Crown Prince Waterford
By Marv Goldberg
© 2025 by Marv Goldberg
"Crown Prince" Waterford was another shouter in the mold of Joe Turner and Wynonie Harris. In addition, he either wrote or co-wrote every song he ever recorded.
Solomon Charles Waterford was born on October 26 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The year, however, is more complicated. There are two Social Security records for him: one, when he started collecting, says 1918 and the other, his death record, says 1916 (as does his burial record). However, he claimed, on his World War 2 draft registration, that it was 1917 (and, because he would have been over 21 with any of those years, there was no reason to lie). At least he was consistent with October 26.
His father was the reverend Evans Taylor Waterford; his mother was Annie Jackson, a teacher. While later reports said that his parents encouraged his singing, it's hard to believe that a minister would condone that "devil's music" we listen to.
His siblings were Evanna (who'd become a somewhat well-known pianist/vocalist, as "Evanna Cotton"), George, Lois, and Anna.
In the 1920 census (taken as of January 1), the family lived in Stuttgart, Arkansas, some hundred miles from Jonesboro. Solomon was said to be 4, meaning a birth year of 1915. By the 1930 census (as of April 1), they'd moved again, this time to North Little Rock. Solomon was reported to be 13 this time, indicating a birth year of 1916.
Always on the move, by 1935, the family had moved to Oklahoma City.
In 1936, he supposedly joined Leslie Sheffield's Rhythmaires, a popular territory band that was a fixture at Oklahoma City's Rhythm Club. The band included guitarist Charlie Christian, bassist Abe Bolar, and drummer Monk McFay. However, there's nothing in the press at the time that mentions Waterford as a vocalist.
While he was born "Solomon Charles Waterford", for whatever reasons, he ended up calling himself "Charles Evans Waterford", until becoming a minister himself, in 1965, when he reverted to Solomon. To keep it simple, I'll refer to him as Charles or Prince from here on. And, I'm sure you have no idea how many people whose last name was "Charles", lived in a town called "Waterford". Thus, there are hundreds of newspaper articles concerning [first name] Charles, Waterford [pick a state] that I had to wade through.
We're going to a wedding! As "Charles Waterford", he married Stenola Watkins on March 14, 1937 in Oklahoma City. He said he was 21, which would, again, mean a birth year of 1915. Without an actual birth certificate, we'll never really know what year he was born.
An article in the March 18, 1937 Oklahoma City Black Dispatch talked about a case of mistaken identity. Joe Louis was in town and attended a movie in a local theater. Of course a crowd gathered outside the theater. Then:
After more than two hours of waiting, the crowd mistook Charles Waterford, entertainer with Ted Armstrong's orchestra, for Joe Louis and nearly swept him off his feet. Then the discouraging word that Louis had left the building by a rear exit went the rounds.
This is the only mention of Waterford being the vocalist with tuba player Ted Armstrong's orchestra, but it's something that's not in any biography of the Crown Prince.
The 1938 City Directory for Oklahoma City has "Chas Waterford (Stenola)" as a porter at the local Auto Hotel.
Most biographies say that Charles Waterford joined Andy Kirk's Clouds Of Joy in the late 30s and early 40s, but Pha Terrell was their vocalist then and was recording with them through at least 1940. Terrell left the band in August 1940, but he was with them again in January 1941 (and March); gone again in April, but back for a while in early 1942. Again, there's not a single ad or blurb from the time linking Andy Kirk and Charles Waterford; it was only mentioned for the first time in mid-1943. By that time, he was already a corporal in the army, so whenever he was with Kirk, it couldn't have been for long (although you know, if you've read many of my articles, that if a singer spent a single day with a famous band, he/she would capitalize on it forever).
The 1940 census found Charles and Stenola Waterford in Oklahoma City. He's 23 (therefore born in 1916), an entertainer in clubs, and born in Arizona!?!?! (I imagine that particular census-taker was even more hard-of-hearing than usual.)
On October 16, 1940 (World War 2 Draft Registration Day), "Charles Evans Waterford" registered with the draft. He said he was born on October 26, 1917 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He's "not working" and lived in Minneapolis. He gave Stenola ("wife") as the "Person Who Will Always Know Your Address", but she now lived in Peoria, Illinois.
The Ink Spots, along with Harry James, were at Minneapolis' Orpheum Theater the week starting November 22, 1940. That day's Minneapolis Spokesman had an article titled "Search For Best Men's Quartet; Ink Spots To Be Judges Of Contest":
The four Ink Spots appearing in Minneapolis beginning Friday, Nov. 22, will act as judges to determine outstanding local men's vocal quartet.
The famous Ink Spots will act as judges at auditions held at radio station WDGY. The quartet which imitates the style of the Ink Spots best will be presented at all performances at the Orpheum Theatre Thursday, November 28.
Quartets who would like to enter the contest may do so by calling Mrs. M. D. Himmelman, CHerry 4417, director of Minneapolis Beautiful Inc., who with the cooperation of the Orpheum, the Ink Spots and the radio station, will conduct the contest.
Mrs. Himmelman told this newspaper that the Ink Spots got their first chance at a similar contest and she hopes some Twin City groups get the same kind of a break.
Any Twin City men's vocal quartet which thinks it is good will have a chance to prove it and possibly obtain a local engagement and broadcast when the Ink Spots come to Minneapolis to play an engagement at a local theatre. A contest open to all local sepia men's quartets will be held.
Remember, Charles was in Minneapolis at this time; this is from the November 29, 1940 St. Paul (Minnesota) Recorder:
The Ink Spots chose four youths, trained by Jeanette Dorsey, as the best Twin City quartet Wednesday.
The winning quartet, the Four Notes, is composed of Harry Davis, David Faison, Henry Majors, and Charles Waterfall [sic], and were auditioned by the Ink Spots as arranged by Mrs. M. D. Himmelman of WDGY.
They will broadcast at 5 p. m. next Tuesday, Dec. 3, over WDGY [on a program called "Twilight Tunes"]. They will appear for one week at Curly's, a downtown Minneapolis night club.
This was in the December 10 Minneapolis Star:
The Four Notes, local quartet who won the Ink Spots Orpheum contest, and who are now having their first professional engagement at Curly's cafe, do a version of "We Three" that's on a par with the Ink Spots' recording of the tune. And they bring down the house with it, too.
The December 13 Minneapolis Spokesman followed up:
The Four Notes, Henry Majors, David Faison, Harry Davis, and Charles Waterford, under the direction of Jeannette Dorsey, are doing too fine [sic], singing at Curley's Bar. You know the boys won a contest sponsored by the Ink Spots and are now their proteges.
Should I mention that these 4 Notes were never heard from again?
It's now a year later and this appeared in the November 8, 1941 Oklahoma City Black Dispatch, talking about goings on in Shawnee, Oklahoma:
Services were much enjoyed all day Sunday at Bethel A.M.E. church. Mr. Chas. Evans Waterford, son of Dr. and Mrs. E. T. Waterford, was present in the service, which brought much joy to his parents. Mr. Charles E. Waterford is here from Minneapolis, Minn., visiting relatives. He spent a few days in Oklahoma City with his brother, Mr. George D. Waterford, and also went to Langston University to visit his sister, Miss Annie Mae Waterford. Mr. Charles Waterford is a fine baritone singer and also directs an orchestra. Miss Lois Waterford accompanied her brother to Langston University.
Strangely worded (they obviously wanted to see how many times they could place the word "Waterford" in a single paragraph), but it accounts for his whole family, other than sister Evanna. While it says he "directs an orchestra", it doesn't mention Andy Kirk, very famous at the time, either as a past or present employer.
Charles' wife, Stenola, remarried in June 1943, but I can't find a divorce record from either 1941 or 1942.
