18 Facts About Jesse Stone

Jesse Albert Stone was an American rhythm and blues musician and songwriter whose influence spanned a wide range of genres.

Jesse Stone used the pseudonyms Charles Calhoun and Chuck Calhoun.

Jesse Stone came from a musical family who put on minstrel shows, and performed with them by age of five.

Jesse Stone was part of a trained dog act at the age of four.

Duke Ellington got Jesse Stone's orchestra booked at the Cotton Club in 1936, and Ellington put Jesse Stone up free of charge in his apartment for four months.

Jesse Stone made some recordings under his own name in the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1941, Jesse Stone became musical director for the all-female jazz band, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

Jesse Stone was interviewed in the 1986 documentary film International Sweethearts of Rhythm about his time with that band.

Jesse Stone recorded novelty blues records for RCA Records, and wrote the standard "Smack Dab in the Middle".

At the time, Jesse Stone was the only black person on the Atlantic payroll.

Jesse Stone worked for Atlantic as a producer, songwriter, and arranger.

On Ertegun's advice, Stone used the pseudonym of Charles F Calhoun, a name appropriated from an unknowing local builder, on his BMI tunes to avoid conflict with his membership in the other music licensing society, ASCAP.

Jesse Stone co-wrote "Flip, Flop and Fly" with Big Joe Turner, which was another hit.

In 1961, after a brief and temporary retirement, Jesse Stone was recruited to run Randy Records in Chicago.

Jesse Stone was honored by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1992 with a Pioneer Award.

Jesse Stone was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 1992.

Jesse Stone was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Jesse Stone died "after a long illness" at age 97 in Altamonte Springs, Florida.