Joe Jordan

Born in Cincinnati, Joe Jordan came up in St. Louis and received musical training at the Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City. In 1900, young Jordan performed as fiddler and percussionist with the Taborian Band of St. Louis. He also appeared with Tom Turpin, Sam Patterson, and Louis Chauvin in a singing four piano act. In 1902, he went to New York to collaborate with Ernest Hogan, known in show business as the "Unbleached American." At the beginning of the 20th century, the rapidly developing U.S. entertainment industry was largely founded upon the exploitation of ethnic stereo...