Ode to America

ID: 570 ~ Source: Image courtesy of the Texas Collection, Baylor University

This file appears in: Jules Bledsoe

Bledsoe often performed patriotic pieces for his American audiences. In 1941, NBC conducted an interview prior to a show hosted by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt titled Ode to America. The performance by Bledsoe was intended as a tribute to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

This file appears in: Jules Bledsoe

Jules Bledsoe

By Amanda Sawyer

Julius “Jules” Bledsoe’s extraordinary musical talent transcended racial discrimination of the nineteenth century and established him as a pioneer in American music. Bledsoe was born on December 29, 1897, to Henry and Jessie Bledsoe in Waco. Even…