Eddie RandleJazz trumpet musician and influential band leaderBirth: May 27, 1907 Death: May 9, 1997 Birthplace: Villa Ridge, Illinois Date of Interview: April 21, 1982 Place of Interview: Narrator's home Interviewer: Dan Havens |
Eddie Randle was best known as the leader of the band, Eddie Randle and his Blue Devils. During the 1930's the Blue Devils performed live for radio station WEW. The group was popular for its "hot dance music." Eddie Randle also hired many aspiring young local musicians who would go on to greater fame and musical accomplishment: Miles Davis, Clark Terry, Jimmy Forrest, Willie Akins are among those Eddie Randle employed. Mr. Randle was business agent for the St. Louis musicians' union, Local 197 during the 1940's. On March 2, 1997 Eddie Randle, Sr. was honored in St. Louis for his contributions to jazz in the area; more than 1,000 people attended.
This is the table of contents for the interview of Eddie Randle. It is part of the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive which is located in Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
For a complete contents list of all musician interviews for the oral history project, please click on this link: Oral History and Research Materials.
If interested in reviewing these materials from the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive, please contact Therese Dickman, Fine Arts Librarian.
Tape # Side |
Time |
Subject |
1 a |
005-094 |
Biographical; Family, Music in family
|
1 a |
095-185 |
Beginning trumpet, rehearsals, Lodge Bands
|
1 a |
186-209 |
Arrangements
|
1 a |
210-239 |
Bands heard - McKinney's Cottonpickers, Don Redmond
|
1 a |
240-269 |
Professional playing, Warnie Long band, Personnel
|
1 a |
270-349 |
Carl George takes place of Randle
|
1 a |
350-433 |
Randle forms own band, 1932- Seven Blue Devils
|
1 a |
434-454 |
Name of band, original personnel, change in size & personnel
|
1 a |
455-506 |
Places played - Sodus Point, N.Y.; Springfield, IL
|
1 a |
507-518 |
Talking pictures -- effects on musicians
|
1 a |
519-568 |
Personnel of eleven piece band; arrangements
|
1 a |
569-614 |
Musicians at Stevens Point
|
1 a |
615-658 |
Job at Rhinelander, WI
|
1 a |
659-734 |
Money, music scales, contracts, Springfield, IL
|
1 a |
735-760 |
Other (outside) jobs; Restaurant |
1 b |
005-083 |
Savoy Sultans - old records
|
1 b |
084-096 |
Accident - leaves music business
|
1 b |
097-142 |
Lessons on trumpet - symphony musician
|
1 b |
143-224 |
Miles Davis, other personnel -- Rum Boogie Club
|
1 b |
225-244 |
Lunceford takes Eugene Porter
|
1 b |
245-295 |
Clyde Higgins, saxophone
|
1 b |
296-317 |
Miles Davis
|
1 b |
318-360 |
Reputation of Randle band, New York, California
|
1 b |
361-396 |
"Quiet" band; Lunceford style; rhythm
|
1 b |
402-434 |
Checking pictures
|
1 b |
435-487 |
Role of Musicians Union
|
1 b |
488-520 |
Favorite band - Ellington, creativeness of
|
1 b |
521-584 |
Musician's Union, Local 44, Local 2; playing as non-union band
|
1 b |
585-600 |
Harold Baker; Singleton Palmer
|
1 b |
601-668 |
Mile Davis as a person; style
|
1 b |
669-683 |
Oliver Nelson, Ernie Wilkins, Jimmy Forrest
|
1 b |
684-721 |
Other musicians with Randle
|
1 b |
722-763 |
Other musicians; Jon in Union, MO |
2 a |
011-064 |
Local musicians with nationally - known bands
|
2 a |
065-253 |
Sodus Point, N.Y. resort; prejudice
|
2 a |
254-277 |
Playing on a yacht
|
2 a |
278-315 |
Prejudice, dealing with insults
|
2 a |
316-336 |
WWII begins, re-organization of band
|
2 a |
337-366 |
Lack of recording
|
2 a |
367-428 |
Changing arrangements and personnel
|
2 a |
429-451 |
Ellington - reasons for success
|
2 a |
452-468 |
Ingredients of successful band
|
2 a |
469-554 |
1938 tour, Wisconsin, Iowa; tunes played
|
2 a |
555-581 |
Randle's Bands - appearance; playing Arena with Ellington
|
2 a |
582-620 |
Leadership style; Relations among band members
|
2 a |
621-631 |
Al Guichard
|
2 a |
637-684 |
Feelings for other musicians, bands, and "rivals"
|
2 a |
685-700 |
Len Bowden
|
2 a |
701-748 |
Older musicians, working with; Randle as trumpet player
|
2 a |
749-764 |
Sitting - in |
2 b |
007-047 |
Function of a band leader
|
2 b |
048-063 |
Wendell Marshall
|
2 b |
064-094 |
Jimmy Blanton
|
2 b |
095-194 |
Hearing Marable Band; personnel; style of music
|
2 b |
195-235 |
Marable as a musician
|
2 b |
236-267 |
Grady Rice - George Hudson Band
|
2 b |
268-316 |
End of Randle Band; Gigging after WWII
|
2 b |
317-330 |
Encouraging and helping musicians
|
2 b |
331-355 |
Best memories
|
2 b |
356-381 |
Son plays with Ellington in Champaign
|
2 b |
382-405 |
Requirements of musical career; sacrifices and rewards |
E-mail comments and inquiries about the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive to Therese Dickman at tdickma@siue.edu or call 618-650-2695.