Category Archives: Birthdays

Happy Birthday Moses Williams (February 15, 1919)

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Moses Williams playing the diddley bow- Waverly, Florida

Moses Williams playing the diddley bow- Waverly, Florida

Moses Williams (1919-1988) was born February 15 in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He spent much of his life traveling, either in show business or working as an itinerant farm worker, which eventually brought him to Florida.

Moses Williams playing the diddley bow for a group of boys- Waverly, Florida

Moses Williams playing the diddley bow for a group of boys- Waverly, Florida

At the age of 11, he learned the harmonica, but it was his one-string zither, or “diddley bow,” that made him unique. The instrument was comprised of a broom wire tensioned upside a door with a tin can resonator, and played with glass bottle slide. It earned him nicknames like “Broom Wire Slim” and “Doorman.”

Moses Williams playing the diddley bow - White Springs, Florida

Moses Williams playing the diddley bow – White Springs, Florida

Moses was discovered by folklorist Dwight DeVane in the late 1970s, and appeared on the Florida Folklife Program’s 1981 double LP, Drop on Down in Florida, which was recently reissued by Dust-to-Digital. In addition to these recordings, Moses made several appearances at the Florida Folk Festival, schools, and other folk arts forums around the state.

His distinctive repertoire for the diddley bow consisted of both standards such as “Sitting on Top of the World” and “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and original tunes, most notably “Which Way Did My Baby Go” and “Apple Farm Blues.” Both of these songs have been included on the Florida Folklife Collection sampler CDs Music from the Florida Folklife Collection and Where the Palm Trees Shake at Night: Blues Music from the Florida Folklife Collection.  Enjoy.

“Which Way Did My Baby Go”

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“Apple Farm Blues”

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Jackie Robinson, Daytona Beach and Desegregation

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City Island Ball Park, Daytona Beach, circa 1940

City Island Ball Park, Daytona Beach, circa 1940

Today is the birthday of Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972).

City Island Ball Park, renamed Jackie Robinson Ball Park in 1990, was built circa 1915. Daytona Beach was the first city in Florida that allowed Robinson to play during spring training in 1946 when he was a member of the Montreal Royals of the International League.

Both Sanford and Jacksonville, citing segregation laws, refused to let Montreal play an exhibition game against the Brooklyn Dodgers, parent club of Robinson’s Royals. Daytona Beach agreed to the game, which was played on March 17, 1946.

As a result of the resistance by Jacksonville, the Dodgers moved spring training to City Island Ball Park, and in 1948 built Dodgertown in Vero Beach. Jackie Robinson Ball Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed each year on the third Monday of January, near Dr. King’s birthday (January 15, 1929).

Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King Jr. in Saint Augustine, Florida (1964)

Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King Jr. in Saint Augustine, Florida (1964)

Dr. King led and participated in countless demonstrations during the Civil Rights Movement. Two films from the collections of the State Library and Archives of Florida contain footage of Dr. King from demonstrations in St. Augustine, Florida, and Selma, Alabama.

 

Happy Birthday Don Grooms (January 12, 1930)

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Don Grooms at the 1988 Florida Folk Festival: White Springs, Florida

Don Grooms at the 1988 Florida Folk Festival: White Springs, Florida

Don Grooms was a favorite among fans of Florida Folk, and appeared regularly at the Florida Folk Festival. Although he was born in Cherokee, North Carolina, Grooms spent much of his life in Florida, and taught journalism at the University of Florida. He received the Florida Folk Heritage Award in 1996 for his songs filled with wit and dry humor inspired by Florida and Native American life. In addition to live performances, which often found him on stage with like-minded artists such as Chief Jim Billie, fiddler Wayne Martin, and Will McLean, he recorded some his best-known songs on the 1980 album Walk Proud My Son.

In honor of his birthday, here are some recordings of Don Grooms and friends from the Florida Folklife Collection.

“Walk Proud My Son”

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More Info: Catalog Record

“I Believe”

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“Chicken Bone Special”

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Look, Elvis!

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Today is the birthday of The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley. He was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935.

Elvis Presley and fan Ardys Bell after his performance in the Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, Florida

Elvis, with Ardys Bell, after his performance at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, February 1956.

