Herb Jeffries; Pioneering Black Western Star Dies At 100

Herb Jeffries had a unique (not to mention very long) career in two completely different genres; Big Band Jazz singer with Duke Ellington, Earl Fatha Hines, Sidney Bechet and Erskine Tate from the early 1930's Jeffries took an odd career shift in 1937. Taking note of the success of Gene Autry, Jeffries teamed up with black film-maker Spencer Williams to make a series of western musicals with a all black casts. These played well in the black theatre circuit are considered the first successful black westerns. Jeffries is remembered as a pioneer of black films (Mario Van Peebles included a clip of him at the end of his modern western "Posse") but he is rarely mentioned in most film histories probably due to most of his films being seen as trivial B Movies, although he did get a star on the walk of fame. After getting some renewed interest he came out of retirement in 1995 at the age of 85 to record an album of country/western songs. He died in May 2014 at the age of 100.

HERB JEFFRIES w/ DUKE ELLINGTON ~ "FLAMINGO";


HERB JEFFRIES & THE FOUR TUNES ~ "I'M A HAPPY COWBOY";


HERB JEFFRIES & THE FOUR TUNES ~ "GOT THE PAYDAY BLUES";