Confederate Memorial Day With The Bonnie Blue Flag By Polk Miller And His Old South Quartette Blue Amberol Cylinder Record

It is April 26, 2014 and April 26 is Confederate Memorial Day.  This video begins Confederate History Week here at the Michael The Researcher blogspot page.  This first episode is very, very special because you get to hear the voice of an actual Confederate Veteran.  I have for you a Thomas Edison Company Blue Amberol Cylinder Record.  It features "The Bonnie Blue Flag" by Polk Miller And His Old South Quartette.  This song is very incredible for a number of reasons.  Polk Miller, the lead vocalist, was a Confederate Artilleryman in the American Civil War and The Old South Quartette was comprised of four Black males.  Some of them may have been born in slavery or some of them may have had parents who were born in slavery.  In addition, this song may be the very first recording of an integrated band in a studio.  Yes, the song in this video may be the very first example of a White and Black integrated recording session.

The recording of the song "The Bonnie Blue Flag" took place in November of 1909.  The first pressing, in wax, was released in 1910 and the second pressing, in celluloid, was released in 1914.  This video features the 1914 celluloid record.  Both pressings are of the 1909 session.

Despite the great popularity that Polk Miller and The Old South Quartette enjoyed, they faced discrimination in both the South and the North.  At one point, Polk had hired police protection for The Old South Quartette and eventually called it quits.  Polk Miller toured with more than 20 Black males in different versions of The Old South Quartette.  Out of the 20-plus, we only know two names: Randall Graves, the tenor vocalist, and James L. Stamper, the bass vocalist.  As far as I know, both are in this recording and Stamper's bass vocals are featured prominently.  He shines in this song.

Polk Miller eventually passed away in October of 1913.  He lives on through the Sergeant's pet care company. Polk was also a pharmacist and chemist.  He began a pet care named after his favorite hunting dog, Sergeant.  I show two old brochures from the company Polk started in this video.

Since it is the subject of the song, I show a Bonnie Blue Flag replica in this video and I describe the history of it.

The video:


Photographs ...





Here are two Sergeant's brochures from 1927 and 1937 (both make reference to Polk and he can be seen with Sergeant in the 1927 brochure) ...





This final jpeg is a screenshot from youtube's page informing me of a copyright violation:


My response to that nonsense is in this video:


Public Domain information: https://www.pdinfo.com/PD-Song-List/PD-Song-List-Best-B.php
 
I have to give a world of credit to Vimeo for allowing a clear host of this video.  Much thanks.

Full Title: "Confederate Memorial Day With The Bonnie Blue Flag By Polk Miller And His Old South Quartette Blue Amberol Cylinder Record (Catalog Number 2175)"