Happy Birthday Eartha M.M. White (November 8, 1876)

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Eartha with her mother Clara White: Jacksonville (ca. 1910)

Eartha with her mother Clara White: Jacksonville (ca. 1910)

Eartha M. M. White was a humanitarian, businesswoman and philanthropist from Jacksonville. She created educational opportunities and provided relief to African-Americans in northeastern Florida. White helped found several organizations and institutions, including the Clara White Mission, Mercy Hospital and the Boy’s Improvement Club. She was designated as a Great Floridian by the Florida Department of State in the year 2000.

Happy Birthday Charles Atkins (October 23, 1944)

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Sir Charles Atkins, also known as Professor of the Blues, has been letting us know that “the blues is alright” since he first sat down at the communal piano in his dorm at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine. Atkins is a notable performer, recording artist and teacher. He’s toured the country and shared the stage with multiple groups including the D and B Romeos, who he joined at the School for the Deaf and the Blind, and the Blues Boys. When he’s not playing out live or in the studio, the Professor of the Blues teaches the Blues Lab at Florida State University. In addition to teaching at FSU, Atkins also participated in the Florida Folklife Apprenticeship Program (1995-96). Charles Atkins was awarded the Florida Folk Heritage Award in 2002 for his musical accomplishments and willingness to share his knowledge and experience with others.

In honor of his birthday, please enjoy two selections from Sir Charles Atkins’ appearances at the Florida Folk Festival:

“Key to the Highway”

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More Info: Catalog Record, Where the Palm Trees Shake at Night: Blues Music from the Florida Folklife Collection

“Little Run-A-Round”

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For more information about his life, upcoming performances and discography, visit the Charles Atkins homepage at http://www.downhomebluesband.com

Happy Birthday Cannonball Adderley (September 15, 1928)

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Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley playing the saxophone: Tampa, Florida

Julian Edwin “Cannonball” Adderley playing the saxophone: Tampa, Florida

Saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley was born September 15, 1928, in Tampa, Florida. He attended college at Florida A&M University, and taught music at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale.

In 1955, Adderley moved to New York, and began a successful career as a performer. He led groups that included his brother, cornetist Nat Adderley, as well as many other notable musicians such as Bill Evans, Milt Jackson, Art Blakey and Philly Joe Jones. As a sideman, he appeared on classic recordings such as Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue.

Cannonball Adderley died from a stroke in 1975, and was buried at the Southside Cemetery in Tallahassee, Florida.

Happy Birthday Cousin Thelma (August 31, 1904)

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Thelma Boltin at the Florida Folk Festival: White Springs, Florida (1960)

Thelma Ann Boltin, affectionately known as “Cousin” Thelma, was a storyteller, emcee, teacher and long-time director of the Florida Folk Festival. Her dedication to sharing Florida’s folk traditions brought diverse groups of artists to the festival each year, and established the festival’s reputation for celebrating unique and varied cultures.

Born in South Carolina, she was raised in Gainesville and taught theater in schools and community centers. Here’s a clip of Cousin Thelma discussing the history of the Florida Folk Festival and various folk tales.

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Happy Birthday Mary Smith McClain (August 27, 1902)

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“St. Louis Blues”

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More Info: Catalog Record, Where the Palm Trees Shake at Night: Blues Music from the Florida Folklife Collection

“Give A Poor Dog A Bone”

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Mary Smith McClain, also known as “Diamond Teeth” Mary for the jewels she once had embedded in her teeth, or “Walking Mary” for her notorious renditions of the “Walking Blues,” was a blues and gospel singer. Born in West Virginia, she began her singing career at the age of 13 performing in medicine shows as well as alongside the likes of her half-sister Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. In 1960, she settled in Manatee County, Florida, married her husband Clifford, and became a devoted gospel singer.

Mary McClain singing gospel: White Springs, Florida (1983)

Mary McClain singing gospel: White Springs, Florida (1983)

Diamond Teeth Mary was rediscovered by folklorist Steven Zeitlin in the 1980s, and performed regularly at the Florida Folk Festival from 1981 until her death in 2000. Her renewed fame brought additional performances across the United States and Europe, including the Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife in Washington, D.C. She received the Florida Folk Heritage Award in 1986.