Cab Calloway, seen here in 1955, was born on Christmas day in 1907 to a teacher mother and lawyer father who were not thrilled that he dropped out of law school to pursue his musical career. Thankfully, the music thing worked out for him (and us!) in the end!
Photo: Express Newspapers/Getty Images.
CAB CALLOWAY
Watch the Full DocumentaryA singer, dancer and bandleader, Cab led one of the most popular African American big bands during the jazz and swing eras of the 1930s-40s, with Harlem’s famous Cotton Club as his home stage. Best known for his “Hi de hi de hi de ho” refrain from signature song “Minnie the Moocher,” portrayal of Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess (1952), and role in The Blues Brothers (1980), Cab influenced countless performers, including Michael and Janet Jackson, and many of today’s hip-hop artists.
Watch the full one hour documentary Cab Calloway: Sketches below.
<p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #808080; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 600px;">Watch Cab Calloway: Sketches on PBS. See more from American Masters.</p>
