James Bohee

James Douglas Bohee was born in Indiantown. New Brunswick. Canada on 8th December, 1844 and died in South Wales on 8th December, 1897. James was an Afro-Canadian song and dance artist, composer, instrumentalist, and theatrical manager. Both James and his brother George went to school in Canada but later moved with their parents to America. He gained professional experience by playing his banjo in Boston Beer Halls in the late 1860’s.

Around 1876, along with this brother George, he organized his own BOHEE MINSTRELS. They then joined The Callender’s Georgia Minstrels and Haverly’s Genuine Colored Minstrels in 1878, touring the United States of America. The company then sailed to England in 1881. When the company returned to America in the middle of 1892, the Bohee Brothers stayed behind in England. James organized another Minstrel Troupe and also set up a banjo instruction studio at No. 7A Coventry Street, London, where he gave lessons to The Prince of Wales. He was also involved in the manufacture of banjos. THE JIGSAW PUZZLE It would seem to me that Alf Wood’s having written a piece called ‘ The Royal Bohee Mazurka ‘ that George and James may have known Alf personally.

I would make the point that, for some strange reason I was always under the impression, like 'The All American Instrument' that The Bohees were All American, when, as we can clearly see, they were Canadian. It’s amazing what can come out of the Colonies! I think we need bigger Megaphones in the banjo world.

Some of the songs in their repertoire were: The Darkey’s Wedding, The Darkey’s Patrol, The Yellow Kid’s Patrol, Bohemian Galop, The Darkey’s Dream, The Darkey’s Awakening, Medley of Airs, Restless March, March in C, Hunter’s March, and Niagara March.

George Bohee had a son, Frederick James Bohee Morton, who was billed as 'The Original Coon Singer'. Not much else is known of him.