The Big Apple
New York was an attraction for hungry musicians during the Great Depression. It posed numerous risks, but all of the best artists in the nation made it in New York if not anywhere else. Guy Lombardo met Louis Prima while he was performing at club Shim Sham during the Mardi Gras season of 1934. Lombardo was impressed with Prima's stage performance and energy. He immediately offered him to go to New York.
Prima’s first gig in New York was supposed to be at a club called Leon and Eddie’s, located on 33 West 52nd street. Eddie Davis, one of the owners of the club, did not hire Prima because he thought he was a negro. This misconception led to Prima’s unemployment for the next six months.
Read more about this topic: Louis Prima
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