“Whistling Rufus”

Description:

The sheet music for the song “Whistling Rufus” was written and composed by Kerry Mills and published by F. A. Mills of New York, New York in 1899. The cover depicts whistling Rufus playing a guitar, and the lyrics call him “A great musician with a high position/ was whistling Rufus, the one-band man.” The cover shows well-dressed African-Americans dancing in the background, and Rufus seems to be playing at one of the cakewalks that would soon became famous across America.

Publishing Date: 1899

Composer: Mills, KerryPublisher: F. A. Mills

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United States: New York, New York

See more items in: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment, Popular Entertainment, Music & Musical Instruments, Sheet Music

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: Gift of C. Malcolm Watkins

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 1979.1154.20Accession Number: 1979.1154Catalog Number: 1979.1154.20

Object Name: sheet music

Physical Description: paper (overall material)ink (overall material)Measurements: overall: 14 in x 11 in; 35.56 cm x 27.94 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-ef0f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_662352

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