On 4 February 1931, two young African American dancersarrived in London on the Cunard liner Ascania from New YorkCity. They were Joseph Shields, aged 19, and Eddie Williams,aged 16. They had been booked through Billy Pierce, in whosedancing school Williams had apparently worked as a teacher,to appear in C.B. Cochran’s new show Cochran’s 1931 Revue.Pierce, who was not himself a dancer [Stearns, 1966, 163], hadbeen recruited because his school had taught the American starof the show Ada May and he in turn had brought in BuddyBradley to do the choreography [J. A. Rogers, ‘Paris Gossip’,Philadelphia Tribune, 23 Apr 31, 6].

The revue opened for its trial run at the Palace Theatre,Manchester, on 13 February 1931, described as “A revue intwenty-four scenes, music by Noel Coward and others, lyricsby Douglas Byng, dances and ensembles by Buddy Bradley andBilly Pierce, staged by Frank Collins.” “The orchestra is ablycontrolled by Percival Mackey.” [‘Provincial Productions’, TheStage, 26 February 1931, 17] Spike Hughes played bass in theorchestra and contributed orchestrations, a process hedescribes at length, and hilariously, in his autobiographySecond Movement [Hughes 1951, 95ff]. The band alsoincluded the Jamaican trumpeter Leslie Thompson, “whom Ihad discovered in London and roped in to play for my Deccaband.” Joey and Eddie, Hughes said “were a couple of typicalHarlem youngsters who wore purple suits, overcoats withpadded shoulders reaching to heaven and danced and movedwith the lithe grace peculiar to their race” [Hughes 1951, 104].

After the three-week try-out, the company proceeded toLondon by special train and opened at the London Pavilion on19 March. Straining itself, The Stage managed a reference to“Messrs Joey Shields and Eddie Williams, excellent dancers”

[‘London Theatres’, The Stage, 26 March 1931, 14]. The showdid not prosper. Spike Hughes’s theories about why can beread in extenso in Second Movement. He was not impressedby the star and relates that her big number Half-Caste Womanwas known to the cast as ‘Mis-Cast Woman’. “Rather tactlesslyJoey and Eddie were included in a scene with Ada May; unlessyou are a Fred Astaire, it is the first commandment that you donot dance at the same time on the stage as any negro dancer,and even then you have to be pretty careful. Nobody, itseemed, had warned Miss May” [Hughes 1951, 104]. At onepoint it was announced the show would be pulled after ninedays, but it staggered on for three weeks until 7 April. Sevenitems from the revue, including Joey & Eddie’s “comical dance”were subsequently presented in variety at the LondonPalladium during the week of 20 April 1931 [‘The VarietyStage’, The Stage, 23 April 1931, 3].

On 30 March 1931 Cochran’s cabaret revue Creation waspresented in The Grill Room of the Trocadero. “C. B. Cochran’sremarkably free adaptation of the world’s earliest history isdoubtless to some extent inspired by his new star dancer, Eve,who, however, appears as the Serpent…We pass on to theSouth Seas for the purpose of going native… In the charactersof King and Queen of this savage realm, Eddy Williams and JoeShields, clever coloured artists, introduce good work. We havea spiritual with Joey Shields providing the voice…The dancesarranged by Billy Pierce and Buddy Bradley are capital.” [Gore1931]

Spike Hughes took note. “Joey Shields, the younger of the twoHarlem boys, was discovered to be able to sing. He didn’t singin the way that I understand singing, but he didn’t croon either.He had a very natural way of singing, and even his occasionaldigressions from the path of true intonation and the official lineof the melody had a personal charm, and nobody could takeoffence at them. At the Trocadero Joey sang a pseudo-spiritualthrough a megaphone and made a pleasant and creditable jobof it. His performance gave me the idea of adapting a series ofgenuine spirituals for our band, with Joey to sing, and recordingthem.” [Hughes 1951, 116]. It will be noted that Joey Shieldswas actually the elder of the two. It is clear he was a small man.Harry Hayes recalled him as “very small with a loud voice anda great jazz feeling” [Harry Hayes, insert notes King’s CrossKCM003/004].

