More than likely, the very first group recording was in 1894 by the "Standard Quartette". During the latter part of the 19th century there were several solo singers recorded. Pictured here is May C. Hyers, the first Black woman to record. Her recordings were on brown wax cylinders but none of these survived the test of time. Listed in this section are recordings of some of the very first Black recording artist. Pay careful attention and you will notice that the groups sound alot like the groups of the 30's through the early 60's. Groups like the "Dinwiddle Colored Quarete", "Male Quarete", "Apollo Male Quarette" and others are listed here. Bear in mind, the quality of the tracks are ok, at best. Remember these recordings were made anywhere from 90 to 110 years ago!
Other Balck artist who recorded prior to 1900 include Bohee Brothers, Sam Cousins and Ed De Moss, Thomas Craig ("The Colored Basso"), Miss Jessie Oliver, and Louis Vasnier. Black artists who cut records from 1900 to 1919 include the Fisk University Jubilee Quartet, Miss L. Bowman, Shelton Brooks, Ciro's Club Coon Orchestra, Dabney's Band, Dan and Harvey's Jazz Band (London sessions in late 1918), Pete Hampton, Handy's Orchestra, Roland Hayes (he made personal records, paying Columbia for the records), Jack Johnson (he had a session in London on June 30, 1914--"Physical Culture," spoken), Rev. J. A. Myers, the Right Quintette, Lucky Roberts, Joan Sawyer's Persian Garden Orchestra, Sissle and Blake, Norris Smith and Walter Dixon, the Tuskegee Institute Singers, and Sterling Wright.