There's no mention at all of Charles Waterford in 1942. This has to be the time he was with Andy Kirk, but I can't prove it.
The July 31, 1943 Afro-American had an article about a show called "Till Taps" at Camp Blanding, Florida:
"Till Taps", a musical revue with a cast of colored soldiers from the 559th Quartermaster Battalion, drew plaudits of a capacity mixed audience of soldiers and officers in Camp Blanding's open air theater recently.
Hailed as the equal of any entertainment staged by USO traveling units or divisions, with ten times the number of soldiers to draw from, "Till Taps", boasting seven Virginia boys, gave the audience a two-and-a-half-hour performance.
Sparkling variety numbers which pleased the huge crowd included solos by Cpl. Frederic Thomas, nationally known concert baritone, and Cpl. Charles Waterford, a native of Chicago, formerly a featured singer with Andy Kirk's orchestra.
The July 31 New York Age added: He "took many rounds of applause for his rendition of 'Rose Ann Of Charing Cross'."
I'm making the assumption that the soldiers appeared in uniform, so that his rank as a corporal would be apparent. If he was already a corporal by July 1943, he couldn't have been with Kirk for long; the only real time would have been briefly in 1942. (Remember, in November 1941, he was just someone who lived in Minneapolis.)
The June 22, 1945 St. Paul Recorder had a blurb about someone who'd just returned from the West Coast. "... on her way home she visited in Los Angeles and met many former Minneapolitans [including] ... Charles Waterford, who was quite a singer around here ...." So now, we know he was there in 1945, possibly visiting his sister, Evanna Waterford Cotton, who was performing on the Coast in 1944-5.
The October 13, 1945 Billboard article said that pianist/singer/bandleader Jay McShann had recorded for Philo records in Los Angeles and that his sides "won't be released for several weeks". One of those recordings would feature Charles Waterford.
Although Waterford recorded with Jay McShann in 1945, there's nothing else linking them up to that time. In May & June, McShann was in the Midwest. He was back out West in July (northern California and Seattle), but his vocalist was Walter Brown. He wasn't in Los Angeles until late August, and by mid-September, he was in Lincoln, Nebraska, then Missouri in October. Therefore, the Los Angeles recordings would have been made in August 1945, possibly very early September.
Waterford's Philo recording session with Jay McShann only produced a single tune ("Merry-Go-Round-Blues", which he wrote, along with McShann). At this time, McShann also backed up Jimmy Witherspoon and Numa Lee Davis on Philo recordings.
In October 1945, Philo issued "Merry-Go-Round-Blues", credited to Jay McShann & His Jazz-Men, with a vocal by "Crown Prince" Charlie. The flip was a McShann instrumental, "Bad Tale Boogie". It was first advertised in Billboard's November 10 edition. This is the first instance of his "Crown Prince" title.
With Charles now traveling with Jay McShann and Jimmy Witherspoon, they hit Jefferson City, Missouri in early October. Only 130 miles to the east was St. Louis, where they recorded a couple of songs, for Premier Records, with Charles in the lead: "Garfield Avenue Blues" (about a street in Chicago) and "Crown Prince Boogie". Note that in the middle of "Garfield", during McShann's piano solo, Charles says "play it for the Prince". At the same session, they waxed "Hootie Boogie", led by McShann (whose nickname was "Hootie") and "Shipyard Woman Blues", fronted by Jimmy Witherspoon. Both of Charles' songs had been written by him and McShann.
In November, Premier released all four tunes: "Garfield Avenue Blues", backed by "Hootie Boogie" and "Crown Prince Boogie", coupled with "Shipyard Woman Blues". They were credited to Jay McShann's Sextet, with no vocalist credit on the labels. ("Hootie Boogie" was credited to the "Boogie Woogie Trio - Jay McShann - piano solo".)
In 1946, Philo changed its name to Aladdin Records, and many, if not all, of the Philo records were reissued on Aladdin in early 1946 (with the same record numbers). I suppose that "Merry-Go-Round-Blues" could have been one of them. I can't find a label, but a May 1946 distributor ad seems to indicate that it was.
In March 1946, Mercury Records reissued the first of their Premier discs. The second one would follow in April.
On March 16, the Jay McShann Orchestra, featuring Jesse Price (World's Flashiest Drummer) and Crown Prince Charlie (Merry-Go-Round Blues Sensation) were at the City Auditorium in St. Joseph, Missouri. This is the first time he's in an advertisement as "Crown Prince".
When they played the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City on March 24, 1946, the Kansas City Call of March 22 said:
Featured with the band will be Charles Waterford, billed, according to his fans, as "America's Greatest Blues Shouter". [Or, at least, according to the band's publicist.]
The March 23 Billboard reviewed "Garfield Avenue Blues". The problem is: they identified the flip as "Kansas City Boogie", a song which it doesn't seem like McShann ever recorded; it should have been "Hootie Boogie".
Jay McShann and bass and drums jump right into a real K.C. groove on this one, with trio's efforts rating more than ordinary attention, not only musically, but because of some lusty exhorting by a Negro voice in the background. Blues side, done by an unidentified but very spirited shouter, has McShann's piano and sextet playing background for a tune all about Chi's well-known Southside thorofare.
"Garfield Avenue Blues" is the better bet of these two race numbers.
On April 12, 1946 the band (with Waterford and Witherspoon) was at the Paradise Theater (Detroit) for a week. Also there was T-Bone Walker.
By the summer of 1946, Waterford had left McShann. He was now living in Chicago, where he recorded "Girl Friend Blues" and "Satisfied Blues" (backed by Freddie Williams' orchestra) for the local Hy-Tone label. The tunes were released (as "Crown Prince" Charlie Waterford, Freddie Williams And His Orchestra) in August (it was first advertised in early September). Although the label called him "Charlie", the ad had "Charles".
We're going to a wedding! As Charles Waterford, he married Dorothy Jackson on December 3, 1946 in Toledo. The license said he lived in Chicago and was a vocalist.
On March 13, 1947, Charles recorded four songs for the Aladdin label, backed up by Gerald Wilson And His Band: "The "Prince" Strikes Back", "Washboard Blues", "Whistler's Blues", and "Undercover Blues". Although there are no ads for him in California at this time, the Gerald Wilson Band was there in late February, so I guess that's where they were done.
The March 15, Oklahoma City Black Dispatch had this to say about Charles:
"Charles Waterford", a home town boy, got his start up at Slaughter's hall. We heard him for "two-bits" a throw, he was here last year, we paid, you and I, $1.25.
And then, Aladdin started releasing the songs. "The 'Prince' Strikes Back", coupled with "Whistler's Blues" and "Washboard Blues", backed with "Undercover Blues" were all released in May, on Aladdin's 500 series. The same couplings were also released again in August, this time on Aladdin's 100 series. They're all credited to "Crown Prince Waterford With Gerald Wilson And His Band".
In mid-August, both Charles and Gerald Wilson were appearing at the Club Alabam in Los Angeles, along with the Treniers. He was advertised as "Charles Waterford - Prince Of Blues". [Earlier that year, the Alabam had been sold off to satisfy the debts of co-owner Curtis Mosby (brother of Esvan Mosby of the 3 Chocolateers). He was found guilty of bankruptcy fraud in April and sentenced to three years in jail. The club would re-open on May 30.]
Some more recording in Los Angeles. On November 19, 1947, Charles waxed eight sides for the Capitol label: "Weeping Willow Blues", "Move Your Hand, Baby", "Coal Black Baby", "Crown Prince Blues", "Strange Woman's Boogie", "L.A. Blues", "Leaping Boogie", and "P.I. Blues".
