Harry Leighton, the well-known vocalist, made his first professional appearance at a Sunday concert in New York City, at Wallack’s Theatre, in 1886.
His initial appearance in minstrelsy was with the Haverly Company, at Joliet, Ill., July 18, 1887.
Subsequent engagements were with Carncross’ Minstrels in Philadelphia; Cleveland’s; Dockstader’s, in 1893; Thatcher and Johnson’s, and Vogel’s Minstrels. With the latter organization he has been ten consecutive seasons.
Mr. Leighton has a peculiarly pleasing high-tenor voice, which he uses to the best advantage.
Harry Leighton was born in Bradford, England—and that’s the best the author could get.
Billy Jerome (Flannery). Everybody knows that Mr. Jerome wrote the lyrics for some of the biggest New York successes, as well as such popular songs as “Rip Van Winkle Was a Lucky Man”; “He Never Came Back”; “Bedelia”; the “Volunteer Organist,” and scores of others; but everybody don’t know that “Billy” sat on the end with Barlow, Wilson and Rankin’s Minstrels in 1885, opposite to J. Marcus Doyle; nor that five years later with Billy Buckley did a good black-face talking and singing act. But he did, he did.
Billy Jerome was born in Cornwall, N. Y., September 30, 1865.
John Queen (McQueen) achieved equal success as comedian and a song writer. He entered the profession in the early 80’s, and later as Queen, Stowe and Randall was the inventor of the trick house act used by them. He was a long time associated with Cleveland’s, also Vogel’s Minstrels.
He was the author of “Get Your Habits On,” “All Alone,” and many other coon ditties that attained more than usual prominence.
John Queen was born in New Orleans, La.; he died in New York, February 23, 1902.