THE CATS AND THE FIDDLE

Biography

The Cats and the Fiddle was an influential African American vocal harmony group formed in Chicago in 1937, emerging from the fusion of two earlier ensembles: the Harlem Harmony Hounds, led by high school student Austin Powell, and another Chicago-based group featuring Jimmie Henderson, Chuck Barksdale, and Ernie Price. Inspired by the Mills Brothers' success in simulating instrumentation with vocals, the quartet adopted a name derived from the nursery rhyme 'Hey Diddle Diddle,' symbolizing their 'hep cats' status and the stand-up bass (fiddle) that anchored their arrangements alongside guitar. Pioneering a rhythmic, percussive R&B and swing style with hip slang-filled lyrics, they contrasted the smoother Mills Brothers sound, performing at Chicago clubs, proms, and one-nighters while making film appearances in 'Too Hot to Handle' (1938) and 'Going Places' (1939).[1][2][6]

The group debuted publicly around October 1937, with early lineups fluctuating to include members like Bessie Mitchell, Willis Rogers, and later Pee Wee Brantford, Herbie Miles, George Steinback, and Hank Hazlett amid wartime disruptions and personnel changes. They recorded their debut session in 1946 for Manor/Regis/Arco, featuring hits like the signature 'I Miss You So,' 'Life's Too Short,' and 'Romance Without Finance,' following earlier unissued tracks. Touring extensively through the 1940s at venues like the Paradise Club in Atlantic City and Cotton Club in Philadelphia, Austin Powell rejoined post-army discharge in 1946, stabilizing the core with Price, Miles, and Steinback until Ernie Price formed a successor group in 1952. Active until 1951, they released over 30 sides, cementing their place in 1930s-1940s R&B vocal group history.[2][6]

Their bouncy, uptempo swing style, with consistent chord progressions and rhythmic breaks, influenced lindy hop and charleston dancing, blending jazz, swing, and vocal innovation. Though short-lived in its original form, the group's percussive approach and slangy lyrics left a legacy as pre-eminent R&B pioneers, bridging 1930s vocal groups to postwar combos.[1][3][4]

Fun Facts

• The group's name doubled as jazz slang: 'cats' for hep musicians and 'fiddle' for the stand-up bass central to their sound.[1][2]
• They appeared in two Hollywood films early on—'Too Hot to Handle' (1938) and 'Going Places' (1939)—before recording their first sides.[1][2]
• 'I Miss You So' became their signature song, recorded late in their first Manor session as an afterthought that outshone initial hopes.[2]
• Lineups shifted frequently due to war service; Austin Powell rejoined immediately after army discharge in April 1946, prompting Pee Wee Brantford's exit.[2]

Members

• Tiny Grimes
• Austin Powell

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Mills Brothers - Primary stylistic inspiration for simulating instrumentation with vocals (Early 1930s hits influencing Harlem Harmony Hounds formation) [early 1930s]

Key Collaborators

• Austin Powell - Lead vocalist, founding member from Harlem Harmony Hounds (Original lineup, Manor recordings like 'I Miss You So') [1937-1951]
• Ernie Price - Second tenor, lead guitar, tipple; long-term member who reformed group (Debut lineup, 1946 Manor sessions, post-1951 group) [1937-1952]
• Chuck Barksdale - Original member providing bass vocals/instrumentation (Early Chicago performances, 1937-1938 gigs) [1937-1940s]
• Jimmie Henderson - Founding member from pre-Cats Chicago group (Original 1937 lineup, Dome Club Bismarck) [1937-1938]
• Hank Hazlett - Tenor, guitarist; joined in 1940s lineup (1945 performances at Paradise Club, Bar O' Music) [1945]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz