Tilly T. was of an earlier generation and she played a mean piano. Her girl friend had a lovely cultured singing voice and together - at a very young age - they embarked on the vaudeville circuit - riding on trains between towns and staying in cheap hotels. She admitted they were scared to death and soon opted for other employment. Tilly began working in a music store in Tin Pan Alley in Manhattan sitting at the upright playing from sheet music. This was in mid 1920s and many homes had pianos for their home entertainment. One day the store manager came to her and said he had a call from a nearby hotel where a popular entertainer was staying who needed a piano player to rehearse. She hustled over and that was when she first played for Al Jolson. Parties at her home were always entertaining and at the end of the evening she would sit at the keyboard and play one of her favorites - with husband Stew singing along:
-"Please play for me that sweet melody called doodle-de-doo -
-I love the rest but the one I love best is doodle-de-doo-
-Simplest thing - nothing much to it - you don't have to sing - just doodle-de-doo it -
-I love it so - wherever I go - I doodle-de-doodle-de - doo."
Tilly was quite a gal!
tjs
Next - September Song
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