Edwin Pearce Christy

Edwin Pearce Christy (November 28, 1815 – May 21, 1862) was an American composer, singer, actor and stage producer. He is more commonly known as E. P. Christy, and was the founder of the blackface minstrel group Christy's Minstrels. He toured England performing.

Biography

He was born on November 28, 1815, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Robert F. Christy and Ruth Wheaton. He toured upstate New York from 1843 to 1845. The group took the name of its founder and became known as the Christy's Minstrels. In April 1846 Christy and his band of six performers began performing in New York City at Polmer's Opera House. The group performed at Mechanics Hall from February 15, 1847, to July 15, 1854. After performing at a benefit performance for Stephen Foster in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 25, 1847, the group specialized in performances of Foster's works. Foster sold his song "Old Folks at Home" to Christy for his exclusive use.

Christy retired as a performer in 1855. He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. His oral last will and testament that was made while hospitalized was declared void by the surrogate court when it ruled that there were no witnesses, other than the person providing the testimony. In 1881 his widow died and her will was contested.

Legacy Christy was first played by William Frawley in the Foster biopic Harmony Lane (1935). The second actor to play Christy was Al Jolson in the Foster biopic Swanee River in 1939. He also wrote the lyrics to "The Yellow Rose of Texas".

In a later biopic of the composer, the singing actor Ray Middleton portrayed Christy.

Music publications Christy's Plantation Melodies

Songs "Lucy Long" "Yaller Gals" "Oh, Mr. Coon" "Licy Newl" "Snow Drop Ann" "The Negro Generals" "Farewell Ladies" "Massa's in De Cold Ground"