Jimmy/JImmie Simpson

James Marion (Jimmy/Jimmie) Simpson was born on 17 November  1899 or 1900 in Waco TX to John Simpson and Lulu or Lula (née Foster).  By the time of the 1910 Census the family was in Oklahoma but when Jimmie registered for the draft in 1918 he was living in San Francisco and working as a labourer.  The Oakland City Directory lists a James M. Simpson working as a labourer (1914), “Poultry” (1915), “Cem wkr” (1916) and ship fitter (1917 and 1918) which may or may not be our man.  Certainly the Jas Simpson (wife Mabel) listed in the 1927 Directory living at 1115 Campbell is Jimmie Simpson.  Curiously the Voter registration of 1927 lists James Simpson, a musician, living at 1115 Willow Street - and Willow Street is the next street over from Campbell.  The musician reappears in the 1932 and 1934 voters’ list living at 1167 8th Street.  Between 1928 and 1934 he was active as a welterweight boxer but as the Oakland Tribune 27 September 1932 shows he was also winning a reputation as a pianist.  Under the headline BOXER ALSO PIANIST it reports that ‘Jimmy Simpson, West Oakland Negro welter weight, is adept at punching jaws in the ring, but when it comes to punching keys on a piano he’s a champion.  Simpson, who can’t read one note from another, is in demand at smokers and socials, stepping from a few rounds of boxing to the piano stool, and often again donning ring togs to carry on the entertainment.’  The earliest references to his musical activities show him providing interval entertainment at boxing tournaments.  ‘A “Harlem Night’s Revue” will be an added attraction, with Jimmy Simpson, boxer and piano player, leading his band in syncopation’ (Oakland Tribune 16 December 1932). ‘Jimmy Simpson’s orchestra augmenting the program’ (Oakland Tribune 16 May 1933).  A band called Jimmie Simpson and his Moonlight Orchestra appeared in Hayward and Stanford in 1933 - I am unsure whether this is the Jimmie Simpson under discussion here.  In April 1934 he was at the Yosemite Club ‘assisted by W. Johnson, E. Claiborne. M. Levy and Masengale’ (San Francisco Spokesman 6 April 1934). In May of that year Jimmy Simpson and his Cotton Pickers presented “Rhapsody in Black” along with “Creole Beauties” in Hayward (Oakland Tribune 4 May), Jimmie Simpson's popular colored orchestra appeared at Hermann Son's hall in Petaluma (Petaluma Argus Courier 10 May 1934) and Jimmy Simpson and the Rhythm Ramblers performed for an audience of veterans (Oakland Tribune 27 May 1934).  At a WPA sponsored show and dance in May 1936 ‘for those who like faster dances “Hot” Harlem Jimmie Simpson will swing his 20 Negro boys into action’ (Oakland Tribune 9 May 1936).  In June of the same year ‘Jimmy Simpson’s Negro Swing Band from San Francisco’ appeared in Stockton (Stockton Independent 5 June 1936) and in July ‘Jimmy Simpson and his Harlem Maniacs Direct from Oakland Featuring Billie Davis and  Pauline Pollard’ were at Nelson’s Grove in Woodland (Woodland Daily Democrat July 24 1936).  A report in the California Eagle 22 January 1937 said that Ben Watkins’ Rhythm Masters were the top Bay Area band but followed closely by those of Jimmy Simpson, Wilbert Baranco and Sax Sexias.  In July 1938 ‘Jimmy Simpson’s orchestra’ provided music for a club picnic (Oakland Tribune 13 July 1938).  July 1940 saw ‘Jimmy Simpson’s Colored Band’ appearing in Bodega (Santa Rosa Republican 3 July).  I have found nothing after this until he recorded in 1960 with a band led by Frank Goudie and Amos White - five tracks have been issued on American Music AMCD-50.  In the liner notes Ken Mills says that Simpson had been a regular ‘with Clem Raymond and his Black & Tan Syncopators and Wade Whaley’s Black Peppers bands.’  After that silence supervenes until his death on 23 May 1978.