The Four Blues with Arthur Davey
Show Business
The Four Blues. In this photo, the group is featuring Arthur Davey on clarinet (he also played alto sax). On their DeLuxe 1002 release, one side featured a different clarinet player, Ann Du Pont. Slim Gaillard is pointing at the drum. Earl Plummer may have been the lead tenor in this group.
The Four Blues assembled in Philadelphia in the 1940s. Personnel included James Stokes, Ganzetter Thompson, Joseph Gardner, Earl Plummer, Arthur Davey, and Carroll Jones. They had two releases on the Decca label in 1941–42, cut six sides for DeLuxe in 1945, and three for Apollo in the years 1948 through 1950.
The group recorded both secular and religious music. The religious songs were released under the name The Golden Echo Quartet.
Earl Plummer also sang with Roman Brown’s Romaine’s. Both Plummer and Arthur Davey also performed with Steve Gibson’s Red Caps.
The Four Blues — 1945
The Four Blues, 1945
De Luxe Records — Label
Label image for DeLuxe 3195-B released in September 1948. It was originally issued on DeLuxe 1004 in October 1945. The Four Blues had two releases on Decca (1941–42), six on DeLuxe (1945), and three on Apollo (1948–50).
Balto. Quartet Hits Big Time
The Afro-American —
Balto. Quartet Hits Big Time
PHILADELPHIA — The Four Blues, exclusive DeLuxe recording artists, recently discovered in Baltimore by a talent scout, have been booked into the Little Rathskeller here after barn-storming cross-country from Hollywood’s favorite night clubs. The Blues are rising rapidly because of their versatility as instrumentalists with vocal refrain. They have already cut several platters including “Baby I Need a Whole Lot of Everything” and “Chittlin’ Pigsfeets,” both catchy rhythm senders. Members of the quartet are James Stokes, bass; Ganzetter Thompson, electric guitar; Joseph Gardner, piano and vibraharp, and Carroll Jones, vocalist.
De Luxe Records — No. 1002
Billboard Magazine —
Named: No. 1002, “The Things You Want The Most of All” / “Oh! Daddy, Please Bring That Suitcase In”, The Four Blues / Ann DuPont, and Queen of the Clarinet. List Price, 79¢; Dealer-Operator Price, 49¢; F. O. B. Linden. De Luxe Record Distributing Co., Linden, N. J..
De Luxe Records — No. 1003
Billboard Magazine —
De Luxe Records — Hot — And How! New Release!
No. 1003 — “I Got A Date With Rhythm” / Billy Eckstine with De Luxe All Star Band (Dizzy Gillespie, Al Killian, Freddie Webster, Shorty McConnell, Trummy Young, Howard Scott, Claude Jones, Bud Johnson, Jimmy Powell, Rudy Rutherford, Wardell Grey, Thomas Crump, Oscar Pettiford, Connie Wainwright, Clyde Hart, Shadow Wilson).
Backed by “I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray” — Swing Spiritual with The Four Blues. List Price, 79¢; Dealer-Operator Price, 49¢; F. O. B. Linden. De Luxe Record Distributing Co., Linden, N. J.
De Luxe Records — No. 1004
Billboard Magazine —
It’s a De Luxe Diller with a Best Seller Beat!
Immediate Delivery No. 1004 — The Four Blues really do it with “The Blues Can Jump” backed by “When The Old Gang’s Back On The Corner Again.” List Price, 79¢; Dealer-Operator Price, 49¢; F.O.B. Linden. De Luxe Record Distributing Co., Linden, N. J.
De Luxe Records — No. 1005
Billboard Magazine —
De Luxe Records — No. 1005 — Immediate Delivery
The Spiritual Quartet with the Four Blues Stir Up the Angels With “Study War No Mo” backed by “Noah and the Ark.” List Price, 79¢; Dealer-Operator Price, 49¢; F. O. B. Linden. De Luxe Record Distributing Co., Linden, N. J.