The upshot was that Shields sings on fourteen titles recordedacross eight Decca sessions from 8 April 1931 to 5 February1932, and one on 10 February 1932 for Parlophone, issued asby The Roof Garden Orchestra and Buddy’s Brigade. In theevent he got to sing quite a range of material. On Decca D2584he was given artist credit, unfortunately as Jerry Shields.Despite this substantial body of work, it seems that Hugheswas not curious enough to ask him where he was coming fromand no one seems to know where he went. Billy Amstell refersto him as “that happy little coloured American who never madethe grade; why I shall never know” [Billy Amstell, insert notesKing’s Cross KCM003/004].

The Trocadero cabaret revue was still continuing in June 1931[Shields 1931] at which date Joey and Eddie were expecting togo into vaudeville in a few weeks. All the recording sessionstook place on week days so in those weeks at least the duowere in London. In April 1932 they are reported, “In vaudevillein the provinces” [‘Joey Shields Busy’, Baltimore Afro-American, 30 April 1932, 23], but no trace of any engagementshas been located. They returned to New York City fromSouthampton on American Line’s President Harding on 26 May1932 arriving on 3 June 1932. Joseph Shields said he was bornin Baltimore, Maryland, on 1 January 1912 and bound for 1918Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, Edward Williams inNew York City on 1 January 1915 and bound for 2469 7th

JOEY SHIELDS “...a loud voiceand a great jazz feeling”by Howard Rye (with much assistancefrom Robert Ford).

Avenue, New York City. Later lists of birthdays published in theBaltimore Afro-American confirm the coincidence of both beingNew Year’s Day babies.

Ironically the June 1932 issue of the Melody Maker carried anarticle [‘High Lights On Dark Subjects’. 500-1] with materialon the now-departed duo. It describes Williams as “a faithfulsatellite” of Buddy Bradley. “Like Buddy’s, his ‘beats’ are a treatfor a rhythmic fan’s ears…Red hot rhythm sums him up.”Shields is described as “a worthy dancing pupil of Buddy’s, buthe certainly has the bulge on him when it comes to singing.”He is reported to be learning the drums.

The first census of his life, taken on 8 January 1920, findsJoseph A. Shields, 8, at home at 1804 Etting Street, Baltimore,Maryland, with father Richard, 38, a chauffeur in the wholesalecandy business, mother Cora, 34, a laundress working athome, brother Charles L., 11, and sisters Lucille, 10, andPrasceline, 4. All were Maryland-born, as were all of Joey’sgrandparents, and the family are characterized as “Mulatto”.

He was a sickly child, who underwent several majoroperations under the care of Dr. Baer. Dancing, initially resistedby his parents, strengthened him [Matthews. 1931] In 1924,so at the age of 12, he appeared in an amateur revue at RoyalTheatre, Baltimore, assisted by four small girls, as the RagtimeSteppers [‘Local Youngster Makes Hit On Keith’, Baltimore AfroAmerican, 7 May 1927, 9, which says this was “three yearsago”]. This evidently was or became the name of a social clubas in 1925 Joseph, Lucille, and Pasceline (also Doris) Shieldsare reported attending a meeting of The Ragtime Steppers atthe residence of Robert Creditt, 1100 Woodyear Street,Baltimore [‘Ragtime Steppers’, Baltimore Afro American, 5December 1925, 16]

On 26 April 1927, Shields appeared before the NationalVaudeville’s Association’s New York Club, and in May was withHarris & Holley at Keith Theatre, Philadelphia [‘Local YoungsterMakes Hit On Keith’, Baltimore Afro American, 7 May 1927,9]. By his own account, Shields tried out with Bud Harris andSammy Van when they played at the Maryland Theatre,Baltimore, and claimed to have stowed away with them whenthey left [Matthews. 1931].

