George McClennon

George McClennon (died 1937, Chicago, Illinois, United States) was an American jazz clarinetist, singer, and dancer.

McClennon was the adoptive son of Bert Williams and worked in theater revues and in vaudeville in the 1910s. As a clarinetist, he specialized in the style known as gas pipe clarinet, using the instrument to make noises that sounded like animals or sound effects. He was able to dance wildly as he played for comic effect and often performed in blackface. He played with Eddie Heywood and Willie "The Lion" Smith, and recorded with a group called the Harlem Trio and under his own name for Okeh Records in 1924-1926. Sidemen on these recordings included Heywood, Buddy Christian, Bob Fuller, Charlie Irvis, John Lindsay, Tom Morris, and Clarence Williams. He died of tuberculosis in 1937.

Birth and Death Data: Born 19th century, Died 1937

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1926

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, clarinet, composer, vocalist, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 27 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh S-71510 Not documented May 1923 [Unknown title(s)] Harlem Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, clarinet  
OKeh S-71511 10-in. May 1923 Clarinet laughing blues Harlem Trio Clarinet, banjo, and piano instrumentalist, clarinet, composer  
OKeh S-71725 10-in. August 1923 Lady Luck blues Harlem Trio ; Mamie Smith Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, clarinet  
OKeh S-71726 10-in. August 1923 Kansas City man blues Harlem Trio ; Mamie Smith Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, clarinet  
OKeh S-72512 10-in. 5/9/1924 Box of blues George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader, composer  
OKeh S-72513 10-in. 5/9/1924 Dark alley blues George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader, composer  
OKeh S-72524 10-in. May 1924 New Orleans wiggle George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh S-72525 10-in. May 1924 Michigan water blues George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh S-72668 10-in. 7/16/1924 The funny blues Harlem Trio Instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, clarinet  
OKeh S-72669 10-in. 7/16/1924 The poor man's blues Harlem Trio Instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, clarinet  
OKeh S-72863 10-in. Sept. 1924 Muddy waters blues Harlem Trio ; George McClennon Instrumental trio instrumentalist, clarinet, composer  
OKeh S-72864 10-in. Sept. 1924 I ain't gonna blame it on the blues Harlem Trio ; George McClennon Instrumental trio instrumentalist, clarinet, composer  
OKeh S-72922 10-in. Oct. 1924 Bass clarinet blues Harlem Trio ; George McClennon Instrumental trio instrumentalist, clarinet, composer  
OKeh S-73343 10-in. May 1925 Cut throat blues Eddie Heywood ; George McClennon Clarinet solo, with piano instrumentalist, clarinet, composer  
OKeh S-73344 10-in. May 1925 Larkin Street blues Eddie Heywood ; George McClennon Clarinet solo, with piano instrumentalist, clarinet  
OKeh S-73359 10-in. 5/7/1925 Home alone blues George McClennon Jazz Devils ; Eddie Heywood Sr. Jazz/dance band, with piano leader  
OKeh S-73360 10-in. 5/7/1925 Anybody here want to try my cabbage? George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh S-73425 10-in. 6/11/1925 Everybody but me George McClennon Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, leader  
OKeh S-73426 10-in. 6/11/1925 Bologny George McClennon Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader  
OKeh 74177 10-in. 6/18/1926 Stolen kisses (Are the sweetest) George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh 74178 10-in. 6/18/1926 While you're sneakin' out somebody else is easin' in George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh 74320 10-in. Sept. 1926 Pig foot blues George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band leader, composer  
OKeh 74321 10-in. August 1926 Disaster George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, clarinet  
OKeh 74375 10-in. 9/29/1926 Narrow escape George McClennon Jazz Devils Jazz/dance ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, clarinet, vocalist  
OKeh 74377 10-in. 9/29/1926 Cotton Club stomp George McClennon's Jazz Band Jazz/dance band leader, composer  
(Results 1-25 of 27 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McClennon, George," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111967.

McClennon, George. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111967.

"McClennon, George." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111967

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