Always appeared dressed in pure white tails. Originally played the piano, but told interviewers that he switched to the drums because his hands gave out before 30 minutes was up.
Cab, raised in Baltimore,MD. While in his teens, the family moved to Chicago where Cab studied at Crane College. Worked with his sister, Blanche, in the early '20s.
In the early '20's Cab made his first stage appearance in the Plantation Days show at the Loop Theatre, Chicago.
In Chicago, 1928, Cab was the MC at the Sunset Cafe on Chicago's South Side. During rehearsal, he decided to do a number with the band, then called "Marion Hardy's Alabamians", a co-op band. The bandsmen were so impressed that they took a vote and made Cab their leader.
Cab took them to New York City in 1929. In New York, took over the leadershiop of "The Missourians", when the Alabamians went back to Chicago.
In spring of 1929, he returned to Chicago and acted as the master of ceremonies and vocalist with The Alabamians.
Late in 1929, Cab returned to New York to appear on stage with the "Hot Chocolate Revue" before re-joining "The Alabamians" for an appearance at the Savoy.
In 1930, he was asked to lead the "Missourians", he accepted and took them to the Cotton Club as 'Cab Calloway and his Orchestra". "Minnie the Moocher" was first broadcast from there. (His band is still remembered for their version of "Minnie the Moocha".) There is the story that one night during a broadcast, Cab's mind went blank and he forgot the lyrics. He started doing scat, and the audience responded, so he got the band involved also. The "Hi-dee-ho" was born.
In 1932, Cab went to Hollywood, where he played in several films, among which are: "The Singing Kid" starring Al Jolson; The Big Broadcast of 1933; Stormy Weather (with a young Lena Horne, sitting in a window and singing the title song); Later he appeared in the movie Sensations of 1945, and others.
In 1938, Cab's band consisted of the following sidemen:
Shad Collins, Trumpet Chauncey Haughton, Clarinet/Alto-Sax Irving Randolph, Trumpet Andrew Brown, Clarinet/Alto-Sax Lammar Wright, Trumpet Walter Thomas, Tenor Sax Doc Cheatham, Trumpet Chu Berry, Tenor Sax Claude Jones, Trombone Bennie Payne, Piano Keg Johnson, Trombone Danny Barker, Guitar De Priest Wheeler, Trombone Milton Hinton, String bass Leroy Maxie, Drums
During his band's peak years (1940's) he employed such other musicians as Ben Webster and Hilton Jefferson (saxes); Dizzy Gillespie and Jonah Jones (trumpets); and Cozy Cole (drums).
Cab's big band lasted until 1948, attesting to his popularity. From 1948 to 1952, he mostly fronted small combos, but in 1951, Cab took a big band on tour to Montivideo. From June '52 to Aug. '54, Cab toured Europe and America in the role of Sportin' Life with the touring company of Gershwin's Opera, Porgy and Bess.
From 1954 on, he worked as a solo act, although on occasion, he did front a big band assembled by Eddie Barefield.
Above notes via Mr Alan Popow.
pilfered from mlp@cnct.com's Big Band Listings
Also check out Jass.com's page on Cab, and NPR's Cab profile.