{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Black Ivory King | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = David Alexander | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date|1899|11|25|mf=y}} | birth_place = Stamps, Arkansas, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1947|11|17|1899|11|25|mf=y}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | instrument = Piano, vocals | genre = Blues, boogie-woogie | occupation = Pianist, singer, songwriter | years_active = 1930s–1940s | label = Decca Records | website = }}
'''David Alexander'''<ref name="TSHA"/> (November 25, 1899 – November 17, 1947)<ref name="Sunday"/> known as '''Black Ivory King''' was an American blues and boogie-woogie pianist, best known for his original version of the then popular train blues song, "The Flying Crow".<ref name="Virgin"/>
==Life and career== [[File:Louisiana and Arkansas Railway, Stamps, Arkansas.jpg|thumb|Loading lumber in Stamps, Arkansas, 1904]] [[File:L&A Train 10, The Flying Crow, New Orleans Union Terminal 1967- A Roger Puta Photograph (24630730226).jpg|thumb|Louisiana and Arkansas Railway's Train 10, ''The Flying Crow'', at New Orleans Union Terminal on November 22, 1967.]] He was born in Stamps, Arkansas, and his birthplace later received a mention in one of his own recordings. Black Ivory King later relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana, although the exact date of his move is not known.<ref name="Sunday"/> A common link between those locations was the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway, which he traveled on when leaving Shreveport.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tomko|first=Gene|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ZKzDwAAQBAJ|title=Encyclopedia of Louisiana Musicians: Jazz, Blues, Cajun, Creole, Zydeco, Swamp Pop, and Gospel|publisher=Louisiana State University Press|year=2020|isbn=9780807169322|location=Baton Rouge|page=270}}</ref> His best known song was "The Flying Crow", and it included a poetic version of the train timetable between Port Arthur, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri.<ref name="Virgin"/> The railroad track went on to New Orleans.<ref name="AMG"/> "The Flying Crow" became a requested tune for Shreveport area musicians to play,<ref name="Sunday"/> with evidence that Black Ivory King wrote and recorded the definitive version.<ref name="Virgin"/>
Black Ivory King as a nickname came from his known preference for playing the black keys on the piano. The likely explanation being that he sometimes worked within a band set-up, and horn players favour using the keys of A, A{{music|flat}}, and E{{music|flat}}. Three of King's recordings were in those keys.<ref name="Sunday"/> Black Ivory King recorded only four songs for Decca Records, which were waxed in Dallas, Texas, on February 15, 1937.<ref name="Sunday"/> One of those sides was "Working for The PWA", an updated version of the earlier track, "Red Cross Store Blues".<ref name="Virgin"/> Black Ivory King must have been aware of part of Blind Lemon Jefferson's work, as his recording of "Match Box Blues" included some of the latter musician's verses.<ref name="AMG">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/black-ivory-king-mn0000095130|title=Black Ivory King Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio &...|website=AllMusic|access-date=July 16, 2024}}</ref>
Following his brief recording session, Black Ivory King moved on again eventually settling in Los Angeles.<ref name="Sunday"/> Little is known of his existence thereafter, although in February 1942 his draft card showed him as being 5'6 foot, and weighing 147 pounds. After the war he worked as a musician in the Tip Top Bar Room in Los Angeles.<ref name="Sunday"/>
Black Ivory King died on November 17, 1947, due to pulmonary disease, indicating he had suffered from tuberculosis.<ref name="Sunday"/>
==Legacy== Black Ivory King's piano playing was linked to the "Santa Fe Group", named after touring musicians utilising the Santa Fe, Texas, freight trains.<ref name="Virgin">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7QeaHodj5fwC&dq=%22Black+Ivory+King%22.+%22pianist%22&pg=PA1989|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of The Blues|first=Colin|last=Larkin|author-link=Colin Larkin|date=September 30, 2013|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4481-3274-4 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/7489520/mod_resource/content/1/Cambridge_Companion_Blues_Music.pdf|title=The Cambridge Companion to Blues and Gospel Music|page=34|editor=Allam Moore|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=2002|isbn=978-0-521-00107-6}}</ref>
The blues musician Dave Alexander (1938–2012) was named for his father's best friend, David Alexander (Black Ivory King).<ref name="TSHA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/elam-david-alexander-omar-shariff|title=Elam, David Alexander [Omar Shariff]|website=Teshaonlibne.org|access-date=July 16, 2024}}</ref>
The lyrics to "The Flying Crow" were printed in a publication released in 1993.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Blues Line : a collection of blues lyrics|date=1993|publisher=Ecco Press|isbn=9780880013284|url=https://archive.org/details/blueslinecollect0000unse}}</ref>
==Discography== ===78rpm singles=== *"Gingham Dress (Alexander Blues)" / "Match Box Blues" (Decca, 1937)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/9349059-Black-Ivory-King-Gingham-Dress-Match-Box-Blues/image/SW1hZ2U6MjU2MjA4ODM=|title=Black Ivory King – Gingham Dress / Match Box Blues|website=Discogs.com|access-date=July 16, 2024}}</ref> *"The Flying Crow" / "Working for The PWA" (Decca, 1937)<ref name="Sunday">{{Cite web|url=https://sundayblues.org/?p=27943|title=Big Road Blues Show 7/30/23: Call The Number of The Train I Ride – Texas Piano Blues Pt. 3 | Big Road Blues|website=Sundayblues.org|access-date=July 16, 2024}}</ref>
===Compilation album=== *1994: ''Black Boy Shine & Black Ivory King 1936-1937'', (Document) (This collection had 18 sides recorded by Black Boy Shine, plus four accredited to Black Ivory King).<ref name="Record">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-boy-shine-black-ivory-king-mw0000054396|title=Black Boy Shine & Black Ivory King|website=AllMusic|access-date=July 16, 2024}}</ref>
==See also== *List of boogie woogie musicians
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Black Ivory}} Category:1899 births Category:1947 deaths Category:African-American pianists Category:American blues pianists Category:American blues singers Category:Boogie-woogie pianists Category:Singers from Arkansas Category:Songwriters from Arkansas Category:Texas blues musicians Category:People from Stamps, Arkansas Category:20th-century American pianists Category:Decca Records artists Category:African-American male songwriters Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:20th-century American songwriters Category:20th-century American male pianists