The December 3, 1947 Down Beat told us that "Prince" Waterford had been signed to Capitol's Americana label. Interestingly, he was identified in the blurb as "Solomon (Crown Prince) Waterford, son of an Arkansas minister." This is the first time in 10 years that "Solomon" was used. However, the blurb then went on to get it wrong: "The Crown Prince's first side for Cap is PI Blues, a social narrative, backed by a rhythm section and one horn. Waterford previously worked with Jay McShann."
As it turned out, "P. I. Blues" was the last side issued by Capitol. They started in December, with "Weeping Willow Blues" and "Move Your Hand, Baby" on Capitol Americana. The record was mentioned in the December 27 Los Angeles Tribune.
On December 21, there was a benefit show at L.A.'s Jordan High School for the Deputy Auxiliary Police of the Watts section of Los Angeles. Jackie Robinson would be there, as well as Hadda Brooks, Pete Johnson & Joe Turner, C.P. Johnson, Joe Liggins, Dexter Gordon, Mantan Moreland, Esvan Mosby, Peg Leg Bates, Clarence Muse, Mabel Scott, and Charles Waterford.
The Amarillo (Texas) Daily News of January 2, 1948 said that Crown Prince Waterford was new on Capitol. However, they said he was 24, which would mean a birth year of 1924. Nope. They reviewed the record as follows:
His greatest talents lie in his uninhibited style and performance. Top side on his initial disk is "Move Your Hand, Baby", primeval blues shouting backed by spectacular rhythm work. "Weeping Willow Blues" on the coupling is another excellent example of spontaneity captured and held throughout with strong rhythm backing.
It was also reviewed in the January 3 Billboard:
Move Your Hand, Baby (70): Off-color for jocks. Race jukes should get nickel play here.
Weeping Willow Blues (69): Shout style blues vocal. Repetitious piano plunking hurts disk.
For some reason, Aladdin chose to re-release "Washboard Blues", backed with "Undercover Blues" on their 3000 series around January 1948.
Still in Los Angeles, Charles participated in a "Battle Of The Blues" at the Elks Auditorium on February 8. With the Gene Phillips Orchestra playing, he sang "against" Wynonie Harris, Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Joe Turner, and Clarence Samuels. This event would be mentioned ad nauseum in the future.
The February 25, 1948 Down Beat reported on censorship in Memphis. The city's Vice Mayor (probably mayor in charge of vice) ordered the police to confiscate and smash all copies of "Move Your Hand, Baby", Billy Hughes' "Take Your Hand Off It", and Amos Milburn's "Operation Blues". They didn't stop there, said the article:
The commissioner took advantage of the situation to commend highly Lloyd Binford, head of the Memphis censorship board, whose action in banning New Orleans because of Louis Armstrong's prominent role, and other motion picture deletions of Pearl Bailey, Lena Horne, Rochester, and Farina of "Our Gang" have resulted in nation-wide publicity. Binford also prohibited the local showing of Annie Get Your Gun because of Negros in the cast. Boyle [the commissioner] said "Binford deserves a monument . . . for trying to clean up the picture show business."
And yet, Tennessee is still part of the United States.
In March, Capitol Americana issued "Coal Black Baby" (probably not destined to be #1 on the Memphis Hit Parade), coupled with "Crown Prince Blues".
The Wendell Wilkie Chapter Of The American Veterans Committee, held a fund-raising dance, on March 14, 1948, at the Elks Auditorium in Los Angeles. It featured two bands: Joe Lutcher & His Society Cats and Jonas Hodge & His Jumpin' Five. As a special feature, there was a "crowning" of "King" Jimmy Witherspoon, "Crown Prince" Charles Waterford, and Smiley Turner. (I don't know what kind of "crown" Turner got; there was no title associated with him.) By August, Turner was with Lorenzo Flennoy, and, as I said in my Flennoy Trio article:
Smiley is one of these performers whose nickname is so engrained in everyone's mind that his real name has been lost to history. Even BMI has him listed as Smiley Turner.
On June 25, 1948, Charles started an engagement at Club Zanzibar in Phoenix. Also on the bill was Rudy Pitts And His Harlem Blazes (Pitts would join the Hollywood 4 Blazes in 1950). The show continued over the July 4 holiday.
In July, Capitol released two more Crown Prince Waterford tunes, this time on the parent label: "Strange Woman's Boogie", backed with "L. A. Blues". [This paring would also be issued on Telefunken Capitol, in Germany, probably in 1952.]
The disc was reviewed in the August 7, 1948 Cash Box and the August 11 Down Beat:
(CB - no ratings): The shouting, rushing voice of Charles (Crown Prince) Waterford, with great boogie accompaniment behind him, turns this one into a disk loaded with great potential. "Strange Woman's Boogie" is bound to jam many a juke box with extra coin. Vocal refrain is pleasant enough and fills the ether in effective manner. On the flip, with an ode to Los Angeles, Waterford steps out with "L. A. Blues". Slow moody tempo displayed here is a cinch to clinch with those Central Avenue stops. Both sides rate your listening time.
Strange Woman's Boogie (DB; 2 stars): Boogie is shouted by the thin-voiced Prince, one of whose discs was banned recently in Memphis . . . which may be the musical equivalent of being stifled by Boston's literary censors. Good tenor [sax], rough piano, slipshod recording.
L. A. Blues (DB; 2 stars, which meant "tepid"): Piano is more interesting on Blues. Lyrics are four-beat calypso, and not too inventive.
I've found, over the years, that Down Beat was pretty down on R&B recordings, only usually having good things to say about the instrumentation.
In November 1948, Capitol issued "Leaping Boogie", backed with "P. I. Blues", once again on the parent label.
These were reviewed in the November 20 Billboard (although they showed up in its Advance Record Releases column on December 13) and the December 1 Down Beat:
Leaping Boogie (BB; 58): Tedious and slipshod jump blues.
P. I. Blues (BB; 80): Clever but strongly suggestive blues. Lyric consists of instructions a practitioner of the second oldest profession gives to his employee. Could get strong juke and counter action.
(DB; two stars each): The Prince's brand of gin mill music is as rough as [Freddie] Slack's is smooth and will please some boogie fans more, some less, depending on how polished or how au naturel they like it. His majesty is also a shouter of the blues and he speaks his mind early in Leaping and most of the way in the slower P.I.
On November 14, 1948, the Prince appeared at the Atlas Theater in Seattle. He was part of Mabel Franklin's "Gigantic Jive Revue", which had Vee And Dee, August Mae, and (my personal favorites) "many other acts".
He was still on the West Coast on June 4, 1949, when he recorded four songs for King Records: "You Turned Your Back On Me", "Pow-Wow Boogie", "(If I Had My Life To Live) All Over Again", and "Get Away From That Door". The latter tune sometimes appears, incorrectly, as "Get Away From My Door", but he copyrighted the song as "That" and clearly says it.
King released "You Turned Your Back On Me" and "Pow-Wow Boogie" in July (as "Charles Waterford").
There's nothing else at all about him in 1949; not a single appearance that I can find.
On March 15, 1950, he was back in Ohio, recording another four songs for King in Cincinnati: "I'm Sweet On You", "Kissing Bug Boogie", "Hard Driving Woman", and "Time To Blow".
The April 1950 census is a wretched mess. Charles E. Waterford ("blues singer - night club") is enumerated in Chandler, Oklahoma. Presumably he wasn't around and someone else gave the information, what little there was of it. In the "Race" column, the answer was "2"; in the "Sex" column, the answer was "1"; in the "How old was he on his last birthday" column, the answer was "30" (therefore born in 1920); in the marital status column, the answer was "5"; in the "State Of Birth" column, the answer was left blank; in the "What Was This Person Doing Last Week" column, the answer was "1". In the "How Many Hours Did He Work Last Week" column, the answer was "25". The people above him had normal answers; the two people below him (not part of the same household) were just as messed up. He, and the other two, were just below a line that said "Persons transferred from [illegible]". Not terribly useful.