It is not clear whether “Harris and Holl(e)y”, who appearagain below, are or are not the same act as “Harris and Van”.Percy Nathan ‘Bud’ Harris, born Petersburg, Virginia, 6November 1894, came to Britain himself in 1936 as one ofHarris & Howell, comprising himself, Bert Howell, bornLimerick, Georgia, 4 March 1900, who is the Bert Howell whorecorded for Columbia, Victor, and Paramount, and PaulWeakley, known as Paul Harris, born Washington, DC, 13December 1911. Sammy Vanderhurst, born Charleston, SouthCarolina, 14 April 1905, also came to Britain, in 1933, as oneof Brookins & Van. Robert Thomas ‘Tommy’ Brookins, born St.Louis, Missouri, 2 September 1906, had recorded as a vocalistwith Tiny Parham. They made several trips to Europe beforebreaking up in early 1939.

Engagements with Harris & Van can be traced in the AfricanAmerican press into 1928, much of the time working the KeithCircuit (i.e. on “white time”). Early in July 1928, Joseph Shieldsentertained at a Harlem dance derby at the Manhattan Casino.He is said to be “working the Keith circuit with Harris & Holly”[‘Here And There’, Baltimore Afro American, 14 July 1928, 9],but a fortnight later, he is reported with “Harris Vann” [sic] atthe Keith theater at White Plains, New York [‘Peeking In theTheatres’, Baltimore Afro American, 28 July 1928, 8].At this point things become very complicated. Shields himself

reported that he had worked with ‘Sunshine Sammy’ on R.K.O.time [Shields, 1931]. ‘Sunshine Sammy’ (Frederick ErnestMorrison, born New Orleans, 20 December 1912) had beenthe “token black”, as we would now call it, in the hugelypopular Our Gang film comedies. He had gone out in an actwith his “Brothers”, who it seems were always called Charlieand Little Joey, irrespective of who they were. Census entriessuggest that in reality “Sammy” only had sisters. To compoundconfusion the “Little Joey” before Joey Shields was Little JoeyHarris, who had preceded Joey Shields in the Harris &Holley/Harris & Van act and was sometimes reported as theson of Bud Harris [‘Lincoln Perry’s Letter’, Chicago Defender,3 September 1927, 6].

In May 1928, Harris & Van, “supplemented by Joey Shields”,are reported playing the week at Franklin Theatre, New YorkCity [‘Here And There’, Baltimore Afro American, 12 May 1928,9]. Shortly after, they were at Keith’s Palace and LafayetteTheatres, New York City, [‘Harris And Van Star At Lafayette’,New York Amsterdam News, 30 May 1928, 10], where “LittleJoey has just turned sixteen. He is a handsome lad, with theface of an Apollo, the voice of an angel, a smile that makes allwho see him happy, and a pair of dancing feet which alreadyare offering competition to the best-known tap-dancers on thestage,” which fits the age of Joey Shields, yet it is also reportedthat “Bud Harris, assisted by Van and Joey Harris, knocked ’emfor a row of empty milk bottles at the Lafayette this week.”[Salem Tutt Whitney, ‘Timely Topics’, Chicago Defender, 9 June1928, 7] The depths of journalistic confusion revealed here areprobably beyond penetration at this late date!

Joey Harris is a real person. In June 1928, while Shields wasstill with Harris & Van, he appeared with Sunshine Sammy atLoew’s Theatre, Cleveland, and Loew’s State, New York City,with Charles Witty as the other ‘brother’ [‘Sunshine SammyGiven An Ovation’, New York Amsterdam News, 27 June 28,2] They were given a welcome at Grand Central Station on 24June 1928, by 300 boys and officials from the West 135thStreet YMCA. “Charles Witty” is assumably the dancer CharlesWitty [Charles J. Whittaker] who appeared in London with theTed Lewis Orchestra in mid-1930. He was then aged 17.

