Will Accooe

Willis J. Accooe (1874 – April 26, 1904) was an African American performing musician and composer, mainly of musicals. He was "an important songwriter during the birth of the black musical" according to the Library of Congress website.

He co-wrote a musical with Will Marion Cook entitled The Cannibal King (1901), but it was never produced. He composed some of the music for the musical comedy Sons of Ham. During a 1903 production of the show by Avery and Hart (Dan Avery and Charles Hart), Accooe was the orchestra's conductor.

He wrote the comic opera The Volunteers in 1903, but fell ill and production was halted.

Accooee wrote his own funeral oration shortly before his death. He died at age 30 on April 26, 1904, in Brooklyn, New York.

Selected compositions Chicken (1899), co-wrote Lulu: I loves yer, Lulu Love Has Claimed Its Own (1901), co-wrote Black Patti Waltzes Ma Dandy Soldier Coon (1900) On the Road to Cairo Town (1903) co-wrote with James O'Dea In a Birch Canoe (1904) The Phrenologist Coon was released five times on Victor Records in recordings by either Bert Williams or Silas Leachman. Tennessee Centennial March (1897)