In mid-May, he was at the Macon Lounge in Columbus, Ohio. Also there was his sister, Evanna Cotton, a vocalist/pianist. Right after that, it was the Manhattan, also in Columbus. The May 24, 1950 Ohio State News (Columbus) said:
Crown Prince Waterford sang everything from "Confessin' The Blues" to "Piney Brown".
And:
Evannah [sic] Cotton was making with the ivories and the throaty ditties (she's so nice).
But, only a few days later, on May 27, he was at the Loop Lounge in Cleveland.
In June, King issued "Hard Driving Woman", coupled with "Kissing Bug Boogie". Unfortunately, the label called him Charles "Corwn [sic] Prince" Waterford. (At least they got all the letters correct.)
Early July found him at the Cafe Tia Juana in Cleveland. The July 8, 1950 Cleveland Call And Post said:
Tia Juana patrons this week were raving over a new personality! Sweeping in from a long engagement at Slim Jenkins' in Oakland, California [for which there were no ads], the sensational Charles Waterford, billed as "Crown Prince Of The Blues", swept Tia Juana patrons off their seats Saturday night, and has continued to thrill holiday crowds at Cleveland's most beautiful nitery.
Waterford, a former blues shouter with Jay McShann's orchestra, and a King recording artist, has become nationally popular with his two latest recordings, "Kissing Bug Boogie" and "You Turned Your Back On Me", two of the numbers he is currently featuring for Tia Juana patrons.
He was still there August 12, when the Call And Post said he was attracting record crowds. The August 19 Call told us that he was held over for another two weeks. He was then supposed go to Kansas City and form his own band (something he vowed to do many times over the years). He was due to play the Municipal Auditorium in K.C. before going out on the road for 52 one-night stands in the South and West. As you'll soon see, none of that happened.
What did happen is that King issued "I'm Sweet On You", backed with "Time To Blow" in September (this time, correctly, as Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford).
So much for the South and West. September 23 found him in Detroit, at the Frolic Show Bar. Strangely, the September 23 Michigan Chronicle said he was from San Francisco (possibly talking about that engagement in Oakland).
By mid-November, he was back at the Cafe Tia Juana in Cleveland. His sister was there too (as "Evanti Cotton - Piano Songstress"; for some reason, she was often billed under that name).
Still in Cleveland, he opened at the Lucky Bar on December 29, 1950. This time, he actually had a band: the Four Crowns. The December 30 Call And Post gave us all the details we need on them (and the first sentence below is all sic):
The Waterford aggregation features Benny Miller, tenor sax; who wrote "Jimmy's Blues", piano; Bobby Smith, drums and the greatest bass player in the country. [They seem to have left out the name of the pianist who wrote "Jimmy's Blues". There was a pianist named Nat Walker who wrote a song called "Jimmy's Blues", probably for guitarist Jimmy Shirley. Then, there was a James Sanders who copyrighted a "Jimmy's Blues" in June 1949. Also, after talking about "the greatest bass player in the country", they forgot to name him too. It's time to call in the Proofreader Death Squad.]
Back to Detroit's Frolic Show Bar in early February 1951, this time along with Little Miss Cornshucks. He was called the MC, as well as a blues singer.
In April, it was Little Sam's Bar in Detroit for a long engagement, lasting until the end of August. Remember that Battle Of The Blues from February 1948? The April 12, 1951 Michigan Chronicle did:
It was on the West Coast, in Los Angeles, that Waterford hit his first note of fame. In a big blues battle held in the Los Angeles Elks Hall, he scored a ringing triumph over three other top nationally known blues singers, Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Joe Turner. [While it was characterized as a "battle", nothing at the time ever said who won, or even if there was a winner. I mentioned the fund-raiser on March 14, 1948 where Charles was crowned "Crown Prince"; at the same time, Jimmy Witherspoon was crowned "King" What does that tell us? However, this will be repeated down through the years.]
His first Detroit appearance was at the Graystone Ballroom, where he sang with the band of Andy Kirk. He returned to the Motor City later to be on a dance program with the band of Jay McShann. [Between 1939 and 1942, there were only two appearances of Kirk at the Graystone Ballroom; neither mentioned Charles. The most likely one was the week of June 5, 1942.]
We're going to a wedding! As long as he was in Detroit, Charles Evans Waterford married Rosemary Watts there on May 14, 1951. But wait until we get to 1952.
In September, it was back to the Cafe Tia Juana in Cleveland, where he was the MC, as well as a singer. On November 9, "Crown Prince Waterford And His Five Crowns" opened at the Club Leonard in Oklahoma City. The November 3 Black Dispatch, in talking about that upcoming show, said:
His many appearances have included the Apollo Theater, the Regal in Chicago, the Paradise in Detroit, and the Million Dollar Theater in Los Angeles. He was the first blues singer to appear at the beautiful Streets Of Paris in Hollywood. [I suppose he might have been with Andy Kirk when the band played the Apollo Theater the week of May 1, 1942, but his name wasn't mentioned. On the other hand, neither was Pha Terrell's.]
By mid-November he was at the Orchid Room in Kansas City.
The December 29, 1951 Oklahoma Black Dispatch had this:
Prof. and Mrs. G. D. Waterford [Charles' brother George], of Oklahoma City, had for their guests on Thanksgiving day, Rev. and Mrs. E. T. Waterford [Charles' parents], ... Crown Prince Charles Waterford and his wife, Mrs. Rose Mary [sic] Waterford.
Around January 1952, a couple of Crown Prince Waterford tunes were released on Torch, a Dallas label: "Eatin' Watermelon" and "Love Awhile". Both had been written by Waterford and McShann. "Eatin' Watermelon" had been copyrighted (as "Eating Watermelon") on November 8, 1949. I have no idea when and where they were recorded. There's only one recorded instance of him being in Texas (in late 1952), but never in Dallas. Dave Penny writes: "I understand [these] to be two unissued L.A. Supreme or Swing-Time masters from 1949, recorded with McShann's band, and acquired by Torch after the event."
When he appeared at Kansas City's Orchid Room, the April 4, 1952 Call had this:
Crown Prince Waterford, sensational blues singer, stages a welcome return to Kansas City next week, when he opens for a limited engagement at the Orchid Room. 12th and Vine Sts., Monday.
Crown Prince is best known for his fast-selling recording of "Merry-Go-Round Blues", which he waxed with Kay Cee's Jay McShann.
Now on a cross country tour of major night clubs, Waterford also has appeared at the Chicago and Regal theaters in Chicago, and the Paradise theater in Detroit. He recently waxed four new discs [they mean songs] in Chicago, which are expected to be released soon. These new tunes will be featured nightly during his Orchid Room appearance, which includes matinee performances on Saturday and Monday. [I have no idea what songs they might have been talking about. Nothing was released in 1952 other than those Torch tunes.]
Crown Prince is a native of Oklahoma and the son of a Baptist minister. Perhaps that accounts for his original style of blues-shouting, rendered with such true feeling on his original compositions.
Remember when he married Rosemary Watts back in May 1951? Well, being a singer is exhausting, especially for one who travels around a lot. Therefore, it's always possible to forget a few tiny details. The April 6, 1952 Toledo Blade (date verified) had this in the "Divorces Asked" column:
Dorothy Waterford, 1604 Collingwood Blvd., from Charles Waterford, address unknown.
[What's "bigamy" mean, daddy?]
The April 11 Kansas City Call talked about him at the Orchid Room:
Crown Prince Waterford, nationally famous blues singer, now playing a return engagement at the Orchid Room, is really "doing 'em up" in a big way at that popular 12th Street super-nitery.
Waterford's large selection of "pops" and original blues is paced by his "Merry-Go-Round Blues," a tune that's proved a best-seller on wax and one that rocks the house every night.
I don't know when he left the Orchid Room, but he returned there, for an indefinite run, starting with the July 4th holiday. Supposedly, he was to sing a new composition, "Library Of Blues", but this wasn't a song he would ever record or even copyright.
Wandering into the wilds of Texas, he seems to have put together a troupe that played College Inn Skateland, in Corsicana, on November 29, 1952.
Then, back to Cleveland, where he appeared at Jack's Musical Bar. The April 25, 1953 Cleveland Call And Post had a large article:
Royalty has come to Jack's Musical Bar . . . Royalty of the musical world, in the person of Crown Prince Waterford, composer, recording artist and singer of the blues in one of the most powerful voices of our times.
Big, handsome in his finely tailored full dress suits (they are in various colors), Waterford carries himself in a princely manner. Whether he acquired the "Crown Prince" from his regal bearing or whether the bearing is inspired by the title is not known to this reporter, but Waterford has them both - the title and the princely bearing.
Appearing with the "Tune Twisters", a smooth combination of local lads, the Crown Prince is as impressive in this engagement as he has been in previous appearances here. [They were a band that played at Jack's, not his band.]
The big blues man has not been in Cleveland for more than a year. His last stand here was made at the Tia Juana, then he left on a tour of the south and of California with his own band and floor show.
He recently disbanded his orchestra and now is booked as a single at several of the mid-west's better niteries.
The Crown Prince some time ago was a vocalist with the Jay McShann band and is well remembered for his recordings. "Merry Go Round Blues" and Garfield Avenue Blues" as well as for his "I'm Confessing the Blues" [actually, recordings of that tune featured Walter Brown and Jimmy Witherspoon, not the Prince].
Waterford will feature his latest recordings and several of his own compositions during his stay at Jack's Bar, 6608 Cedar Ave., at Clarkwood Rd.
The singer is featured this week in a "command performance" Friday night and in repeat performances twice on Saturday, in the matinee session from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., and in the evening's regular show, 9 p.m. until the closing hour.
Proud of his reputation and of his profession, Waterford is even more proud of the fact that he was declared the winner in a "Battle of the Blues" staged recently [well, 1948] in California. The "Battle" threw him. into competition with some of the nation's greatest blues artists.
He was held over for another week at Jack's, where he sang that new hit: Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog".
Prince left Jack's after the June 13 show; he'd been there nearly two months. The Cleveland Call And Post of that date said: "Waterford plans to go west for a recording session with MGM [which never happened]."
Instead, he checked into Cleveland's Club Congo. He was first mentioned there on July 25. On August 14-16, 1953, he was at Cleveland's Club 88.
We're going to a wedding! As long as he was in Cleveland, he married Lillie Johnson there on September 16, 1953, this time as Solomon C. Waterford. I can't find a divorce record from Rosemary; I hope he remembered this time. He said he was 36, which leads us back to a birth year of 1916. (Of course, that assumes that he said he was 36 on October 26, 1952, and not that he was kind of 36, since his birthday was the following month.)
June 10, 1954 found him at Club Moonglo in Buffalo, New York. Nothing more until October, when he was back at Cleveland's Club Congo. The October 16 Cleveland Call And Post had this:
Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford, of the blues-shouting aristocracy, mounted the throne at the Club Congo Monday night for a scheduled one-week's reign, but ruled so well that Babe Brondfield, Congo owner, has signed him through next week too. That means he will team up with the Jimmy Saunders orchestra, which opens at the Congo Monday, replacing Fats" Austin and his Rhythmania Quartet, which has held the fort there for six weeks.
A native Oklahoman, member of a musical family, "Crown Prince" has been in show business 15 years. He first appeared in Cleveland at the Tia Juana Cafe several seasons ago and since that date has worked in most of this town's better clubs. He did his ground work with Jay McShann, recording "Confessin' The Blues" [no, he didn't] and "Merry Go Round Blues" with that band. He also has sung with Andy Kirk.
The Club Congo date is his first in Cleveland since his return from a tour which took him to Rochester, N. Y., Toronto, Canada, and the top clubs of Buffalo. [Ever notice how, in these blurbs, all the places a singer plays are the best there are? Never a single dive.]
The October 23, 1954 Cleveland Call And Post said he was off to Rochester, New York:
'Crown Prince' Waterford, majestic blues shouter who closes a two week's engagement at the Club Congo, 4410 Woodland Ave., this Sunday [October 24], has signed a contract with a Rochester, N. Y. night club and will report there late next week.
One of the nation's foremost blues singers, 'Crown Prince' Waterford in 1947 won a "Battle of the Blues" in a contest with Wynonie Harris, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Joe Turner, all recognized as top men in that field. [It was in early 1948, and, again, nothing at the time said there was a "winner".]
The contest was held in Los Angeles at Elks Hall there, and Waterford won it hands down.
He has sung with Jay McShann and with Andy Kirk, making recordings with McShann. He is under contract with Capitol Records. [I'm sure that had lapsed by now; his only recording session for them was in November 1947.] In Cleveland he has appeared at the Tia Juana, The Club Ebony, and at Jack's Musical Bar, besides his current engagement at the Club Congo.
One of the best costumed men in show business, Waterford has dozens of stage outfits, including full dress suits, in gold, white, yellow, green, and red. A handsome big man, he makes a fine stage appearance.
On February 4-6, 1955 he appeared at the Ebony Room in Niagara Falls, NY. By mid-April, he was at the Royal Peacock in Atlanta.
Sometime in mid-1955, he made a couple of recordings for the Excello label: "Driftwood Blues" and "I'm Gonna Do Right"; they were released around September, but not reviewed until the January 7, 1956 Cash Box:
I'm Gonna Do Right (no rating printed): Crown Prince Waterford wails a slow blues with an effective reading. Down home material that will find its best markets in the south.
Driftwood Blues (B): Similar slow wailing blues effectively performed by Waterford. The Crown Prince is moaning about the mess he ran into with his troublesome woman. Two strong sides for the southern trade.
The May 5, 1956 Cleveland Call And Post told us that the Prince was in his fourth week at the Club Congo. There were no ads, however.
Nothing more until July 27, 1957, when the Call And Post said he was at the Lake Glen Country Club (somewhere between Cleveland and Akron). "The Lake Glen engagement is his first in the U.S.A. since he completed a tour of the principal Canadian show places just two weeks ago." At least that's a clue as to where he'd been for nearly a year, although there had been no ads.
A big article in the August 3, 1957 Cleveland Call And Post was titled "Blues Shouter Rests In $10,000 Cadillac":
"Yes, I work hard. You have to work hard to sell a blues number. But when I'm all through, I relax and rest in my car. I like to drive."
It was Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford, star of the show at the Lake Glen Country Club talking. Most men like to talk about their work and the blues shouter is no exception.
But about that "car" which he so casually mentions - it turns out to be a brand new 1957 Cadillac, a custom job which we learned (after a little detective work) costs ONLY $10,000.
We believe Waterford when he says he relaxes in his "car". Anybody could relax in that thing!
If you've ever seen the "Crown Prince" work you'll probably agree that he earns his money, his Cadillacs, his diamond rings and all those things. That man WORKS!
Now in his 21st year as a professional singer, Charles Waterford, graduate of Tuskegee Institute and son of a member of Wilberforce University's first graduation class, is one of the best showmen in show business.
Strong-voiced, six feet-three and amply muscled, Waterford is rated among the top blues men of the nation. He once was featured with Andy Kirk's band, was later with Jay McShann, has turned out many records on the MGM label [okay, name one!] ... and without much doubt has the sharpest wardrobe of costumes owned by any of the blues shouting fraternity.
It is not fair, however, to categorize the "Crown Prince" strictly as a blues shouter. He can croon too, and he can sing pop tunes with feeling and with an ease which is surprising to his listeners after they have heard him shouting the blues in the booming big voice he owns.
Waterford comes from a musical family. His father, Evans T. Waterford was a member of the Wilberforce glee club, His mother was a pianist and organist.
Two sisters, Mrs. Annie Lee Moss and Mrs. Lois Thornton sang with the original "Wings Over Jordan Choir" [true] and toured the world with that famous organization. A third sister, Evanna Cotten, is a night club pianist who a few years ago was highly popular with patrons of the better clubs in Cleveland.
So Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford comes naturally by his ability. He is at Lake Glen now in an indefinite engagement. He works hard, he does ... and we guess he earns his relaxation and his rest in his automobi ... we mean his Cadillac.
Another big article about him in the August 10 Cleveland Call And Post:
Every musician who has risen to fame got his start somewhere. That includes them all, down through the ages . . . and along this line, Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford, big-voiced blues shouter now starring at the Lake Glen Country Club, declares that Jay McShann's Band probably has been the incubator for more of today's big names than any other orchestra.
That's where "Crown Prince" got his first big boost . . . and he says that Al Hibbler, the late great Charlie "Yard Bird" Parker, trombone star J. J. Johnson, and many others shot up from the same springboard to fame.
Speaking of Hibbler, Waterford says that Al's hit tune, "Got Me On Your Mind", recorded with Jay McShann, won him the recognition that brought about his long ago connection with the Duke Ellington orchestra. Also, says Waterford, Charlie Parker's first recorded solos, on such tunes as "Hootie Blues" and "Lonely Boy Blues", were waxed with the McShann outfit. Parker stayed with McShann for two years and during those two years, Waterford, also with the band, was Parker's roommate on all the nationwide tours made by the orchestra. He can tell some rip-roaring stories about his experiences with the "Yard Bird."
Though Waterford gives Mc-Shann credit for having given him his biggest boost toward the big time, it was not McShann, but with Andy Kirk that the Lake Glen Country Club star made his professional debut. He auditioned for Kirk in Chicago's Savoy Ballroom, won a job immediately and replaced singing star Pha Terrell with Kirk's orchestra. With the Kirk band Waterford shared vocal honors with June Richmond. He gives much credit to pianist Mary Lou Williams for having tutored him for his audition with Andy Kirk. "Crown Prince" stayed with Kirk until he was called to the U. S. Army. [The only time this could have happened was on August 4, 1940, when the Kirk band was at Chicago's Savoy. The write-up mentioned June Richmond, Mary Lou Williams, and Pha Terrell. Possibly he auditioned and was called back in late August, when Terrell left (although he'd be back for a while in early 1941). Again, though, there's not a single mention of Waterford with Kirk at the time, but I lean towards 1942.]
After his years with Jay McShann, Waterford, who now is strictly a single act, recorded for the Capitol, King, Mercury and Aladdin recording companies. He also at one time led his own band and has had such musicians under his baton as the late Charlie Christian who went on to win fame with Benny Goodman, and Oscar Pettiford, Duke Ellington's world-famed bass player.
Waterford's sister, Miss Evanti [sic; should be Evanna, but a somewhat common misspelling] Cotton, now playing piano in a downtown night club here in Cleveland, like Mary Lou Williams helped the blues-shouter with his music.
There was this in the August 24, 1957 Call And Post:
The Decca Recording Company last week contacted Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford, starring in his blues shouting role every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Lake Glen Country Club. The "Prince" signed a contract for four original sides and his first tune is scheduled for release early in October.
Question: did he join the elite ranks of "those who were reported to have recorded for Decca, but didn't" (the Rhythm Masters, the Beale Street Boys, Rufus Beacham, Julia Lee, Bobbe Caston, Debbie Andrews, Clarence Samuels, Numa Lee Davis, and Baby Dee), or was he contracted to write songs for other artists (as I said at the beginning, he wrote or co-wrote every song he ever recorded)?
The September 7, 1957 Cleveland Call And Post had a large article titled "Musical Stars Can't Drink With All Their Fans Or Date Glamor [sic] Gals: To Live Fast Is To Die Fast". It was a cautionary essay that mentioned Fats Navarro, Jimmy Blanton, Herschel Evans, and Charlie Parker, but not Charles Waterford. Why? Because it was written by Chas. "Crown Prince" Waterford.
A new venture: on July 26, 1958 there was an article about him in the Cleveland Call And Post:
Coming and going into and out of Cleveland for several years, Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford last week came back to Our Town once more, and this time he may stick around for a while.
He has taken over the fine little Wayside Bar and Motel. just outside Cleveland on Route 11, at Cleveland and Fairfield Roads. He features dancing in the lounge-bar and on Friday and Saturday nights presents the music of Casanova Junior and his smooth blues band. The place is newly constructed and the motel offers fine rooms for those who would tarry over night. Food is available and, of course, cocktails. Phone number! is AX 6-9502, and that's a Ravenna, Ohio, exchange.
And just in case you need a reminder on "Crown Prince"- he's one of the best of today's blues shouters and has worked in most of Cleveland's better night clubs. His sister, Evanti [sic] Cotton, is a pianist whom you might remember as a long-time feature at the Tia Juana.
However, there was only a single ad, from the same date. I have no idea how long he operated it, since the place was never mentioned in the press again.
But, as long as he was in Cleveland, he made a couple of recordings for the local Plaid label: "Sack Dress Boogie" and "Lovely Rendezvous" (misspelled "Rondezvous" on the label", issued in 1958. For those not familiar with a "sack dress", it was the nickname given to the style called the chemise (as in Gerry Granahan's smash 1958 hit, "No Chemise, Please").
The February 14, 1959 Call And Post had an article titled "Pat Boone To Record Two Waterford Tunes". It said that he'd just sold two songs to Capitol Records that had been recorded by Tommy Sands. I searched through all Sands' 1958-9 Capitol sides, but couldn't find any that had been written by Waterford. Supposedly Randy Woods, the owner of Dot Records, then asked him to compose two more tunes, to be recorded by Pat Boone. (And, if you think I'm investigating dozens of Boone records to see if any of them were written by Waterford, let's just say "no" and leave it at that.) It went on to say that he was so busy writing songs that he was unavailable for any Cleveland engagements "for some time in the future".
That was, of course, the usual hype. On February 28, he was a guest on Phil McClain's Bandstand TV show on WJW. On April 3, he opened at the Blackstone Cafe (Cleveland). The ad promised that he'd be singing "Sack Dress Boogie" for you. He'd be at the Blackstone through the end of June.
The April 18 Call And Post said:
Although he has not recorded the tune, blues-shouting "Crown Prince" Waterford is singing his new "Cedar Avenue Blues", a tribute to Cleveland, to the crowds which throng Rufus Nelson's Blackstone Ballroom. [The Cedar Avenue in his song is in Cleveland. He copyrighted it on April 6, 1959, but never recorded it to my knowledge (although a later blurb said he'd do it for RCA and Dot).]
The June 6, 1959 Call And Post had this:
Sad but true is the report that Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford, one of the great blues shouters of this generation, is singing his swan song at the Blackstone Cafe Sunday night. He closes a ten weeks stand there this June 7 [however, he stayed until the end of June].... He is due for a recording session June 28, then plans a vacation and a visit with his parents in Oklahoma. He'll be missed at the Blackstone and all around the town.