The first definite confirmation found of Joey Shields as a

Mark Berresford Collection.

member of Sunshine Sammy’s act comes in March 1929, when“Joseph Shields of 1918 Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore,Maryland” is reported appearing with Sunshine Sammy atStanley Theater, Baltimore (white) [J. Logan Jenkins, Jr.,‘Baltimore, Maryland’, Pittsburgh Courier, 30 March 1929, 9].It seems likely, however, that he joined soon after he is lastheard of with Harris & Van. In August 1928, Edward ArlingtonDuncan, 14, former Douglass High School pupil, son of Mr. &Mrs. Felix Duncan, of 2003 McCulloh Street, Baltimore, joinedSunshine Sammy on the Loew circuit in New York for a month’sengagement [‘Local Youth Joins “Sunshine Sammy”, BaltimoreAfro American, 11 August 1928, 8]. Duncan became a memberof the Shields siblings’ social set in Baltimore if he was notalready.

Sunshine Sammy billing remains uninformative. On 6December 1928, “Sunshine Sammy, Little Joey & Charlie” wereslated for a civic ball and reception in honour of Lionel O.Licorish at Rockland Palace, 155th Street & Eighth Avenue, NewYork City [‘Plans Complete For Reception’, New YorkAmsterdam News, 5 December 1928, 8] Music by John C.Smith’s Orchestra [New York Amsterdam News, 5 December1928 7, ad.]. Licorish was quartermaster on the S.S. Vestriswhich sank off the Virginia coast in 1928; he was credited withsaving a number of lives and recorded two Caribbean numbersfor Columbia, reportedly in reward for his bravery [Rye & Ford.2013].

At the Fox Theatre in Brooklyn for the week of 29 July 1929,the “brothers” are billed as “Brothers Charlie and Little Joe”[Brooklyn Standard Union, 27 July 1929, 5, advertisement].

Evidently August 1929 was spent “resting” in Baltimore, wherethe Baltimore Afro American reports a succession of socialengagements involving Shields, his sisters, Duncan, andSunshine Sammy. On 18 August all were Sunday guests at theEdgewater Beach resort [‘Society’, Baltimore Afro American, 24August 1929, 16]. At a reception hosted by Annie & HenriettaBrown on Thursday night (15 or 22 August), Arlington Duncanrendered a dance number, while Joe Shields sang I’ll Always BeIn Love With You. [Buena Vista Gray, ‘Sub-Deb Chatter’,Baltimore Afro American, 24 August 1929, 17]. SunshineSammy and His Gang, specified to include Duncan andShields, returned to New York City on 25 August 1929 [BuenaVista Gray, ‘Sub-Deb Chatter’, Baltimore Afro American, 31August 1929, A17]. They resumed touring on the R.K.O.Circuit.

In October 1929, during an engagement at the whites-only StLouis Theatre in St Louis, the company gave a specialperformance for pupils of Sumner and Vashon High Schools.Eddie Duncan gave an exhibition of tap-dancing, Joe Shieldssang Am I Blue, Mistakes, and Halfway To Heaven. SunshineSammy did The Woodpecker, imitating Bill Robinson’s stepdance. [‘Sunshine Sammy and Gang Entertain, Baltimore AfroAmerican, 2 November 1929, 8]. On 2 November 1929, theyappeared at Bud Billiken’s free-movie party at the VendomeTheater, Chicago, with Ada Addison, the boys’ private tutor[‘1,110 Kiddies Frolic at Bud’s Theater Party’, ChicagoDefender, 9 November 1929, A3].

On 10 April 1930, the census found the company at 335 West100th Street, New York City. Head of the household is JosephMorrison, 41, with his son Ernest, 17, both Louisiana-born ofLouisiana-born parents. Edward Duncan and Joseph Shields,both 18, and Ada Addison, 29, are all Maryland-born ofMaryland-born parents. All the men are described as “actor,show business”. It looks as though Duncan as well as Shieldsleft the act soon after. On 6 June 1930, both are back inBaltimore, appearing in The College Prince (A Musical Campus-Capers In Three Acts), at Ford’s Theatre. The full program[‘Theater Notes’, Baltimore Afro American, 7 June 1930, A8]includes ‘Specialty’ by Shields & Duncan. Pasculina [sic]Shields appeared as one of four ‘Student Guests”. Theorchestra was under the direction of Prof. John D. Magez,director of Ford’s Theatre Orchestra. In July both are reportedmembers of the Los Amigos club founded for the summerholidays [Buena Vista Gray, ‘Sub-Deb Chatter’, Baltimore AfroAmerican, 5 July 1930, A12].

