Belle Davis (1874-)

Overview

According to the Internet sources given below, Belle Davis was an Afro-American song and dance artist, entertainer, choreographer, and director born in Chicago, Illinois (or New Orleans, Louisiana).
Billed "The Queen of Ragtime Singers", she was a member of Sam T. Jack's The Creole Show in 1891 and then The Octroons before moving to England in 1901.
She toured Europe extensively between 1901 and 1929 recording and performing with her Piccaninnies. She was described as a mezzo-soprano; tall black girl, native from New Orleans, very beautiful and that Piccaninnies used to tap-dance and play harmonica.
In 1925 she was the choreographer at the "Casino de Paris" Music Hall.
Her whereabouts and demise after returning to USA in 1938 remain unknown.

Websites:
	Belle Davis and Her Piccaninnies	Biography by Rainer E. Lotz
	Belle Davis	Biography by wikipedia.org.

CDs

	Title	Remarks	Supplier


	Black Europe: Vol. 1
	Music Hall

Music Hall

	Title	Attribution	Instruments	Source	Remarks


	I Ain't A-Goin to Weep No More (1900)	H. von Tilzer (music) Geo. Totten Smith (words) Belle Davis (perf.)	Piano, Voice	IMSLP

Videos

	Composer	Title	Performer


	H. Cannon	Just Because She Made Dem Goo-Goo Eyes (1900) (2:05)	Belle Davis
	W.H. Penn	The Honeysuckle and the Bee (1901) (2:37)	Belle Davis

Works

This list is arranged by composer and contains 8 works performed by Belle Davis who is featured on sheet music covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m) ER

	Title	Composer	Attribution	Remarks


Just Because She Made Dem Goo Goo Eyes - Song (1900)	Hughie Cannon	John Queen (words) Belle Davis (perf.)
Ain't I Yer Honey Boy No More? (1896)	Gussie Lord Davis(w&m)	Belle Davis (perf.)	Pub.
I'm Tired of Dodging Dat Installment Man (1899)	Lawrence Deas	Jack Wilson (words) Belle Davis (perf.)
Honeysuckle and the Bee (1901), The	William H. Penn	Alb. H. Fitz (words) Belle Davis (perf.) Della Fox (perf.) Lulu Glaser (perf.) Margaret Lee (perf.) Ellaline Terriss (perf.)
Ma Rainbow Coon - Song (1900)	Alfred Baldwin Sloane	Clay Meredith Green (words) Belle Davis (perf.)
He's Got to Be a Lamp-Black Cullud Man (1900ca)	Alfred Baldwin Sloane	Jean C. Havez (words) Belle Davis (perf.)	Pub.
I Ain't A-Goin to Weep No More (1900)	Harry von Tilzer	Geo. Totten Smith (words) Emma Carus (perf.) Belle Davis (perf.)
He Ain't No Relation O' Mine (1898)	Ned Wayburn(w&m)	Belle Davis (perf.)	Pub.