Silas Seth Weeks was an American composer who played mandolin, violin, banjo and guitar.
10 Facts About Seth Weeks
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Seth Weeks is considered to be the first African American to play mandolin during its golden period and was considered instrumental in bringing the mandolin to the prominent national standing that it had in the early 1900s.
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Seth Weeks was the first American known to write a mandolin concerto and led a mandolin and guitar orchestra in Tacoma, Washington.
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Seth Weeks toured America in "circuits" performing and teaching, including in public schools in Chicago, Boston, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco.
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Seth Weeks performed in New York City, Philadelphia, Providence, Rhode Island, and internationally in Montreal, Canada.
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Seth Weeks composed and arranged as well, performing his own works on tour.
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Seth Weeks became prominent enough that he was able to tour Europe and live there periodically.
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Seth Weeks settled temporarily in Europe, living first in London until World War I, when he returned with his family to New York and played in jazz bands.
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Seth Weeks's recordings are mostly unknown or lost today and are available on compact disk only as part of box set about Black-people who made music in Europe.
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Seth Weeks is the father of Fay E Allen, an accomplished musician in her own right.