When Shields reappears in show business in December 1930he has a new partner, Eddie ‘Pee Wee’ Williams of 588 LenoxAvenue, New York City [Shields 1931]. The family were alreadyat that address on 7 January 1920. Father Edward Williams, 32and a factory porter, and mother Anna, 29, were both born inthe Virgin Islands of Virgin Island parentage and said they hadimmigrated to the United States in 1910. They have fourchildren, all born in New York. Edward, 6, is the second child.The household includes his great-grandfather BenjaminAndrew, who is 72, and other relatives. The birthplace of theVirgin Islanders was originally entered as “Denmark”. On 9April 1930 at the same address, Edward, now said to be 46, isa “foreman, salad dressing”, Anne, 44, is a domestic with aprivate family and this time her mother is present.Christophenia McKree, 61, had immigrated in 1921. Edward,Jr., who unlike his elders has aged only ten years, still has noprofession though either he was already teaching dancing inBilly Pierce’s studio or this association was very short.

The act which Shields and Williams formed was known asLittle Joey and Pee Wee [Shields 1931] and that is how they arereported at their only traced engagement at the Alhambra, New

Spike Hughes at a 1931 Decca recording sesion. Mark BerresfordCollection.

York City, in Razzle-Dazzle during the week commencing 8December 1930 [‘News Of The Theatrical World’, New YorkAmsterdam News, 3 December 1930, 18]. Wilton Crawley wasalso appearing. Actual billing however was as “Little Joey andHis Pal, Pee Wee” [New York Amsterdam News, 10 December1930, 8, advertisement]. The ‘Little Joey’ who appeared laterin the month at the Lafayette Theater, New York City, in LeonardHarper’s revue Red Cap Follies, accompanied by a 40-pieceband directed by Russell Wooding, is presumably someoneelse. [‘Former Broadway Entertainers Here’, New YorkAmsterdam News, 31 December 1930, 9]. Shields andWilliams left for London on 24 January 1931, which is wherewe came in.

Following their return, they were added to an amateur bill atthe Renaissance Casino, New York City [‘Added Attractions ForKiddies’ Show’, New York Amsterdam News, 22 June 1932, 7].Eddie Williams danced the tango with his sister Ruth, 3 yearsand seven months old in the 1920 census and 12 in 1930, sostill only 14. Both evidently visited Baltimore in August as theyare reported visiting the offices of the Baltimore Afro American[‘Afro Visitors’, Baltimore Afro American, 27 August 1932, 9].Joey A. Shields, 20235 Seventh Avenue, Apt. 2B, New York City,and Eddie Williams, 564 Lenox Avenue, New York City, appearin a list of 1 January birthdays published by the Baltimore AfroAmerican [‘Birthdays’, 31 December 1932, 8].

