McKinney's Cotton Pickers were an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

band, founded in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, United States in 1926, and led by

William McKinney William "Bill" McKinney (September 17, 1895 – October 14, 1969) was an American jazz drummer who led a series of musical groups, most notably McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Early life McKinney was born in Cynthiana, Kentucky. He worked as a dru ...

, who expanded his Synco Septet to ten players. Cuba Austin took over for McKinney on drums, with the latter becoming the band's manager. Between 1927 and 1931, they were one of the most popular African American bands. Many of their records for

Victor The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

were bestsellers. In 1927,

Fletcher Henderson James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. He was one of the most prolific black musi ...

's arranger and saxophone player

Don Redman Donald Matthew Redman (July 29, 1900 – November 30, 1964) was an American jazz musician, music arrangement, arranger, bandleader, and composer. Biography Redman was born in Piedmont, West Virginia, Piedmont, Mineral County, West Virginia, Un ...

was invited to become the Cotton Pickers' musical director and he assembled a band. John Nesbitt helped Redman with arrangements and rehearsals. The band in 1928 included Cuba Austin (drums and vocals), Langston Curl (trumpet),

Ralph Escudero Rafael "Ralph" Escudero (July 16, 1898 in Manatí, Puerto Rico – April 10, 1970 in Puerto Rico) was a bassist and tubist active on the early American jazz scene. Escudero began playing bass in a school band at the age of 12, and moved to New ...

(tuba),

Claude Jones Claude Jones (February 11, 1901 – January 17, 1962) was an American jazz trombonist. Biography Born in Boley, Oklahoma, United States, Jones began playing trombone at the age of 13, and studied at Wilberforce College before dropping out in 1 ...

, Redman (clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, vocals),

Todd Rhodes Todd Washington Rhodes (August 31, 1899 or 1900 – June 4, 1965) was an American pianist, bandleader and arranger who was an early influence in jazz and later in R&B. He recently became popular due to his song “Rocket 69” being featured in ...

(piano, celeste),

Prince Robinson Prince Robinson (June 7, 1902 – July 23, 1960) was an American jazz reed player. He was known for soloing on both tenor saxophone and clarinet in the same recording. Early life Robinson was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He learned to play clar ...

(clarinet, tenor saxophone), Milton Senior (trombone), George Thomas (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, vocals) and

Dave Wilborn David Buckley Wilborn (April 11, 1904 – April 25, 1982) was an American jazz singer and banjoist, best known for his time as a member of McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Early life Wilborn was born in Springfield, Ohio, on April 11, 1904. He started ...

(banjo, vocals). Other band members included George Bias (vocals),

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

(clarinet, alto saxophone),

Doc Cheatham Adolphus Anthony Cheatham, better known as Doc Cheatham (June 13, 1905 – June 2, 1997), was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader. He is also the Grandfather of musician Theo Croker. Early life Doc Cheatham was born in Nashvi ...

(trumpet), Bill Coti (vocals),

Ed Cuffee Edward Emerson Cuffee (June 7, 1902 – January 3, 1959) was an American jazz trombonist. Career Cuffee moved to New York in the 1920s, where he recorded with Clarence Williams (1927–29) and played with Bingie Madison. He played in ...

(trombone), Lois Deppe (vocals), Jimmy Dudley (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Robert Inge (clarinet, (alto saxophone),

Quentin Jackson Quentin "Butter" Jackson

(trombone), Moxey-Hilton Jefferson (clarinet, alto saxophone),

James P. Johnson James Price Johnson (February 1, 1894 – November 17, 1955) was an American pianist and composer. A pioneer of stride piano, he was one of the most important pianists in the early era of recording, and like Jelly Roll Morton, one of the key ...

(piano), Buddy Lee (trumpet), Donald King (vocals), Frank Marvin (vocals),

Theodore McCord Theodore McCord (born May 17, 1907, Birmingham, Alabama; date of death unknown) was an American jazz reedist, principally active in the 1920s and 1930s. McCord was the twin brother of Castor McCord, also a reedist; while both brothers played ten ...

(clarinet, tenor saxophone), Jim Napier (vocals),

Rex Stewart Rex William Stewart Jr. (February 22, 1907 – September 7, 1967) was an American jazz cornetist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra. Career As a boy he studied piano and violin; most of his career was spent on cornet. Stewart drop ...

(cornet), and Billy Taylor (tuba). Towards the end of 1929, multiple soloists who were not regular members of the band sat in for a series of recordings. These included Leonard Davis (trumpet),

Sidney de Paris Sidney De Paris (May 30, 1905 – September 13, 1967) was an American jazz trumpeter. His brother was Wilbur de Paris. He was a member of Charlie Johnson's Paradise Ten (1926–1931), worked with Don Redman (1932–1936 and 1939), followed by ...

(trumpet),

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

(clarinet, tenor saxophone),

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

(piano, celeste),

Joe "Fox" Smith Joe "Fox" Smith ''(né'' Joseph Emory Smith; June 28, 1902 – December 2, 1937) was an American jazz trumpeter. Career Known throughout his childhood as "Toots", Smith originally started as a drummer but was convinced by Ethel Waters that he wa ...

(trumpet, cornet), and

Kaiser Marshall Joseph "Kaiser" Marshall (June 11, 1902 in Savannah, Georgia – January 2, 1948 in New York City) was an American jazz drummer. Marshall was raised in Boston, where he studied under George L. Stone. He played with Charlie Dixon before movin ...

(drums). In 1931, Redman left to form a band and was replaced by Benny Carter. The Cotton Pickers disbanded in 1934, unable to make money during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. Manager of the band was

Jean Goldkette John Jean Goldkette (March 18, 1893 – March 24, 1962) was a jazz pianist and bandleader. Life Goldkette was reportedly born on March 18, 1893 in Valenciennes, France,Russel B. Nye (1976). Music in the Twenties: The Jean Goldkette Orchestra ...

who arranged for the group to record "Birmingham Bertha" for him in July 1929. A New McKinney's Cotton Pickers was organized in the early 1970s by David Hutson, using the arrangements by Don Redman. The band recorded several albums and featured banjoist Dave Wilborn, who was the only surviving original member. The new group recorded music with Detroit trombonist Al Winters, as well as other leading members of Detroit's jazz scene during the era of the 1970s though the 1990s.

References

{{Authority control 1926 establishments in Michigan 1934 disestablishments in Michigan African-American history in Detroit American jazz ensembles from Michigan Big bands Musical groups established in 1926 Musical groups from Detroit Swing ensembles Jazz musicians from Michigan