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Stage Name |
Birth Name |
Four Step Brothers |
See
Below |
In 1925 Maceo Anderson, Al Williams and Red
Walker formed a trio and created the original "Step Brothers"
which would later become a young Tap dance Quartet ... headed
by Al Williams, they would be called the Three Step brothers,
later becoming known as the Four Step Brothers in 1927 when Sherman
Robertson joined the group. They would be dubbed "The Eight
Feet of Rhythm" and traveled with Duke Ellington.
Maceo started with the Four step Brothers while
working as a Newsboy while frequenting the Hoofer Club to hone
his craft practicing to the simple 8 bar tune called "the
Buck Dancers Lament." Prince Spencer
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| who joined the act later could do
Raymond Winfield's (of Tip,
Tap and Toe) slides as good as he and even took the slides
to a higher degree than Winfield. Freddie James joined in 1939
and became the star of the act for four years until he became
ill in 1943 with Flash McDonald taking his place and Prince Spencer
replacing Sylvester Johnson in 1941.
King
Rastus Brown helped the original Step Brothers with their
steps. They sang, danced, worked on new innovations in Tap and
Acrobatics and added comedy into their routines as well. They
incorporated Snake Hips, Camel
Walks, 5 tap Wings, Slides, Afro-Cuban Movement, Rhythm Tap,
The Strut, straight Acrobatics and more. They would try not to
change their routines too much except for making them better and
even employed new dancers and their specialties as part of their
routines.
They became known for their "Challenge
Dance routines" which used no music and each one would solo
and would try to out do the other while the other dancers would
stand back and clap their hands to make a beat. They incorporated
Jazz, Tap and Acrobatics into their routine. The Four Step Brothers
would become one of the longest lasting acrobatic tap trio's in
history, spanning for more than 40 years in the business and were
still going strong in the late 1960s.
The Dance Masters Of America awarded them
the Life Achievement award in 1960 and later in 1985 they received
the life Achievement award for helping break the color barrier
and received their own star on the "Hollywood Walk of Fame"
on 7/14/1988 (Star #1873.) |
Name |
Birth Place |
Birth Date |
Spouse |
|
Al Williams (1925) |
n/a |
|
?? |
|
?? |
| Flash
McDonald |
n/a |
|
?? |
|
?? |
| Freddie
James |
n/a |
|
?? |
|
?? |
|
Maceo Anderson (1925) |
Charleston,
So. Carolina |
9/3/1899
- 7/4/2001 |
|
?? |
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| Prince
Spencer |
n/a |
|
?? |
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|
?? |
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| Red
Gordon |
n/a |
|
?? |
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|
?? |
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| Red
Walker (1925) |
n/a |
|
?? |
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|
?? |
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| Rufus
"Flash" McDonald |
n/a |
|
?? |
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|
?? |
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| Sherman
Robinson (1927) |
n/a |
|
?? |
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|
?? |
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| Sylvester
Johnson |
n/a |
|
?? |
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|
?? |
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Dance Types |
Dance Partners |
Music Titles |
| Acrobatic Tap |
Buck
& Bubbles |
1928 - Mystery Song (Ellington) |
| Jazz |
Red Walker (1925) |
the Buck Dancers Lament |
| Tap |
Sherman Robertson
(1927) |
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Night Clubs |
Theaters |
Stage |
| 1925-1929 - Cotton
Club (NY) |
n/a |
Ida May Chadwick Show
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| Hoofers Club - NY |
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Moon over Alabama |
| Copa City Club - FL. |
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Orpheum Circuit |
| Chez Paree - Chicago |
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Chitlin' Circuit |
| Cafe De Paree- London |
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Radio City Music Hall |
| Lido
Club - Paris |
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Ballrooms
