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Butterbeans & Susie were one of the top African-American acts in vaudeville, and their careers overlapped with the classic jazz scene of the 1920s. Jodie “Butterbeans” Edwards (1895-1967) and Susie Hawthorne (1896-1963) originally had separate careers starting in 1910, singing and dancing in vaudeville. They met in 1915 and were married on stage the following year. A few years later, there was a husband and wife team known as Stringbeans and Sweetie May. When Stringbeans died, a promoter asked the Edwards if they would take over the act, with Jodie taking the stage name of Butterbeans. The team of Butterbeans & Susie was born.
Butterbeans & Susie were best known for their humorous marital quarrels in their act, making fun of marriage and each other but always making up in the end. During 1924-30, Butterbeans and Susie recorded 69 titles with backing by such notables as pianist Clarence Williams, cornetist King Oliver (on two titles), and, on “He Likes It Slow,” Louis Armstrong's Hot Five. Most of their recordings had the duo joined by pianist Eddie Heywood, the father of Eddie Heywood Jr. who had great success with his sextet in the 1940s. Among the songs that the duo recorded (and which show off the type of act that they had) were “Kiss Me Sweet,” “How Do You Expect To Get My Lovin',” “Don't Start Nothing Here Tonight,” “Hydrant Love (Turn It On, Shut It Off),” “If You Can't Bring It, You've Got To Send It,” “Let The Door Knob Hit You In The Back,” “My Daddy's Got The Mojo, But I Got The Say-So,” “Radio Papa, Broadcastin' Mama” and “Elevator Papa, Switchboard Mama.”
After over 15 years in vaudeville, Butterbeans & Susie switched to playing night clubs and theaters. While not as prominent in the 1950s, they never really retired. In 1960 they made their only Lp, which has been reissued by Classic Jazz. They are accompanied by a rhythm section led by Eddie Heywood, Jr. along with guest appearances from several horn players including trumpeters Sidney DeParis, Dick Vance, or Joe Thomas, Dickie Wells or Benny Morton on trombones, altoist Earl Warren and clarinetist Gene Sedric. In addition to a few standards, they revive such specialty numbers as “Get Yourself A Monkey Man,” “Construction Gang,” “A Married Man's A Fool” and “Deal Yourself Another Hand.”
Review
"Married 44 years at that point, Butterbeans & Susie show throughout their final recording that they had lost nothing of their spirit, still had strong voices, and their wit was timeless, along with their mutual love." -Scott Yanow
"Starting around 1920, the team of Butterbeans & Susie was one of the major African-American acts in vaudeville. The good-natured comedy and singing of this husband and wife act was captured on record in the early days but only made one album after 1930, this set from 1960. With the assistance of swing era horn players and pianist Eddie Hardwood Jr, Butterbeans & Susie showed that they still had their magic on such numbers as "A Married Man's A Fool," "Get Yourself A Monkey Man" and "Deal Yourself Another Hand." -Scott Yanow
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