This page contains Cliff Edwards songs, albums and video links. Music profile for Cliff Edwards with events, tracks, videos, pictures, lyrics and band information.
Cliff Edwards (14 June, 1895 - 17 July, 1971), also known as <!--CORRECT SPELLING-->"Ukelele Ike", was an American singer and musician who enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s, specializing in jazzy renditions of pop standards and novelty tunes. He also did voices for animated cartoons later in his career, and is fondly remembered as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's ''Pinocchio (1940 film)|Pinocchio'' (1940).
Life and work
Clifton A. Edwards was born in Hannibal, Missouri. He left school at age 14 and soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he entertained as a singer in bar (establishment)|saloons. As many places had pianos in bad shape or none at all, Edwards taught himself to play ukulele (then often spelled "ukelele") to serve as his own accompanist (selecting that instrument as it was the cheapest in the music store). He got the nickname "Ukelele Ike" from a club owner who couldn't remember his name.
He got his first break in 1918 at the Arsonia Cafe in Chicago, Illinois, where he performed a tune called "Ja Da," written by the club's pianist, Bob Carleton. Edwards and Carleton made the tune a hit on the Vaudeville circuit. Vaudeville headliner Joe Frisco hired Edwards as part of his act, which was featured at The Palace in New York City, the most prestigious theater in Va... read all
