Jelly Roll Morton: Mr. Jelly Roll in Vaudeville

Today is the birthday of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, a.k.a. Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941), widely regarded as one of the originators of jazz. He started out as a teenager playing piano in sporting houses in his native New Orleans, where he learned a risque repertoire and acquired a filthy nickname. Here’s his representation in wax at the Musee Conti in New Orleans: 

Morton began writing music and touring with minstrel shows around 1904, making it as far as the northern music centers, New York and Chicago. From 1912 to 1914 he toured in a vaudeville act with his girlfriend Rosa Brown, then became a solo performer in Vancouver for a time, publishing his first songs all the while. His recording career began in the 1920s. The 1992 Broadway hit show Jelly’s Last Jam showcased his music.

To find out more about the variety artspast and present, consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous.