The Cats and the Fiddle

The Cats and the Fiddle

Group

Genres: swing, jazz, lindy hop, jive, holiday

About The Cats and the Fiddle

The Cats And The Fiddle was one of the pre-eminent, pioneering R&B vocal groups of 1930s, and its place in the history of this style is assured. It was 1937 when the group formed, amalgamating two earlier, separate bands: the "Harlem Harmony Hounds," led by singer Austin Powell, and the aspiring trio of Jimmie Henderson, Chuck Barksdale and Ernie Price. The latter, Chicago-based group needed a lead singer, and Powell slipped into this role perfectly, so that the initial four-part vocal-instrumental line-up was born. The Cats and the Fiddle was one of the pre-eminent pioneering R&B vocal groups of the 1930s. "The Fiddle" in the group's name is not purely whimsical: it alludes to the stand-up bass they used, while in jazz parlance each member of the group was a "hep cat," as in the track, "Hep Cat's Holiday."

Taken from Last.fm

8,123 listeners  ·  45,737 plays via Last.fm

The Cats and the Fiddle — Top 5 songs

Artist Song title Like / Dislike
The Cats And The Fiddle Gangbusters
The Cats And The Fiddle Public Jitterbug No1
The Cats And The Fiddle Killing Jive
The Cats And The Fiddle Nuts to You
The Cats And The Fiddle We Cats Will Swing For You