Biography
The vocal ensemble known for its shifting membership and nomenclature first assembled in 1940 when drummer Paul Lindsley "Jelly" Holt, already seasoned through prior work with the Five Rhythm Rocketeers, established the Four Blazes. Jimmy Bennett and William "Shorty" Hill, formerly billed as the Four Dusty Demons, supplied guitar, tipple, ukulele, and mandolin while Prentice Butler handled bass; every member also contributed vocals and impressions. In 1941 Floyd McDaniel left acoustic guitar behind to join on electric, supplanting Bennett and thereby reshaping the ensemble’s sonic profile. Pittsburgh pianist Ernie Harper entered the lineup in 1945, and between 1943 and 1946 legendary Chicago bandleader Duke Groner occupied the bass chair at one juncture.
Naming the unit the Five Blazes soon proved advisable, yet the decision invited mix-ups with a contemporaneous Los Angeles outfit that likewise called itself the Four Blazes. The Chicago musicians even cut a track titled “Chicago Blues,” further complicating later attempts at geographic identification. Their recording history commenced only in 1947 on Aristocrat, where, as the Five Blazes, they became merely the second act committed to the fledgling Chicago independent that would later evolve into the Chess empire. By 1950 the roster reverted to the Four Blazes after Ernie Harper’s departure; he died shortly afterward. Late in 1951 bassist Tommy Braden arrived in town alongside saxophonist J.T. Brown’s band, bringing a singing and songwriting presence that would define the group’s remaining years. Braden’s 1952 composition “Mary Jo” ascended to the summit of the R&B charts. Sessions from this era featured reed player Eddie Chamblee doubling on clarinet and tenor saxophone; his overdubbed performance on “Perfect Woman,” however, remained flawed despite generous application of reverb.
Activity persisted into the middle of the decade, though final dates revealed additional personnel flux. An organist identified as Gordon Fairholt may have played piano on certain sides, though confirmation is still lacking. Newspaper notices in 1953 advertised the Five Blazes, implying further expansion, while saxophonist Red Holloway—rather than the sometimes credited Chamblee—appeared on the concluding dates. Those recordings yielded Braden’s classic “Did You Ever See a Monkey Play a Fiddle”; Braden soon exited to lead his own Tommy Braden Quintet. The Four Blazes continued with a replacement vocalist, yet Braden rejoined for the ultimate 1955 session before the ensemble disbanded that same year. Braden died in 1957; Holt later sang with the Four Whims until retiring in the early 1960s; and Floyd McDaniel (1915–1995) maintained a career that included stints with the Ink Spots, resurfacing for Chicago blues audiences in the 1980s and releasing at least one CD following his rediscovery.
Naming the unit the Five Blazes soon proved advisable, yet the decision invited mix-ups with a contemporaneous Los Angeles outfit that likewise called itself the Four Blazes. The Chicago musicians even cut a track titled “Chicago Blues,” further complicating later attempts at geographic identification. Their recording history commenced only in 1947 on Aristocrat, where, as the Five Blazes, they became merely the second act committed to the fledgling Chicago independent that would later evolve into the Chess empire. By 1950 the roster reverted to the Four Blazes after Ernie Harper’s departure; he died shortly afterward. Late in 1951 bassist Tommy Braden arrived in town alongside saxophonist J.T. Brown’s band, bringing a singing and songwriting presence that would define the group’s remaining years. Braden’s 1952 composition “Mary Jo” ascended to the summit of the R&B charts. Sessions from this era featured reed player Eddie Chamblee doubling on clarinet and tenor saxophone; his overdubbed performance on “Perfect Woman,” however, remained flawed despite generous application of reverb.
Activity persisted into the middle of the decade, though final dates revealed additional personnel flux. An organist identified as Gordon Fairholt may have played piano on certain sides, though confirmation is still lacking. Newspaper notices in 1953 advertised the Five Blazes, implying further expansion, while saxophonist Red Holloway—rather than the sometimes credited Chamblee—appeared on the concluding dates. Those recordings yielded Braden’s classic “Did You Ever See a Monkey Play a Fiddle”; Braden soon exited to lead his own Tommy Braden Quintet. The Four Blazes continued with a replacement vocalist, yet Braden rejoined for the ultimate 1955 session before the ensemble disbanded that same year. Braden died in 1957; Holt later sang with the Four Whims until retiring in the early 1960s; and Floyd McDaniel (1915–1995) maintained a career that included stints with the Ink Spots, resurfacing for Chicago blues audiences in the 1980s and releasing at least one CD following his rediscovery.
Albums