Charlie Burse facts for kids

Charlie Burse (born August 25, 1901 – died December 20, 1965) was an American blues musician. He was famous for playing with the Memphis Jug Band. People called him "Laughing Charlie," "Uke Kid Burse," and "The Ukulele Kid." The "uke" in his nicknames came from the tenor banjo, which was often called a "ukulele-banjo" back then. Later, he played a similar instrument called a tenor guitar.

Who Was Charlie Burse?

Early Life and Moving to Memphis

Charlie Burse grew up in Sheffield, Alabama. His father was a hotel cook, and he had seven brothers and sisters. In the 1920s, Charlie moved to Jackson, where he met his wife, Birdie Crawford. They had three children. In 1928, he moved his family to Memphis, Tennessee.

Charlie could play many musical instruments, like the piano, saxophone, and even spoons. However, he was only recorded playing the guitar, tenor guitar, and mandolin.

Playing Music with the Memphis Jug Band

Charlie Burse was a singer and played many instruments. He recorded over 60 songs with Will Shade's Memphis Jug Band. People said Charlie was very energetic and lively. This was different from Will Shade, who was more organized and business-like. Even so, Charlie became Will Shade's most frequent musical partner and a very important member of the band for many years.

Blues researchers Samuel Charters and Alan Lomax recorded Will Shade and Charlie Burse in the late 1950s. They also appeared on a Memphis TV show called "Blues Street" in 1958. In 1963, they made one of their last recordings, Beale Street Mess-Around. They kept performing together on street corners and at private parties until Charlie passed away. Their music became popular again later in their lives.

Other Music Projects

Charlie Burse also worked on other music projects. In the early 1930s, he was photographed with a group called the Schlitz Jug Band. In 1939, he recorded music as Charlie Burse and His Memphis Mudcats. This group had a more modern sound for a jug band. They used drums instead of a washboard and a bass instead of a jug. They also added a saxophone instead of a harmonica.

In 1950, Charlie made an even more modern, piano-focused song called "Shorty the Barber." This was one of the first songs recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun Studios.

His Influence on Music

Robert Henry, who owned a nightclub in Memphis, said that Charlie Burse inspired Elvis Presley's famous "leg shake" dance move. Henry explained that Elvis would watch Black singers and learn from them. He said Elvis got his "shaking, that wiggle, from Charlie Burse, Ukulele Ike we called him, right there at the Gray Mule on Beale."

Charlie's brother, Robert, also played music. He performed and recorded with the Memphis Jug Band on washboard. He also played washtub bass with the Will Batts Novelty Band. Charlie's nephew, Robert Carter, played guitar with the Memphis Jug Band starting around 1940. He even added electric guitar to their recording session with Alan Lomax in 1959.

Later Life and Legacy

Charlie Burse passed away from heart disease on December 20, 1965. He was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. He was survived by his wife Birdie, his children Charlie Jr., Lucille, and Connie, and seven grandchildren. On May 8, 2019, the Mount Zion Memorial Fund put up a new headstone for Charlie Burse in a special ceremony.