1928:

Don Voorhees Orch. [vocal: Wilfred Glenn for Columbia]

1928:

Bing Crosby [with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra; n°1 US]

1928:

Paul Robeson [the Joe in the London cast of Show Boat; the voice most associated with the song; Jerome Kern wrote Joe's part with Paul's voice in mind and gave him co-credits; cut for Victor, also with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra]

1928:

Al Jolson

1929:

Stepin Fetchit [in earliest film version, with Jules Bledsoe's voice]

1930:

Kees Pruis [as Arme Neger]

1936:

Paul Robeson [in a later film version]

1939:

Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet

1945:

Frank Sinatra [in film Till The Clouds Roll By]

1947:

Ravens [where their bass singer Jimmy Ricks challenges Paul Robeson]

1951:

William Warfield [in the third Show Boat film]

1955:

Ruth Brown

1960:

Sam Cooke

1960:

Jerry Angelo

1962:

Johnny Nash

1963:

Ray Charles

1963:

Charlie Rich

1963:

Flamingos

1965:

Righteous Brothers [Spector arrangement inspired Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water]

1965:

Cilla Black

1967:

Aretha Franklin

1967:

Billy Stewart

1967:

Temptations

1968:

Jeff Beck [vocal: Rod Stewart]

1968:

Silvertones

1968:

Jackie Mittoo

1971:

Thomas Carey

1972:

Cher

1975:

Jim Croce

1976:

Kevin Coyne

1988:

Bruce Hubbard

1991:

Screaming Jay Hawkins

1994:

La Esterella & Kid Coco

2020:

James Taylor

Claiming Jerome Kern wrote Ol' Man River was not how the wife of his lyricist saw it. She nuanced Oscar Hammerstein wrote Ol' Man River. Jerome Kern at the most dum dum dum-dum!

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
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info@originals.be

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