Tom Lemonier Explained

Tom Lemonier (March 29, 1870 — March 14, 1945)^[1] was an actor and composer of popular music during the ragtime era, particularly active in Black Vaudeville.^[2] His work featured in various musicals.^[3] Some of his work was published by the Gotham-Attucks Music Publishing Company.^[4]

Numerous recordings of his songs were made including on Victor Records and Columbia Records.^[5] In 1909 he joined the staff of music publisher Rose & Snyder.^[6]

Lemonier became one of the first African-American actors to perform in a Caucasian play when in 1910 he was hired to play a steward in William A. Brady's production of Over Night.^[7] Previously these characters had been performed in blackface. Lemonier's abilities and the positive reception he received convinced Brady to hire additional African-American actors for the role in touring versions of the show.

Playbill notes him as a performer in the 1912 musical Little Miss Brown.^[8] In addition to the original production, he was part of a national tour of this show.^[9] In 1915 Lemonier wrote the anthem, entitled Praise God We Are Not Weary, for the National Half Century Exposition and Lincoln Jubilee.^[10]

Lemonier collaborated with various other musicians and lyricists to produce compositions.^[11] In 1917, Lemonier established a sheet music business with Lew Payton and Tom Brown.^[12] He appeared on radio station WGY in 1923 as a whistler.^[13] In 1926 he was concentrating entirely on sacred music.^[14]

Views on Civil rights

Lemonier opined that Civil rights should be acquired over a period of time, and that forcing the issue would generate hatred instead of progress.

List of selected compositions

• Adopted Child, with W. J. Carle, music; words by Henry Creamer. Recorded 1912 by Bob Roberts.^[15]
• Dear Old Moonlight, music; words by Henry Creamer. Recorded by the Peerless Quartet.^[16]
• Good Afternoon, Mr. Jenkins, music; words by Cecil Mack. Recorded 1901 by George Walker.^[17]
• Honey Lou, music; lyrics by Ed Rose. Recorded 1908 by Collins & Harlan.^[18] Joel Whitburn estimates the Victor Records version was the sixth best selling recording of late January, 1909.^[19]
• I Wonder What Makes It Snow, music; lyrics by Tom Brown. Recorded 1904 by Billy Murray.^[20]
• I'd Like to Be a Real Lady. Recorded 1908 by Collins & Harlan.^[21]
• I'll Be Your Dewdrop Rosey, music; words by Richard H. Gerard. Included in show "Foxy Grandpa", where originally performed by Joseph Hart and Carrie DeMar.^[22]
• I'm Just Barely Livin', Dat's All, music; words by Harry Brown. Recorded 1904 by Bob Roberts.^[23]
• In My Old Home (in Dixie Land), music; words by Mord Allen. Performed by Bert Williams.^[24]
• Is Everybody Happy? (1905) with Ernest Hogan, music; words by Frank Williams. Included in musical play Rufus Rastus.^[25] Recorded circa 1905 by Arthur Collins.^[26]
• Junie, music; words by Cecil Mack. Recorded 1901 by George Walker.^[27]
• Just One Word of Consolation, with Frank B. Williams. Recorded 1906 by Harry Tally. Recorded 1911 by Will Oakland.^[28] Recorded 1928 by Scrappy Lambert.^[29] Recorded 1936 by Bing Crosby.^[30]
• Lovie Dear, music; words by Fred Bonny. Originally performed by Aida Overton Walker.^[31]
• Mary Ellen, music; words by Alfred Bryan. Recorded 1904 by Billy Murray.^[32]
• Miss Hannah from Savannah, music; words by Cecil Mack. Originally performed by Aida Overton Walker.^[33]
• My Cabin Door, music; words by Grant Stewart. Originally performed by Hattie Williams and Sam Bernard in musical production The Rollicking Girl^[34]
• My Dear Luzon, music; words by Jesse A. Shipp.^[35] Featured in Broadway musical In Dahomey.^[36]
• Play That Rag, music; words by Ed Rose. Recorded 1908 by Collins and Harlan.^[37]
• Sweetness, music; words by Henry Creamer.^[38] Recorded 1910 by the Peerless Quartet.^[39]
• That Was Me, music; words by Ed Rose. Recorded 1909 by Bob Roberts.^[40]