The July 25 Call And Post had a photo of some musicians with this caption:
THE GREAT PRINCE WATERFORD RECORDS - Pictured here is a group of Cleveland's finest musicians who recorded with Crown Prince Waterford recently. Waterford is generally known throughout the nation as the greatest Blues Shouter of all times. He states that this recording session was his best attempt recently. His first record release will be a tune titled "Because I'm In Love With You", one of his own compositions, a commercial ballad; backed by "You Don't Love Me". The record will be released August 25. Waterford is on vacation at the present time and his Cleveland engagements will resume after his record is released. Left to right: Mose Flower-Guitar; Jino Fletcher-Alto; Jack Town-Drums; Labert Ellis-piano; Al Gibson-Baritone sax. Earnest Shepard-Bass; Paul Renfro-Tenor Sax; Edie Freston-Trumpet; Melvin Wanzo-Trombone. Waterford states [as he had on many past occasions] that he may form his own band later. [Note that the spelling of the musicians' names are as in the article; I made no attempt to verify them.]
When the record was released, "Because I'm In Love" was one of the tunes, but not "You Don't Love Me"; the flip was "Get Your Clothes And Let's Go". They were issued on Orbit Records, which had no address on the label. A subsequent Orbit release, a few years later, said it was from Hollywood.
On August 6, Prince began another stay at the Lake Glen Country Club. On August 15, the Prince was joined by Ralph Wilson and His "Sweet Lucy" Serenaders. Both acts were back on August 22, and again on September 5-6.
On October 29, he opened at Cleveland's Hound Dog's Den (also there were the Hornets). A month later, he was at a Thanksgiving Party Blues Breakfast, at Rip's Shangri La, along with Wynonie Harris, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and Charles Brown (now calling himself "Good Time Charlie Brown").
The headline in the May 7, 1960 Call And Post said: "'Prince' Waterford Signed By Victor":
"Crown Prince" Waterford, who left his native Oklahoma years ago to gain recognition as one of the greatest blues shouters of this generation, has just been signed by a subsidiary of RCA Victor for a recording session to take place within the next three weeks.
Waterford who is probably better known in the Cleveland area than any other blues singer, recently did a series of weekend one-nighters through upper New York State. Joining him in these jumps was Joe Thomas, former tenor sax man with the late great Jimmie Lunceford.
Formerly featured vocalist with Andy Kirk and with the great blues band of Jay McShann, Waterford established himself in the ranks of the stars during his sojourn with the latter bandleader. He became fast friends with the late Charlie "Yardbird" Parker when both performed with McShann.
Waterford plans to be in and around Cleveland until late this summer. Then it will be off to Chicago for him, and there he will be booked solid for weeks by the Gale Agency.
Winner, once, of a battle of the blues, over Wynonie Harris and Jimmy Witherspoon, Waterford will long be remembered in Cleveland for his copywrited [sic] composition "Cedar Avenue Blues", which he included in the recording session he will do for RCA Victor within the next three weeks.
As far as I can tell, there were never any releases on RCA Victor or any of its subsidiaries (and there were no recordings, by him, of "Cedar Avenue Blues"; at least none that were ever released).
Later in May, Prince appeared at Cleveland's Baby Grand.
Sadly, in late May, sister Evanna Waterford Cotton suffered a stroke, while appearing at Cleveland's Rivera Club, and died a few hours later.
Back in Cleveland from a vacation in Oklahoma, he opened at the Blackstone Cafe on September 3, just in time for the Labor Day weekend. By mid-November, he was at Cleveland's Shaker Bar. It was reported, in the December 17 Call And Post, that "in the near future, he plans to organize his own band [ho-hum]". It also said:
Formerly, he went on wax for the Capitol Recording Company, but now he is under contract with Dot Records [what happened to RCA?]. His next releases will be titled "Cedar Avenue Blues", backed by "Too Late".
The January 14, 1961 Call And Post said that he'd been held over at the Shaker Bar. It also said that "... he now awaits the release of his latest records on the Dot label."
Staying in Cleveland, he opened at the Hi-Fi Lounge on January 27, 1961. The January 28 Call And Post said that:
Waterford is taking his own new five-piece recording orchestra into the Hi-Fi with him....
And, once again:
His "Cedar Ave. Blues" and his "Someone To Love Me" have recently been recorded on the Dot label and his new band, the "Five Crowns" back him up on these discs.
"Someone To Love Me" is another tune he wrote (copyrighted on December 1, 1960). [It's getting to the point that I believe he actually did record for Dot, but nothing was ever released.]
And then, he abandoned Cleveland for Syracuse, New York. On September 14, 1961, he was at The Emerson there. On October 1 ("and every Sunday"), he was at the Fayetteville Inn in Fayetteville, New York (right outside Syracuse). Then, there was Club 86 in Geneva, New York (not too far from Syracuse) from November 9-12. In December, it was Luigi's Italian Village, which claimed to be "The Peppermint Lounge Of Syracuse". The December 3 ad gave a hint of what you might expect:
"The Peppermint Lounge Of Syracuse"
"Crown Prince Waterford And His Twisters"
"Learn the 'Twist'"
"At the Home of the 'Twist'"
"Where the 'Twisters' really 'Twist'"
"Twist Contest Today 7 P.M."
"Dance - Twist - Dance - Twist"
But not a word about the Charleston!
He opened at Syracuse's Intrigue Room on January 30, 1962, where, the ad said, he'd introduce the Intrigue Twist. He'd be there until the end of June. Actually, in 1962, he mostly bounced back and forth between Luigi's and the Intrigue Room. Starting in early March, his band was advertised as the "Twistologists".
Another disc on Orbit Records (this time identifying itself as a Hollywood label). Sometime in 1962, they released "I Don't Wanna Get Married" (a calypso sound), backed with "Teen Age Twister". The credit was to "Crown Prince Waterford And His Twistologists". I've no idea where he recorded these.
The last ad I can find for Crown Prince Waterford was from September 23, 1962, when he was at the Il Re in Rochester, New York. There was only a single ad, but it said he (and the Twistologists) would be there "7 Nites A Week". The photo that accompanied the ad shows Waterford wearing a turban and scowling.
Nothing further until late 1965, when there was a release (as "The Great Crown Prince") on the Stampede label: "Pow Wow" (an updated version of his 1949 "Pow-Wow Boogie), backed with "Young And Wild" (on which he also plays the harmonica). There were many different Stampede labels and I don't know where this one was from (it doesn't look like any of the others).
After this, he gave up the music business to follow in his father's footsteps, becoming a minister in Florida, as Solomon C. Waterford, in 1965. NOTE: He had a gospel album called The Reverend Waterford Sings, on Envy, but I can't find out anything about it, including the release date. Note that he'd live in several Florida cities over the years.
Back in 1953, he'd married Lillie Johnson in Cleveland; they divorced, in Florida, in October 1966.
We're going to a wedding! Solomon Charles Waterford married Rutha Mae Davis, in Jacksonville, Florida, on November 20, 1987. But it didn't work out too well, and they were divorced on March 17, 1989.
We're going to a wedding! (C'mon, it's only number six; he was still beaten by Mabel Scott's seven and Chubby Kemp's eight.) Solomon Charles Waterford married Prevell Carner in Polk County, Florida on July 21, 1989. They wouldn't divorce (although you know it's coming) until January 23, 1999.
