Al Reeves
American vaudeville and minstrel show entertainer, vocalist, and banjo player
About Al Reeves
Lived 1864 – 1940 (aged 75–76). Al Reeves was an entertainer.
Al Reeves (May 31, 1864 – February 26, 1940) was an American vaudeville and minstrel show entertainer, vocalist, and banjo player.
Catch phrase: "Give me credit, boys."
He began performing in 1878, and was heavily involved in the burlesque scene. He later toured with his own company, Al Reeves' Specialty Co. and produced his famous "Big Beauty Show" ("99% Girls 99%") which bragged packed houses for twenty years. He was later known as the "King of Burlesque."
Reeves made his only known recordings with Columbia Records and Edison Records from 1891 and 1893, and around the same time had an inadvertent influence on the young Al Jolson's interest in show business.
Vaudeville performers the Griffin Sisters worked for Reeves early in their career.
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Important facts
People in Al Reeves's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Al Reeves's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Al Reeves?
American vaudeville and minstrel show entertainer, vocalist, and banjo player
When was Al Reeves born?
Al Reeves was born in 1864.
When did Al Reeves die?
Al Reeves died in 1940.
What was Al Reeves's occupation?
Al Reeves was an entertainer.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Al Reeves. https://biography.guide/al-reeves/
MLA: "Al Reeves." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/al-reeves/.
Chicago: "Al Reeves." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/al-reeves/.
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