Fate Marable facts for kids

Fate Marable (born December 2, 1890 – died January 16, 1947) was an American jazz musician. He was a talented pianist and led his own bands.

Early Life and Music Lessons

Fate Marable was born in Paducah, Kentucky. His mother, Elizabeth Marable, was a piano teacher. She taught Fate how to read music and play the piano. Fate had five brothers and sisters.

Playing on the Riverboats

When Fate was 17, he started playing music on steamboats. These boats traveled along the Mississippi River. He was hired by John and Joseph Streckfus.

One of his jobs was to play a large steam calliope. This instrument uses steam to make loud sounds. The keys were hot and hard to press. The sound was very loud for the musician. Fate wore gloves, earplugs, and rain gear to play it.

Later in 1907, Fate became a bandleader for the Streckfus Line. His band played on a paddlewheeler that sailed between New Orleans, Louisiana and St. Paul, Minnesota. He kept this job for 33 years.

Discovering New Talent

Fate Marable spent many nights in New Orleans clubs. He was always looking for new musicians. This is how he found Louis Armstrong, who played the cornet. Fate asked Louis to join his band for riverboat trips.

A Strict but Helpful Bandleader

As a bandleader, Fate Marable taught his musicians a lot. Many of them played by ear, meaning they didn't read music. Fate taught them how to read sheet music. He expected them to be able to play songs just by looking at the notes.

1920 advertisement for "Moonlight Cruises De Luxe" on a steamer at New Orleans which featured Marable's band.

His former drummer, Zutty Singleton, once said that musicians who joined Fate's band were "going to the conservatory." This meant they would learn a lot about music. Fate helped many musicians improve their skills. After playing with him, they often went on to play with famous bandleaders. These included Cab Calloway, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington.

Fate's bands had to play many types of music. They played everything from fast, exciting songs to calm, classical pieces. Their main goal was to keep the dancers happy. Fate was strict, but he also let musicians show their special talents. For example, he allowed Louis Armstrong to improvise his solos.

Many future jazz stars learned from Fate Marable. Some of these musicians were Red Allen, Baby Dodds, Johnny Dodds, Pops Foster, Errol Garner, and Jimmy Blanton.

In 1916, Fate Marable published one song. It was called Barrell House Rag. He wrote it with Clarence Williams.

Later Life and Death

Fate Marable died from pneumonia in St. Louis, Missouri. He was 56 years old. He is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Paducah, Kentucky.

See also

In Spanish: Fate Marable para niños