Noble Sissle was a pioneering jazz singer, bandleader, and composer known for his work on the musical Shuffle Along, among other productions. Born on July 10, 1889, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Noble Sissle went on to work with bandleader James Reese Europe before taking over his group in 1919. He also started a partnership with pianist/songwriter Eubie Blake that leads to the production of the hit musical Shuffle Along, featuring “I’m Just Wild About Harry.” Sissle continued performing into the 1960s and worked in music publishing as well. Noble Sissle was born on July 10, 1889, in Indianapolis, Indiana. When Sissle was a child, he and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he attended Central High School and started to perform with a touring singing group. He attended DePauw University briefly before transferring to Butler University, and during his enrollment there became bandleader of an African-American orchestra at the Severin Hotel.
Noble Sissle
