Jules Bledsoe(1898-1943)

Although he was a famed singer in his time, few of his recordings are in print today, except for his version of "Ol' Man River", which has recently appeared on the CD collection, "The Ultimate 'Show Boat'", and some vintage recordings of black spirituals, which have recently been released on CD. In contrast to such famous African-American singers as Paul Robeson and William Warfield, both of whom also sang and acted the role of Joe in "Show Boat", Bledsoe is practically unknown to modern audiences.