Biography
Cedric Wallace forged his strongest professional ties to pianist and vocalist Fats Waller, joining him often on stage and in the studio between 1938 and 1942—the very years when Waller reached the peak of his commercial popularity. After relocating to New York in the early 1930s, Wallace performed with Reggie Johnson at the Saratoga Club and joined the orchestra of Jimmie Lunceford. In the period overlapping with and following his work alongside Waller, he accompanied vocalists Una Mae Carlisle and Maxine Sullivan, collaborated with R&B musician Champion Jack Dupree, and recorded with pianist Pat Flowers and saxophonist Gene Sedric, among additional artists. Throughout the 1940s Wallace also directed ensembles of his own in New York. His musical career extended actively into the 1970s.