Jacksonville Beach, Florida hosts an annual April blues festival called Springing The Blues. In late 2001, 85-year-old retired minister Solomon Waterford contacted founder Sam Veal and asked if "Crown Prince Waterford" could be part of the 2002 show. There's an article, by Liza Mitchell, in the April 16, 2015 issue of Folio Weekly, written for the 25th anniversary of Sam Veal's starting the festival and, in it, Veal reminisces about Prince (and the run-up to the show). You can read it
here (it's about half-way down the page):
Music for the show was provided by pianist Jim McKaba & The After Hours Band. McKaba later arranged for the Prince to record 10 songs for release on a 2002 CD called All Over But The Shoutin' on Springing The Blues Productions. The tunes were:
Merry Go Round Blues
Time To Blow
Move Your Hand Baby
Garfield Avenue Blues
Roll 'em Pete
Piney Brown Blues
Confessin' The Blues
Lonely Boy Blues
How Long Blues
Worried Life Blues
Solomon Charles "Crown Prince Charles Evans" Waterford died on February 1, 2007 in Jacksonville, Florida. He left us with one further mystery:
He has two online Social Security records that give different birth dates: one, when he started collecting, says 1918 and the other, his death record, says 1916 (as does his burial record). Both "Solomon Evans Waterford" and "Solomon Charles Waterford" appear in those records. And, of course, he told the draft board that it was 1917! At least they all say October 26.
However, the Social Security number on both those records was issued in Florida, and the first listing, for Solomon Evans Waterford, was in January 1967. This means that there must have been an earlier one, probably issued to Charles Waterford.
This was the relevant part of his obituary in the February 8, 2007 Florida Times-Union:
Funeral services for Rev. Solomon C. Waterford, 90, who died February 1, 2007, will be held Friday at 9:30 AM in Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, 201 East Beaver Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 with Rev. Ed Richardson officiating.... Rev. Waterford was a native of Oklahoma City, OK and was a resident of Jacksonville, FL since 1963. He was a graduate of Edward Waters College and the Luther Rice Seminary. He was a minister for 25 years. He was also a composer with over 35 compositions to his credit. He had recorded for Capitol Records, Mercury and King Recording Companies. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served during WWII. Survivors include his 3 daughters, Charmaine Wilson, Capretta Ann Russell and Cynthia Holmes; 2 sons, Kenneth Waterford and William Jones; 2 sisters, Lois Mitchell and Ann Ross; 7 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
A prolific writer, every song he recorded he either wrote or co-wrote as Charles Evans Waterford or Charles E. Waterford. Here's a list (known copyright dates are in parentheses as mm/dd/yy):
(If I Had My Life To Live) All Over Again (6/6/49)
Because I'm In Love (3/16/59)
Coal Black Baby
Crown Prince Blues
Crown Prince Boogie (with Jay McShann; 2/11/46)
Driftwood Blues (no label credit, but it's on BMI under his name)
Eating Watermelon (with Jay McShann; 11/8/49)
Garfield Avenue Blues (with Jay McShann; 2/11/46)
Get Away From That Door (6/6/49)
Get Your Clothes And Let's Go
Girl Friend Blues
Hard Driving Woman (with Lois Mann and Henry Bernard; 5/10/50)
I Don't Wanna Get Married (11/8/60)
I'm Gonna Do Right (unknown; label has no credit)
I'm Sweet On You (7/25/50)
Kissing Bug Boogie (5/10/50)
L. A. Blues
Leaping Boogie
Love Awhile (with Jay McShann)
Lovely Rendezvous
Merry-Go-Round-Blues (with Jay McShann; 2/11/46)
Move Your Hand, Baby
P. I. Blues
Pow-Wow Boogie (6/6/49)
Pow Wow (an updated version of Pow-Wow Boogie)
Sack Dress Boogie
Satisfied Blues
Strange Woman's Boogie
Teen Age Twister
The "Prince" Strikes Back
Time To Blow (8/1/50)
Undercover Blues
Washboard Blues
Weeping Willow Blues
Whistler's Blues
You Turned Your Back On Me (6/6/49)
Young And Wild
Other songs he copyrighted:
Cedar Avenue Blues (4/6/59)
Dark (8/15/60)
Husband Hunting Woman (7/2/62)
Middle Of The Month (7/2/62)
Real Good Kind (8/15/60)
Someone To Love Me (12/1/60)
Sweetie (7/2/62)
Crown Prince Waterford turned out a lot of good music. I wish some of his career was a bit more transparent.
PHILO (Jay McShann & His Jazz-Men - vocal: "Crown Prince" Charlie)
110 Merry-Go-Round-Blues / [Bad Tale Boogie - instrumental] - ca 10/45
PREMIER (Jay McShann's Sextet - no credit for vocals)
29010 Garfield Avenue Blues / [Hootie Boogie - vocal by Jay McShann] - ca 11/45
29011 Crown Prince Boogie / [Shipyard Woman Blues - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon] - ca 11/45
ALADDIN (Jay McShann & His Jazz-Men - vocal: "Crown Prince" Charlie)
110 Merry-Go-Round-Blues / [Bad Tale Boogie - instrumental] - early 1946
[I'm assuming this exists as a re-labeled Philo 110]
MERCURY (Jay McShann's Sextet; no credit for vocals; the Premier sides)
8002 Garfield Avenue Blues / [Hootie Boogie - vocal by Jay McShann] - ca 3/46
8014 Crown Prince Boogie / [Shipyard Woman Blues - vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon] - 4/46
HY-TONE ("Crown Prince" Charlie Waterford, Freddie Williams And His Orchestra)
20 Girl Friend Blues / Satisfied Blues - ca 8/46
ALADDIN ("Crown Prince" Waterford with Gerald Wilson and his Band)
534 The "Prince" Strikes Back / Whistler's Blues - ca. 5/47
535 Washboard Blues / Undercover Blues - ca. 5/47
189 The Prince Strikes Back / Whistler's Blues - ca. 8/47
190 Washboard Blues / Undercover Blues - ca. 8/47
3009 [Jazz Series] Washboard Blues / Undercover Blues - ca. 1/48
Above as Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford With Gerald Wilson and his Band
CAPITOL AMERICANA (Crown Prince Waterford)
40074 Weeping Willow Blues / Move Your Hand, Baby - 12/47
40103 Coal Black Baby / Crown Prince Blues - 3/48
CAPITOL (Crown Prince Waterford)
40132 Strange Woman's Boogie / L.A. Blues - ca 7/48
40137 Leaping Boogie / P.I. Blues - 11/48
TELEFUNKEN CAPITOL (Crown Prince Waterford; Germany; Capitol masters)
80303 Strange Woman's Boogie / L.A. Blues - 1952?
KING
4310 You Turned Your Back On Me / Pow-Wow Boogie - ca 7/49
(above as Charles Waterford)
4374 Hard Driving Woman / Kissing Bug Boogie - 6/50
(above as Charles "Corwn [sic] Prince" Waterford)
4393 I'm Sweet On You / Time To Blow - ca 9/50
(above as Charles "Crown Prince" Waterford)
UNREL KING
(If I Had My Life To Live) All Over Again (recorded June 4, 1949)
Get Away From That Door (recorded June 4, 1949)
TORCH (Crown Prince Waterford)
6911 Eatin' Watermelon / Love Awhile - ca 1/52
EXCELLO (Crown Prince Waterford)
2065 Driftwood Blues / I'm Gonna Do Right - ca 9/55
PLAID (Crown Prince Waterford)
#### Sack Dress Boogie / Lovely Rondezvous [sic] - 58
ORBIT
#### Because I'm In Love / Get Your Clothes And Let's Go - 8/59
(above as Crown Prince Waterford)
#### I Don't Wanna Get Married / Teenage Twister - 62
(above as Crown Prince Waterford and his Twistologists)
STAMPEDE (The Great Crown Prince)
803W-4503 Pow Wow / Young And Wild - 65
SPRINGING THE BLUES PRODUCTIONS
JRM53569-CD All Over But The Shoutin' - 5/2002 (unknown track order)
Merry Go Round Blues
Time To Blow
Move Your Hand Baby
Garfield Avenue Blues
Roll 'em Pete
Piney Brown Blues
Confessin' The Blues
Lonely Boy Blues
How Long Blues
Worried Life Blues
