(February 7th 1887 - February 12th 1983)

Born James Hubert Blake in Baltimore, Maryland in 1887 he was found to have an extreme aptitude for music and began organ lessons at age seven. Eubie's first paid gig as a pianist came in 1907 at Baltimore's first "black and tan club" Gans' Goldfield Hotel. By 1912 he stated performing in vaudeville with James Reese Europe's "Society Orchestra" playing the popular ragtime of the day and by 1915 had leaned to write music notation. During his time with Europe's Band, Eubie also became acquainted with singer Noble Sissle with whom he would form the "Dixie Duo."

In 1921, "Sissle & Blake" wrote the all black Broadway musical "Shuffle Along", among the first to be entirety written and directed by African Americans. Blake's compositions included such hits as "Bandana Days", "Charleston Rag", "Love Will Find a Way", "Memories of You", and "I'm Just Wild About Harry".