The Four Blues (DeLuxe)
Study War No Mo’—FT; V. / Noah and the Ark—FT; V. / With an infectious rhythmic beat to their spiritual singing, the Four Blues impress on Study War No Mo’ and Noah and the Ark, giving both a bright and modern rhythm setting. “Study War No Mo’” is an attractive entry for the selector.
Club 845, Bronx, New York
New York Amsterdam News —
Named: From 4 to 9 P.M. Matinee Cocktail Sip. Free Admission. Swing and Sway to the Music of The Four Blues. Sensational Recording Artists. A Great Treat is Yours and Don’t Miss It. At the Club 845, 845 Prospect Ave, Corner 160th St., Bronx, N. Y..
Chubby’s Café, Camden
Bob Eberly appeared at Chubby’s Café on Mt. Ephraim Avenue and Collings Road on the first two weekends in January of 1950. Also on the bill at Chubby’s on those dates were The Four Blues with Arthur Davey and the house orchestra, and the Frank Virtuoso Band, perhaps better known somewhat later as Frank Virtue and the Virtues.
Over the next six weeks the Frank Virtuoso Band shared the stage with Savannah Churchill, June Christy, Art Lund, Bill Darnel, Dick Todd, Billy Hays, Eve Young, Emilie Longacre, Artie Russell’s New Yorkers, and the Doles Dickens Quintet.
Jolly Joyce Agency — 1950
Jolly Joyce Agency Presenting America’s Outstanding Sepia Attractions — For Real Box-Office in 1950
Steve Gibson and the Red Caps on Mercury Records • The Three Peppers featuring Roy Branker on Gotham Records • The Four Tunes singing on RCA Victor Records • Ormond Wilson and the Basin St. Boys on Mercury & Exclusive Records • Charlie Gaines and his Rhythm Men • Three Loose Nuts and A Bolt featuring Eddie Cole, King Cole’s brother • Earl Plummer, Thrilling Voice of Mercury Records • Herb Kenny, Novelty Song Style, now with the Ink Spots on Aladdin Records • Jimmy Preston and the Prestonians on Gotham Records • Four Blues with Arthur Davy on Apollo Records. Write, Wire, Phone: Jolly Joyce Agency, Earle Theater Bldg., Philadelphia, Pa.
Selected Recordings
| Year | Label | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Recordings on Decca | ||
| 1941 | Decca 8517 | Easy Does It |
| 1941 | Decca 8517 | Jitterbug Sadie |
| 1942 | Decca 8637 | Bluer Than Bluer Than Blue |
| 1942 | Decca 8637 | Honey Chile |
| Recordings on DeLuxe | ||
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1000 | Bell Bottom Trousers |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1000 | I’m Gone |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1001 | Baby I Need A Whole Lot of Everything |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1001 | Chitlin’s and Pig Feet |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1002 — Ann Dupont and The Four Blues | Oh Daddy Please Bring That Suitcase In |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1002 — Ann Dupont and The Four Blues | The Things You Want The Most of All |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1003 — The Golden Echo Quartette | I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1004 | The Blues Can Jump |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1004 | When the Old Gang’s Back on the Corner |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1005 — The Golden Echo Quartette | Noah and the Ark |
| 1945 | DeLuxe 1005 — The Golden Echo Quartette | Study War No Mo’ |
| 1948 | DeLuxe 3195 | The Blues Can Jump (reissue) |
| 1948 | DeLuxe 3195 | Am I Asking Too Much |
| Recordings on Apollo | ||
| 1948 | Apollo 398 | It Takes A Long, Tall Brown-skinned Girl |
| 1948 | Apollo 398 | Honey Chile |
| 1950 | Apollo 1145 | Re-Bop-De-Boom |
| 1950 | Apollo 1145 | The Vegetable Song |
| 1950 | Apollo 1160 | Missing You |
| 1950 | Apollo 1160 | As Long As I Live |
Record Labels
Named: De Luxe Records 1000-A: “Bell Bottom Trousers” (Mac Jaffe), The Four Blues. De Luxe Records 1004-B: “The Blues Can Jump” (Leib-Thompson-Gardner-Starkes-Jones), and The Four Blues..