LA010 Interview: Albert Veal (LA010Abbott_Side1)
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Description
Side 1 and 2: Interview with Albert Veal on 1981-07-30. Abstract for Veal: [00:00-47:40] Veal reports having originally been attracted to quartet singing by listening to his father's records, especially the Birmingham Jubilee Singers, "Crying Holy to the Lord." Veal heard the American Woodmen Singers of Montgomery and the Mobile Jubilee Singers sing against each other with an "elevated" or high tenor style [also known as Alabama style] – 02:23. He started to emulate that style – 03:55, and crowds would gather on sidewalks to listen while Veal and his friends rehearsed at Paul Exkano's family's sweet shop on Fern street – 04:40; they met Sandy Newell there during a rehearsal, and Newell became their instructor – 05:00. Veal talks about how his group [the Humming Four] formed, with Tophie [Sam Tophia] singing bass and Paul Exkano singing tenor – 08:10, and continues to talk about how local groups of that time didn't know the Alabama style – 09:08. They were quickly offered a radio broadcast, singing 3 times a week – 11:10, which helped them get more engagements, 1934-1935. Veal talks about bringing in new singers for tours that Exkano couldn't join – 12:25, and he mentions other singers and groups he trained – 16:00, including the Rose Hill Harmonizers (an all female group). Veal discusses other local groups, including the Southern Wonders and Ray Brothers, and how he trained the Crescent City Harmonizers – 22:32. Veal notes that the Humming Four had performed on several radio stations by 1938, and in 1948 they got a TV show on WDSU – 26:03. He discusses a 1939 tour to Houston; the advent of five-part harmony – 29:00; and some of the groups they met in Houston, including Birmingham's Kings of Harmony – 29:20 and Houston's own Soul Stirrers. He reminisces about meeting the Mobile Jubilee Singers and how old-time singing contests were judged – 36:38 and goes on to name various singers who came through the Humming Four until he joined the Navy in 1943. [00:00-47:46] On LA010Abbott_Side2, Veal explains how, after the War, they had a Humming Four reunion and decided to get the group back together - 04:52; they proceeded to get a spot on the "Dawn Busters" show over WWL radio – 08:32, and in 1948 they got a pioneering TV show on WDSU – 09:20. He describes the TV show and how fans would congregate wherever they could find a TV. Shifting to their recording career – 22:28, Veal describes a J & M Studio session for Victor Augustine, which got the attention of Dave Bartholomew and Imperial Records; and how, while recording for Bartholomew, they did some recording on the side for Aladdin. For Bartholomew, they recorded spirituals as the Humming Four and rhythm & blues as the Hawks: "The agreement was that we would change our names on the rhythm and blues" – 33:38. Reverting to his early days of quartet singing, Veal names some of his old neighborhood accomplices, and recalls Edward Thomas's original quartet from Lutcher – 37:54. Finally, Veal relates an anecdote about a show at Lincoln Beach – 44:55, in which they appeared in the gospel segment as the Humming Four, and then in the rhythm & blues segment as the Hawks, which shocked their gospel fans: "How do you do that?".