Minstrel shows had pretty much died out by 1910, replaced by ragtime and vaudeville. The minstrel traditions persisted, though -- big dance numbers, lots of corny jokes, ethnic stereotypes and phony accents. When George L. Cobb (from a small town north of Syracuse NY) and Jack Yellen (born in Poland) met in the New York city music industry, what did they write? Dixie songs! Likewise, Arthur Collins (born in Philadelphia, grew up in New Jersey) and Byron G. Harlan (born in Kansas) made their livings recording popular songs in "negro dialect" (small 'n' intentional) on cylinders and 78s. Collins was considered the "King of the Ragtime Singers", and actually issued a written disclaimer, "Mr. Collins is not a Negro" (though he considered it "complimentary" to be "mistaken for the real article"). There are countless recordings of 'Alabama Jubilee' -- including Roy Clark's instrumental which won a Grammy in 1981.
Minstrel shows had pretty much died out by 1910, replaced by ragtime and vaudeville. The minstrel traditions persisted, though -- big dance numbers, lots of corny jokes, ethnic stereotypes and phony accents. When George L. Cobb (from a small town north of Syracuse NY) and Jack Yellen (born in Poland) met in the New York city music industry, what did they write? Dixie songs! Likewise, Arthur Collins (born in Philadelphia, grew up in New Jersey) and Byron G. Harlan (born in Kansas) made their livings recording popular songs in "negro dialect" (small 'n' intentional) on cylinders and 78s. Collins was considered the "King of the Ragtime Singers", and actually issued a written disclaimer, "Mr. Collins is not a Negro" (though he considered it "complimentary" to be "mistaken for the real article"). There are countless recordings of 'Alabama Jubilee' -- including Roy Clark's instrumental which won a Grammy in 1981.