Genealogy and Family Tree - Jack Norton: Vaudeville Blues

Jack's Family Tree - the inspirations of musician Jack Norton.

People often ask what influences my vintage sound and vaudeville-style presentation. I thought it’d be fun to share with you some of the branches growing on my family tree of inspiration. As a historian and musicologist with a deep love of American music from the 1850s through the 1940s, my influences include legendary vaudeville performers, jazz musicians, minstrel comedians, medicine show blues singers, and so much more. Love old-time music? Don’t miss: Jack Norton’s Old-Time Radio Show!

Al Bernard — Al Bernard (pop singer)

Alice Babs — Alice Babs (jazz)

Al Jolson — Al Jolson (pop singer)

Amos and Andy — Amos and Andy (comedy)

Bert Williams — Bert Williams (comedy)

Big Bill Broonzy — Big Bill Broonzy (blues)

Bing Crosby — Bing Crosby (crooner)

Bix Beiderbecke — Bix Beiderbecke (jazz)

Blind Blake — Blind Blake (blues & ragtime)

Blind Boy Fuller — Blind Boy Fuller (blues)

Blind Lemon Jefferson — Blind Lemon Jefferson (blues)

Blind Willie McTell — Blind Willie McTell (blues)

Bo Carter — Bo Carter (blues)

Butterbeans and Susie — Butterbeans and Susie (comedy)

Cackle Sisters — Cackle Sisters (novelty yodeling)

Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers — Captain Stubby (novelty)

Carolina Cotton — Carolina Cotton (country)

Charley Patton — Charley Patton (blues)

Cliff Edwards (pop singer)

Coley Jones — Coley Jones (blues & string band)

Daddy Stovepipe — Daddy Stovepipe (blues & minstrel)

Django Reinhardt — Django Reinhardt (jazz)

Eddie Cantor — Eddie Cantor (pop singer)

Emmett Miller — Emmett Miller (jazz & minstrel)

Enrico Caruso — Enrico Caruso (opera)

Ernest Tubb — Ernest Tubb (country)

Esmereldy — Esmereldy (country & comedy)

Fats Waller — Fats Waller (jazz)

Flo Ziegfeld — Flo Ziegfeld (vaudeville)

Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon — Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon (blues)

Gene Austin — Gene Austin (pop singer)

Gene Autry — Gene Autry (cowboy)

Hank Williams — Hank Williams (country)

Helen Kane — Helen Kane (pop singer)

Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas — “Ragtime Texas” Thomas (blues)

Howlin' Wolf — Howlin’ Wolf (blues)

Inka Zemankova — Inka Zemankova (jazz)

Jack Benny — Jack Benny (comedy)

Jelly Roll Morton — Jelly Roll Morton (jazz)

Jimmie Rodgers — Jimmie Rodgers (blues & country)

Joe Venuti — Joe Venuti (jazz)

Johnny Marvin — Johnny Marvin (pop singer)

Judy Canova — Judy Canova (country & comedy)

The Korn Kobblers — The Korn Kobblers (novelty jazz)

Laurel and Hardy — Laurel and Hardy (comedy)

Lee Morse — Lee Morse (pop singer)

Lightnin' Hopkins — Lightnin’ Hopkins (blues)

Lonnie Johnson — Lonnie Johnson (blues & jazz)

Louis Armstrong — Louis Armstrong (jazz)

Mae Questal — Mae Questal (pop singer)

Mamie Smith — Mamie Smith (blues & jazz)

Mance Lipscomb — Mance Lipscomb (blues)

Max Fleischer — Max Fleischer (artist)

Mississippi John Hurt — Mississippi John Hurt (blues)

Moran and Mack — Moran and Mack (comedy)

Ozzie and Harriet Nelson — Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (comedy)

Papa Charlie Jackson — Papa Charlie Jackson (blues)

Paul Whiteman — Paul Whiteman (jazz)

Robert Johnson — Robert Johnson (blues)

Roger Miller — Roger Miller (country)

Roy Smeck — Roy Smeck (jazz)

Rudy Vallee — Rudy Vallee (crooner)

Ruth Etting — Ruth Etting (pop singer)

Schnickelfritz — Schnickelfritz (novelty jazz)

Screamin' Jay Hawkins — Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (blues)

Slim Harpo — Slim Harpo (blues)

Sol Hoopii — Sol Hoopii (Hawaiian)

Spike Jones — Spike Jones (novelty jazz)

Tampa Red — Tampa Red (blues)

Ted Lewis — Ted Lewis (pop singer)

W.C. Fields — W.C. Fields (comedy)

Whitey McPherson — Whitey McPherson (country)