Daisy Tapley facts for kids
Daisy Tapley (1882–1925) was a talented singer and performer. She was born Daisy Robinson in Big Rapids, Michigan. Daisy grew up in Chicago, where she learned to play the piano and organ. She studied with famous music teachers like Emil Liebling and Clarence Eddy.
When she was just twelve years old, Daisy became the main organist at Chicago's Quinn Chapel. She was known as a musical prodigy because of her amazing talent at such a young age. As a teenager, Daisy started training her voice. She was inspired by listening to recordings of the British singer, Clara Butt. On December 7, 1910, Daisy made history. She became the first African American woman to have her voice recorded for sale. This was a duet with another singer named Carroll Clark.
Early Life and Music Career
In 1901, Daisy married Vaudeville musician Henri Green Tapley. They did not have children. In 1903, Daisy and Henri toured Britain with the famous Bert Williams and George Walker Company. They were part of a show called In Dahomey. This was a special play because it was written and performed entirely by Black artists. It was even performed for the royal family at Buckingham Palace in London. It was also the first full-length musical by Black artists to be shown on a major Broadway stage.
While in Britain, Daisy also performed classical piano concerts. She met Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, a Black British composer. She also met her singing hero, Clara Butt. They became close friends. Clara Butt encouraged Daisy to stop performing in vaudeville shows. She told Daisy to focus on her classical music training instead. Daisy took her friend's advice. When she returned to Harlem, she opened a music studio in her apartment. She taught piano and gave voice lessons, which became a successful business. Daisy and Henri Tapley lived in separate homes in Harlem, but they remained married. Minnie Brown, a singer Daisy met in Britain, also lived with her for a time. Minnie traveled and performed in Russia before returning to the U.S.
In 1913, Jesse Shipp directed a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. Daisy Tapley sang the role of Katisha in this show. By 1922, she was performing in plays and recitals at Carnegie Hall in front of mixed audiences.
Working for Change
Daisy Tapley was not only a musician but also cared deeply about social causes. In 1917, she played an important part in the Silent Parade. This was a peaceful march that protested violence against African Americans. It was similar to today's peaceful demonstrations. She also supported the Dyer bill and the Anti-Lynching movement. These efforts aimed to stop violence against Black people. Daisy helped plan events and concerts to raise money for these causes.
When the soldiers of 'the Gallant Fifteenth' returned from Europe in 1919, Daisy was there to help. She was in charge of the soup kitchen at the Y 'Hut' in Harlem. This place had over 200 beds for returning Black servicemen. By the 1920s, Daisy was a well-known singer in New York. She had a global reputation as a classical performer.
Daisy was friends with many famous people of her time. These included Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Scott Joplin, Harry Burleigh, W.E.B. DuBois, James Reese Europe, Alice Dunbar, Will Marion Cook, James Weldon Johnson, and Ada Overton Walker. These were important figures in the early Harlem Renaissance. Daisy also worked closely with Roland Hayes, a young singer she discovered and helped early in his career. They sang together in groups and duets for twenty years. This was a time when African Americans faced many challenges as performers. They often dealt with unfair treatment and prejudice. But Daisy Tapley always kept her high musical standards and personal dignity.
Later Life and Passing
In late 1924, Daisy was rehearsing for an opera when she received sad news. She found out she had ovarian cancer. Daisy Tapley passed away the following February. She was buried in Oakland Cemetery. This was near her summer home in Eastville.
Discography
Audio Recording
I surrender all Tapley, Daisy, performing. Clark, Carroll, performing. Columbia A961. Matrix/Take: 19153/2. Contributor: Clark, Carroll – Van Deventer, Judson W. – Tapley, Daisy – Weeden, W. S. Date: 1910-12-07 (Source- Library of Congress)
See also
- African-American musical theater
- Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones
