Ralph Sutton's Pathway to Fame

by Bob Brail

It is hard to argue with the statement that Daniel Boone is southern St. Charles County's most famous resident. It is likely that most any resident of Missouri knows something about Boone; this would also be true of many Americans and even some residents of foreign countries. However, when a person considers who was this area's most famous resident during that resident's lifetime the best choice is probably Ralph Sutton, the world-famous jazz pianist. Born in the small village of Hamburg, by the age of twenty-nine, Sutton would perform in London's Royal Festival Hall.

Ralph Sutton was born on November 4, 1922, to carpenter Earl Sutton and his wife Edna. According to his father, young Sutton started playing the piano “almost before he could reach the keys.” Sutton began taking piano lessons at the age of nine with Corinne Ebert, a Howell neighbor, and before he was ten he was playing piano with his father's band from time to time. The teenage Sutton enjoyed listening to the Harlem Rhythm radio show, particularly the music of Fats Waller and the “stride” piano style that originated in Harlem. The stride style consisted of a left hand technique in which that hand alternated playing a single note followed by a chord played an octave higher. This technique would create “a powerful and driving rhythm.” As an adult Sutton would acknowledge Waller as a major influence in his playing.

Of course, Sutton was well-known in his small community. In 1935 Sutton's acquaintances began calling him “Cookie” because he was asked so often to play the new jazz hit “Lookie, Lookie, Lookie, Here Comes Cookie” on the piano. Sutton's music could be heard on Sunday mornings, when his family arrived early at church so he could play jazz on the church organ. He would also play hymns and eventually sometimes played for church services.

Young Ralph Sutton was also making a name for himself locally on the basketball court. On March 11, 1938, Sutton played the piano at Francis Howell High School's athletics party in the school gym; two weeks later freshman Sutton received his first basketball letter. Two years later as a junior, Sutton received a “silver medal” for his basketball abilities and served as co-captain of the team. He was in the varsity starting lineup his last three years in high school. Later when he enrolled at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, Sutton intended to continue playing basketball, but eventually gave up basketball to concentrate on the piano.

Sutton is standing third from left

However, before he even entered high school, Sutton was earning money as a musician. His first payday as a pianist came when he was around twelve years old, $1.75 that was awarded to him when he and some local men won a musical contest at the hall above the Seib and Wackher IGA store in Hamburg. By this time Earl Sutton was giving serious thought to forming a new band which would feature son Ralph. This band first played at the Toonerville dance hall on January 5, 1935, when Ralph was just twelve years old. In May of 1936, fellow Hamburg resident Tot Mades opened his “Riverview Park” dance hall in Hamburg partly in order to provide young Sutton and the band with a place to perform.

Soon the band was regularly performing at several locations in the area. They played at Odd Fellows picnic in Defiance in August, 1936, and in St. Charles in September. The next month the band played in Josephville on October 22 and then at the Augusta Harmonie Verein Hall for a Halloween dance on October 31. They were in Marthasville in November and at an American Legion Dance in December. It wasn't long before Earl Sutton knew his son's musical abilities far outshown his own, and that limiting Ralph's performances to the local area was keeping him from reaching his potential. When Ralph Sutton was eighteen, his father stopped playing in the band, and Ralph assumed the band's leadership.

In September of 1941, Sutton entered Northeast Missouri State Teachers College as a freshman, with the intent of studying music. About a year later, Sutton received his big break. In October of 1942, Sutton was “discovered” by New York City bandleader and trombonist Jack Teagarden, whose band was performing at Kirksville. At that performance in Kirksville, Sutton, only nineteen years old, was given the opportunity to play with Teagarden's band. After playing a few songs with the band, Sutton was asked by Teagarden for his address. Soon after, Teagarden offered Sutton a job with his band, so Sutton left Kirsksville to play in New York City with Teagarden's band.

Sutton toured with Teagarden's band until he was inducted into the Army on February 10, 1943, at Jefferson Barracks. May 16, 1944, Private Ralph Sutton played for students at FHHS assembly. After he was discharged, Sutton moved to St. Louis and began performing with the Joe Schrimer Trio. In November, 1945, he played for a capacity crowd at the St. Charles Hotel. During this time, he married Charline Pelly.

Soon, however, Sutton returned to New York City. By 1947, Sutton was playing with Teagarden again and regularly performing on Rudi Blesh's “This Is Jazz” radio show. It was at this time that Sutton formed his own trio. He performed at several New York City venues, including “The Famous Door” on Broadway, and at the night clubs of Eddie Condon and Jimmy Ryan. Early in 1948, when he turned twenty-five, Sutton competed on “Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts Show” on CBS radio and played to a national audience. His rendition of “Three Little Words” won him loud applause from the studio performance and a first-place finish. By this time Sutton was well on his way to a career that would earn him worldwide fame.

Sources: Federal Censuses; Fold3.com; Francis Howell Memories, 1940 (Kathryn Linemann Library, St. Charles, MO); Marthasville Record, St. Charles Cosmos-Monitor, Wentzville Union, (acc-newspapersarchive.com); Piano Man by James Schacter; “Ralph Sutton” (theguardian.com); Small Glories (Dr. Dan Brown); “Stride Piano” (thejazzpianosite.com).

Left to right: Ralph (piano), Earl Sutton (fiddle), Everett Cowgill (sax clarinet), Eddie Hollander (guitar), Charlie Schappe (drums), Clarence Schappe (banjo).