Notes and References

1. Book: . 1952 . The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers . . 300.
2. Web site: Lemonier, Tom 1870-1945 [WorldCat Identities]].
3. Web site: Tom Lemonier – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB. www.ibdb.com.
4. Book: Price . Emmett George . Maxille . Horace . 2010 . Encyclopedia of African American Music . ABC-CLIO . 101. 9780313342004.
5. Web site: Lemonier, Tom - Discography of American Historical Recordings. adp.library.ucsb.edu.
6. News: Walton . Lester A. . February 4, 1909 . Music and the Stage . The New York Age . 6. Also as announced in advertisement on same page.
7. News: Walton . Lester A. . October 5, 1911 . Music and the Stage . The New York Age . 6. newspapers.com.
8. Web site: Tom Lemonier. Playbill.
9. News: . March 29, 1913 . Little Miss Brown . The Modesto Bee . Modesto, California . 3. newspapers.com.
10. Web site: Lincoln jubilee album : 50th anniversary of our emancipation, held in Chicago August 22d to September 16th, 1915 . . Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection . October 4, 2021.
11. Web site: Tom Lemonier | Levy Music Collection. levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu.
12. Book: Out of Sight: The Rise of African American Popular Music, 1889-1895. 9781604730395. Abbott. Lynn. Seroff. Doug. 18 September 2009. Univ. Press of Mississippi .
13. News: . October 12, 1923 . Flashes Out of the Air. The Post-Crescent . Appleton, Wisconsin . 7. newspapers.com.
14. News: . January 30, 1926 . Tom Lemonier Talks of "Lulu Belle" and Jumps . The Pittsburgh Courier . 9. newspapers.com.
15. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix B-11904. Adopted child / Bob Roberts," accessed September 30, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/1000003869/B-11904-Adopted_child.
16. Book: Dear old moonlight . . WorldCat . 1135064473 . September 23, 2021 .
17. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix [Pre-matrix B-]996. Good afternoon, Mr. Jenkins / George Walker," accessed September 23, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000452/Pre-matrix_B-996-Good_afternoon_Mr._Jenkins.
18. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix B-6468. Honey Lou / Collins and Harlan," accessed September 30, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200007416/B-6468-Honey_Lou.
19. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn . Pop Memories 1890-1954 . 1986 . Record Research, Inc. . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin . 0-89820-083-0 . 93.
20. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix A-1079. I wonder what makes it snow / Billy Murray," accessed September 23, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200001915/A-1079-I_wonder_what_makes_it_snow.
21. Book: Honey Lou . . WorldCat . 45091989 . September 23, 2021 .
22. Book: I'll be your dewdrop Rosey . . WorldCat . 498100124 . September 20, 2021 .
23. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix A-893. I'm just barely livin', dat's all / Bob Roberts," accessed September 23, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200001596/A-893-Im_just_barely_livin_dats_all.
24. Book: In My Old Home (In Dixie Land) . . WorldCat . 259723007 . September 20, 2021 .
25. Book: Is everybody happy? . . WorldCat . 498697021 . September 20, 2021 .
26. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Columbia matrix 3332. Is everybody happy? / Arthur Collins," accessed September 30, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000138889/3332-Is_everybody_happy.
27. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix [Pre-matrix A-]995. Junie / George Walker," accessed September 23, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/100001004/Pre-matrix_A-995-Junie.
28. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Columbia matrix 19409. Just one word of consolation / Will Oakland," accessed September 30, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000020315/19409-Just_one_word_of_consolation.
29. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brunswick matrix E7260. Just one word of consolation / Scrappy Lambert," accessed September 30, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000226282/E7260-Just_one_word_of_consolation.
30. Book: Just one word of consolation . . WorldCat . 134991950 . September 20, 2021.
31. Book: Lovie Dear . . WorldCat . 68194716 . September 23, 2021 .
32. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix B-885. Mary Ellen / Billy Murray," accessed September 23, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200001583/B-885-Mary_Ellen.
33. Book: Miss Hannah from Savannah . . WorldCat . 68194700 . September 20, 2021 .
34. Book: My Cabin Door . . WorldCat . 498100294 . September 23, 2021 .
35. Web site: My dear Luzon. Library of Congress.
36. Book: Riis . Thomas Laurence . 1996 . The Music and Scripts of In Dahomey . American Musicological Society . vi. 9780895793423 .
37. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix B-6467. Play that rag / Collins and Harlan," accessed September 30, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200007415/B-6467-Play_that_rag.
38. Book: Sweetness. Tom. Lemonier. Henry S.. Creamer. August 7, 1910. Gotham Attucks Music Co.. digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu.
39. Book: Sweetness . . WorldCat . 42017672 . September 20, 2021 .
40. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Columbia matrix 4003. That was me / Bob Roberts," accessed September 30, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000139560/4003-That_was_me.