John C. Spikes

John Curry Spikes (July 22, 1881 – June 28, 1955) was an American jazz musician and entrepreneur.

Along with his brother Reb Spikes, John ran a traveling show band in early 1900s. At one point, Jelly Roll Morton was a member of the band. The Spikes brothers were performing in San Francisco around 1915, under the name The Original So-Different Orchestra, with Reb Spikes billed as the "World's Greatest Saxophonist". Around 1919, they settled in Los Angeles, where they started a music store, a nightclub, an agency and a publishing house.

They were the first to record an all-black jazz band in 1922. In 1927, they shot a short sound film that predated The Jazz Singer, the first full-length sound film. Their most enduring musical collaborations were writing the lyrics to Morton's Wolverine Blues and their own composition, Someday Sweetheart, which has become a jazz standard.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 22, 1881, Died June 28, 1955

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1922 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-38 of 38 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick C656-C657 10-in. 9/17/1926 Someday sweetheart Dixie Syncopators ; King Oliver Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Brunswick C1414-C1415 10-in. 1/9/1928 Someday sweetheart Royal Hawaiians ; Sam Ku West Instrumental trio songwriter  
Brunswick LAE431 10-in. 3/25/1929 I’m smiling with a broken heart Henry Starr Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick [Vo cat 1028-b] 10-in. Someday, sweetheart Alberta Hunter Female vocal solo, with cornet and piano songwriter  
Edison 8651 10-in. 10/31/1922 That sweet something, dear Atlantic Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison 9842 10-in. 11/10/1924 My mammy's blues Georgia Melodians Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 18021 10-in. 11/9/1927 Someday, sweetheart Al Lynn ; Music Masters Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Edison 18100 10-in. 12/13/1927 Someday sweetheart Melville Morris ; Piccadilly Players and Singers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet songwriter  
Nordskog [Nordskog cat 3007A] 10-in. April 1922 When you're alone blues Roberta Dudley ; Ory's Sunshine Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Nordskog [Nordskog cat 3007B] 10-in. April 1922 Krooked blues Roberta Dudley ; Ory's Sunshine Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Nordskog [Nordskog cat 3008A] 10-in. April 1922 That sweet something dear Ruth Lee ; Ory's Sunshine Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Nordskog [Nordskog cat 3008B] 10-in. April 1922 Maybe someday Ruth Lee ; Ory's Sunshine Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Nordskog [Nordskog cat 3009B] 10-in. approximately late May 1922 Society blues Spikes' Seven Pods of Pepper Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
(Results 26-38 of 38 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Spikes, John C.," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113920.

Spikes, John C.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113920.

"Spikes, John C.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113920

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