Any serious research into the history of Indianapolis music requires a visit to the Indianapolis Recorder archives. During the 20th century, the Indianapolis Recorder was the only media outlet covering the birth of jazz, soul, R&B, funk and rock and roll music in Indianapolis. The Recorder’s detailed entertainment coverage documented the rise and fall of important Naptown music legends and captured the ambience of the local landscape these artists existed in. Today, the Recorder’s archive stands as the most consequential resource for Indianapolis music history.
Over the years, the Recorder published an assortment of noteworthy entertainment columns, including Wesley O. Jackson’s “Indianapolis Night Life,” Elizabeth Brizentine-Taft’s “In the Groove,” Charlie Davis’ “Listening In,” St. Clair Gibson’s “The Avenoo,” Bob Womack’s “Believe Me When I Tell You,” Eunice Trotter’s “Party People” and Lynn Ford’s “Soul Sounds.”
The majority of these columns had a relatively short life, appearing and disappearing within the span of a few years. But for avid Recorder readers, one column stands out among the pack: “Know Your Entertainers,” which appeared semi-regularly in the paper for more than 40 years.
“Know Your Entertainers” was created in 1950 to celebrate the artistry of Indianapolis performers. The column’s format was basic; each edition featured a photo of an individual artist or group, along with a few paragraphs about their work. Though the individual entries may be simplistic, the cumulative impact of the series is monumental, providing music fans and historians with essential information about lesser known, but historically important Indianapolis performers.
The first edition of the column appeared in the Feb. 4, 1950, edition of the Recorder, and featured the once-famous Indianapolis pianist and bandleader James “Step” Wharton. During the 1940s, Wharton penned arrangements for music stars including Benny Goodman and Ethel Waters.
The column’s scope was not limited to music alone. The second edition of the series, published in the Feb. 11, 1950, edition, featured the legendary Naptown dance team of Leonard and Leonard. The dance duo toured internationally and, at the height of their fame, appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.
“Know Your Entertainers” even profiled industry insiders, including concert promoters, nightclub owners and representatives of the musicians’ union. The fourth article in the series, published on Feb. 25, 1950, provides a perfect example. This edition featured a profile of the influential vaudeville producer William Benbow, who spent the final years of his life working on Indiana Avenue.
The column also featured entertainers whose work extended beyond the limits of standard nightclub fare, including female impersonators like Candy Laverne, who was profiled in 1968, and again in 1972.
Perhaps the most unique entertainer to be featured in the series was Iron Jaw Memphis, best known for performing feats of strength with his jaws. The climax of Iron Jaw’s act involved placing an audience member on a table, and lifting the table with his teeth — while on roller skates! Iron Jaw Memphis was a popular nightclub attraction on Indiana Avenue during the ‘60s, and he was featured in “Know Your Entertainers” in 1985.
A variety of Recorder writers contributed to “Know Your Entertainers,” but the column’s primary author was Bob Womack, who also served as editor of the paper’s entertainment section. Womack was a respected drummer and band leader, and had serious credentials in the local music scene. During the 1940s, Womack’s Bobcats Orchestra toured across the Midwest. At their peak, the Bobcats featured vocals from the blues legend James Oden, better known as St. Louis Jimmy.
Womack’s deep knowledge of the local entertainment scene was the basis of the column’s success, and Womack guided “Know Your Entertainers” until his death in 1984.
After Womack’s passing, drummer Clem Tiggs took the reins. Like Womack, Tiggs was also a respected member of the local music scene. Tiggs performed with a long list of Naptown jazz and soul greats, including Jimmy Coe, Pookie Johnson, Baby Leon and Mel Rhyne.
Sadly, the “Know Your Entertainers” series seems to end with Tiggs’ departure from the paper. The last known edition of the column was published in December 1991 and featured a profile of the vastly underrated and unjustly forgotten vocalist Clyde Shelby. Tiggs died a few years later.
During the early days of the pandemic, I took on the task of cataloging the entire run of the “Know Your Entertainers” series. Looking back on the history of the column, many notable aspects stand out.
It’s fascinating to read early profiles of performers who would go on to become internationally known icons. A 1956 write-up on Wes Montgomery provides a great example. At the time, Montgomery was just another aspiring Naptown musician, but just a few years later he’d become the face of jazz guitar. The column ends with some understated words of encouragement for Wes: “Here’s wishing him the best of luck in anything he might do.”
I was also struck by the large number of musicians featured in “Know Your Entertainers” who are still active on the scene today. That list includes Rodney Stepp, Pharez Whitted, Sandy Lomax, Everett Greene, Johnny Dial, Larry Clark, James Bell, Clifford Ratliff, Paul Thomas, Jonathan Woods, Phil Ranelin, Paul Middlebrook, Oliver Nelson, Jr., Steven Weakley, Jimmy Guilford and many others.
It’s been more than 30 years since the final edition of “Know Your Entertainers” was published by the Recorder, but the series remains relevant for anyone interested in Indianapolis music. So I am pleased to share that in the coming weeks, months and hopefully years, “Know Your Entertainers” will return to the pages of the Indianapolis Recorder.
Why revive this series now? Some critics and commentators feel that Indianapolis is heading toward a new cultural renaissance. There’s certainly evidence to support that. In the last few years, we’ve seen Indianapolis artists like Tiara Thomas making big waves in the music industry.
Connecting Indianapolis’ remarkable entertainment history with the exciting young artists working in the city today provides a compelling framework for surveying the local music scene. This approach is true to original format of “Know Your Entertainers,” which gave equal space to legends and rising stars.
Ultimately, I hope this relaunch of “Know Your Entertainers” will honor the legacy of Bob Womack, and all the talented Recorder music journalists of years past. Their work provides a key to understanding the golden age of Indianapolis music and offers a rich foundation for future Recorder music journalists to build on.
