Arnold Wiley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
October 3, 1898
Doc Wiley Arnold Burke Wiley | |
|---|---|
| Born | Arnold Burke Wiley October 3, 1898 New Madrid, Missouri, U.S. |
| Origin | Helena, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | October 1, 1964 (aged 65) |
| Genres | Ragtime, Blues, Rhythm and blues, Boogie-woogie, Stride piano, Jump blues |
| Occupations | Musician, singer, dancer, pianist, actor, political activist |
| Instruments | Piano, vocals |
| Years active | 1910s–1960s |
| Labels | Paramount Records, Brunswick Records, Columbia Records, Sensation Records, King Records, Bullet Records, Ace Records |
| Formerly of | Wiley & Wiley |
Spouse | Bertha Wiley (divorced) |
Arnold Burke "Doc" Wiley (October 3, 1898 – October 1964)[1] was an American ragtime, blues and rhythm and blues musician, actor and political activist from the 1910s to the 1960s. Although Wiley may not have scored any notable hits during his long career, he was notable both for the sheer length of that career, which stretched from the ragtime era to the early years of rock and roll and for his ability to constantly adapt his style to these changing tastes.
Born in New Madrid, Missouri,[2] Wiley ran away from home as a youth to join a Chinese circus where he performed as an acrobat. He later returned to his family and moved to Helena, Arkansas, where he joined the local black ragtime scene as a singer, dancer, and pianist where he played with such figures as Roosevelt Sykes, William Ezell and Jesse Bell. In 1918 he married a singer named Bertha with whom he had a son, Arnold, Jr., the next year. That year Wiley was arrested for theft and served a year in an Arkansas prison before being released. He was in prison in 1920.
Upon release, he returned to the local vaudeville circuit with his wife as Wiley & Wiley, with Arnold playing piano and Bertha singing and dancing. Arnold began taking the name Doc Wiley after a popular baseball player of the Negro leagues. Their material was ragtime-influenced and received good reviews; however, Bertha disliked touring so when Arnold decided to move to Chicago in 1925 she remained behind. Arnold reformed the duo with his sister Irene, thus keeping the name Wiley & Wiley. Bernice was a stronger singer, influenced by the more modern blues singing of Mamie Smith and Arnold's style became similarly more influenced by the boogie-woogie and stride piano styles of Pinetop Smith, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Fats Waller and James P. Johnson. They were soon spotted by Paramount Records talent scout J. Mayo Williams who recruited them for recording sessions backing Jimmy Bryant's Washtub Band.
