Cliff Edwards
Cliff Edwards – born in Hannibal, Missouri on June 14, 1895 – was a singer, musician and actor best known as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in two classic Walt Disney cartoons - Pinocchio (1940) and Fun and Fancy Free (1947) – and as the voice of Dandy (Jim) Crow in Walt Disney’s Dumbo (1941). He grew up in Hannibal, but left school at the age of 14 and moved to St. Louis, Missouri and sang in local saloons. He taught himself to play ukulele and earned the nickname Ukulele Ike, which was given to him by a club owner who couldn’t remember his real name. His first brush with success was the song “Ja-Da”, which was written by pianist Bob Carleton. Both Cliff Edwards and Carleton turned it into a vaudeville hit and he soon became a popular act, eventually performing as part of the infamous Ziegfeld Follies. He began making phonograph records in 1919 and became one of the most popular singers of the 1920s, recording many pop hits including “I’ll See You in My Dreams”, “California, Here I Come”, and many others. He soon branched out and appeared in George and Ira Gershwin’s first Broadway musical Lady be Good in 1924. Cliff Edwards recorded many more hits including “Paddlin’ Madeleine Home” (1925) and “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love” (1928). One of his most popular songs was the original version of “Singin’ in the Rain” (1929), which has become a classic due to later versions of the song. His popularity led directly to the rise of ukulele sales. Cliff Edwards signed with movie studio MGM and appeared in 33 films over the next four years (1929-1933). He also began hosting radio shows in 1932 and would continue to do so until the mid-1940s. However, his popularity began to wane when the public’s attention switched to crooners instead of former vaudeville performers. Although he wasn’t experiencing the same amount of fame, he was asked to voice the character Jiminy Cricket for Walt Disney’s full-length cartoon Pinocchio. Cliff Edwards’ performance of the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” became one of the most beloved musical performances in Disney history. He was then asked to voice the character of Dandy (Jim) Crow, the head crow in Dumbo (1941). While the crow characters were later considered controversial due to racial overtones, his performance of “When I See Elephants Fly” is still considered a classic song in Disney’s large musical catalog. Cliff Edwards’ fame waned in the late 1940s but was revived in the 1950s when Arthur Godfrey popularized the ukulele again. He began performing on television and continuing to voice Jiminy Cricket in several Disney shorts. Cliff Edwards suffered financial problems beginning in the 1930s thanks to gambling, drugs, alcohol, debt, bankruptcies, and three divorces. During his final years, he lived in a home for destitute actors. Cliff Edwards died on July 17, 1971, at the age of 76.
©Copyright Music Story Stephen Schnee 2023
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Jazz Age Chronicles Vol. 11: The Song Hits of 1928
Jazz - Released by Van Up Records on 16 Oct 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My Magic Christmas Songs (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Happy Holidays Recordings on 8 Dec 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My Music My Mood My Soul
Jazz - Released by Classics Works Recordings on 26 Sep 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Vintage Recordings of Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike)
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Take Two on 1 Jan 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ukulele Ike Sings Again
Jazz - Released by Walt Disney Records on 1 Jan 1956
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Ultimate Collection
Jazz - Released by Blues Country Records on 5 Oct 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Oh Lovey Be Mine
Jazz - Released by Jazz League Music on 25 Aug 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All the Best Tracks
Jazz - Released by Classics Works Recordings on 24 Jun 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cliff Edwards - The Essential
Jazz - Released by Vintage Jukebox on 11 May 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Daylights Nightlights Best Songs
Jazz - Released by Daylights Nightlights Recordz TM on 24 Jan 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best Of Christmas Holidays (Fantastic Relaxing Songs)
R&B - Released by Underground Inside Records on 1 Dec 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Me Myself and My Songs
Jazz - Released by Underground Inside Records on 24 Jun 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Listen My Shuffle (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Underground Inside Records on 8 Jul 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My Happy Heaven (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Underground Inside Records on 11 Mar 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Undercurrent
International Pop - Released by Cliff Edwards on 23 Mar 2024
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Through the Years
Country - Released by Cliff Edwards on 23 Mar 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Great Masterpieces Maker
Jazz - Released by Great Masterpieces Maker Recordings Ltd on 19 Mar 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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City Bouncing Uptown
Jazz - Released by City Bouncing Uptown Muzik on 15 Aug 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Buzzy Suite Masters
Jazz - Released by Buzzy Suite Masters Recordzzz on 15 Aug 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo