Cab Calloway (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer and bandleader. His flamboyant clothing, brash personality and top-flight orchestra elevated him to celebrity status in the 1930s, touching off a career that spanned seven decades. His influence can be identified in the work of James Brown, Michael Jackson and numerous contemporary performers who base their styles on flamboyant attire, ultra-confident stage presence and first-rate musical accompaniment. His vocal style, predominantly "scat-singing" can be traced through Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, right up to Jamie Cullum and Veronica Swift.
Born Cabell Calloway III in Rochester New York, he was a precocious youth who managed to finish high school despite his devout interest in horse racing and gambling. Early vocal lessons prepared him for work in touring bands, Chicago night clubs and the inevitable move to New York in 1929. Always the hustler, Calloway took over The Missourians (quickly renamed Cab Calloway and His Orchestra) and settled in to a steady engagement at the Cotton Club while Duke Ellington was on tour. The following year, his biggest hit "Minnie The Moocher" sold a million copies and propelled him to stardom. The ambitious Calloway took on every kind of media opportunity that arose, from radio to film to publishing. His appearance in Stormy Weather drew in new audiences to the Calloway experience:
In the 1930s and 1940s, his stellar band included many of the finest New York musicians: Ben Webster, Illinois Jacquet, Milt Hinton, Danny Barker, Doc Cheatham, Ed Swayze, Cozy Cole, Eddie Barefield, and Dizzy Gillespie.