Though Joey Shields has a New York address he was soonback in Baltimore. On 29 May 1933, “Joe Shields” appeared inSpring Follies, presented by teacher Gough McDaniels as partof a “follow-up program which affords opportunity for thepupils who develop talents at the Douglass High to carry on inamateur theatricals after they have finished or leave school,”at New Albert Auditorium, Baltimore in aid of the ScottsboroDefense Fund [W. Lewellyn Wilson, ‘Concords And Discords’,Baltimore Afro American, 3 June 1933, 8]. He is noted as anattendee at various “sub-deb” functions during these months. This was noticed. “Joey Shields, who was once starred inLondon by Charles B. Cochran, seems contented to wild [sic]away the summer days with his former school chums here athome,” [Ralph Matthews, ‘Looking At The Stars’, BaltimoreAfro American, 5 August 1933, 18]. On 19 September 1933,“Joey Shields, himself an entertainer and a member of theIkoms Club,” made the response to Cab Calloway’s remarkswhen he attended a reception given by the Ikoms and DizzyDebs Clubs at the home of Mrs. Robert Evans, 2018 McCullohStreet, Baltimore. Cab Calloway and Walter Thomas wereguests of honour. [‘Cab Calloway Is Boy Again as Ikoms andDizzy Debs Revel’, Baltimore Afro American, 23 September1933, 3]. In July 1934 his address is confirmed as 1923 DruidHill Avenue, Baltimore [‘Inquiring Reporter’, Baltimore AfroAmerican, 7 July 1934, 20] and he joined forces with EddieDuncan for the gala opening of the “New Screened DancePavilion” at Edgewater Cafe, Turner’s Station, Maryland[Baltimore Afro American, 7 July 1934, 18, advertisement].

On 19 September 1934, he was back in New York with PeeWee. They were modelling for the Osbiny Club 10th AnnualCabaret Dance and Male Fashion Show, Renaissance Casino,139th Street & Seventh Avenue, New York City [‘New YorkSociety’, Chicago Defender, 29 September 1934, 7; Roi Ottley,‘This Hectic Harlem’, New York Amsterdam News, 4 October1934, 9]. There is a report that “Joe Shields, of Pee Wee andJoie [sic], is preparing to journey to Yurrope [sic] this fall, if PeeWee will ever come back from Baltimore,” [Malcolm B. Fulcher,‘Broken Strings’, Baltimore Afro American, 31 March 1934, 13]but evidently nothing came of it. Shields told the 1940 censusenumerators that he had been living in New York City on 1 April1935, but the Baltimore address appears in the 1 January 1935‘Birthdays’ list [Baltimore Afro American, 29 December 1934,

21]

On 24 October 1936, Joey A. Shields was again a model atthe Osbiny Club, in a co-ed fashion revue at Rockland Palace,155th Street & Eighth Avenue, New York City [‘Manikins OfferRockland Revue’, New York Amsterdam News, 31 October1936, 11]. Kaiser Marshall and His Ubangi Orchestra playedfor dancing. When the 1940 census was taken on 3 April,Joseph Shields, 28, was back at 1923 Druid Hill Avenue,Baltimore with mum Cora, 43, a housekeeper for a privatefamily, and dad Richard, 57, a clerk in a wholesale house.Joseph’s profession is stated as “page boy, hotel”. It is merelyan appendix to this anti-climax to note that between September1947 and January 1949 Joey and Pee Wee are regularlyreported at various Osbiny Club functions in New York City bythe New York Amsterdam News.

No death record has been located for Eddie Williams but theSocial Security Death Index shows that Joseph Shields died inJuly 1985 in Baltimore without further troubling the publicprints so far as can be discovered.

ReferencesGore, Ivan Patrick. 1931. ‘Cabaret’, The Stage, 2 April, 4Hughes, Spike. 1951. Second Movement. London. MuseumPress.Matthews, Ralph. 1931. ‘Balto Boy Now In London, ActuallyDances To Live’, Baltimore Afro American, 26 September 1931,9.Rye, Howard, & Robert Ford. 2013 ‘Tosh Hammed’. Names &Numbers 64 (January 2013), 28.Shields, Joey. 1931. ‘Alright Boys, We’ll Let Them Know’, letterfrom Joey Shields, New York Amsterdam News, 15 July 1931,10, datelined 11 June 1931, 5 Panton Street, London.Stearns, Marshall, & Jean Stearns. 1964. Jazz Dance: The Storyof American Vernacular Dance. London , Macmillan.‘High Lights On Dark Subjects’. Melody Maker, June 1932.500-1.Spike Hughes and His Dance Orchestra 1930-1932, Volumes3 & 4, King’s Cross Music KCM003/KCM004Thanks to Mark Berresford for assistance with this research.

Photo courtesy of Howard Rye.