James Russell Lowell Bullock was born blind, the youngest son of ten children born to John Thomas and Loretta Bullock. In the summer of 1915, when Jim was only five years old, he began his musical career with the Chautauqua Circuit and was billed as a child prodigy. On October 1, 1915, when James was just turning six years old, he began his first term at the Indiana State School for the Blind along with older his sister, Mary who was also blind and had attended the school since 1913. Here he continued his musical education and developed lifetime friendships. He stayed in this school until 1927 when he joined his family who had moved to Indianapolis.
In mid 1928, he and older brother Walter heard that Indianapolis radio station WFBM was holding auditions. They never thought they would get the job, but decided to go on a lark and sing an off-color song, something like Dirty Gertie. To their great surprise they passed the audition, probably because of their sense of humor and outgoing personalities, not to mention their considerable musical abilities. Of course, they could not sing songs like that on the air. Radio was starting to come into its own. Jim and Walter soon had a regular show in which they played and sang live – recorded music was still fairly rare. The Jim and Walt radio show was a great success and in 1929 they had several shows a week with varying formats. They featured many of their own compositions and also wrote new words for popular songs. There was also quite a bit of patter and comedy in which they would impersonate and parody popular radio stars. Then and throughout their radio career, they did numerous live appearances at theaters and other venues. There were many newspaper articles about them. Jim was known as the blind king of the ivories. On April 22, 1930 they released a record on the Champion label. Side A was I'm Satisfied With My Girl and side B was He Man Chew Tobacco.
On May 5, 1931, Jim and Walt moved on to radio station WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio and had a show there. WLW was one of the pioneers of radio and had the highest power of any station in the country. Very soon after they started there, they were inundated with fan mail from many states and also were in great demand for public appearances. Their personalities were as much a part of their act as their music. by 1932 Jim married Zelda and lived on the north side of Cincinnati with his wife and her son, his brother Walt and their mother Loretta in a four bedroom house.
Jim and Walt did so well at WLW that they caught the attention of NBC and were hired for a show on WJZ in New York City in August of 1932. It seems that something happened there and Jim and Walter left after only a month. It may have had to do with Jim's marriage to Zelda, who caused much friction in the family. In 1933, Zelda and Jim are listed in Polk's Indianapolis Directory, living with the rest of the Bullock family. That same year, they are also listed in The Boston Directory living in a large apartment building without the other Bullock family members. Jim and Zelda eventually divorced.
The last time Jim and Walt were known to have worked together was on station CKTB at St. Catherines in Canada near Niagara Falls from December 23, 1933 to January 17, 1934. Walter began a career as a song and screenwriter in Hollywood and Jim connected with Ray Dinsmore, a fellow alumnus of the Indian School for the Blind. They formed a trio in which Jim played accordion and Ray played tenor guitar. Around 1937 Ray expanded the group to eight musicians, all blind, when there was an opportunity for a spot in the Federal Arts Program of the WPA. Many were childhood friends from ISB.
Jim met Ella June Strom, known as June, while he was playing piano in a restaurant in upstate New York. They married on May 14, 1948 in Wayne County, IN. June had two daughters from a previous marriage and Jim and June had two additional children, a boy and a girl. They purchased a home in Brooklyn and Jim supported his family singing and playing accordion on the NY subways. An idea of Jim's magnetic personality can be illustrated by the fact that the bank gave him a mortgage based on income from an illegal activity! He did very well, because he was such a good musician. Jim and June frequently had musicians over the house, all blind, many of them from the Dinsmore band. There was much music and partying and life was good. Blindness was never a handicap for Jim as much as a challenge; he was quite independent. He knew the New York Subways perfectly and could take you anywhere in the city without assistance.
In the mid 1960s, Jim became ill and had to be hospitalized frequently. He could no longer play the piano or accordion as the arthritis in his hands, made it very painful to play. In the late 1970's, they moved to Pineville, North Carolina, following June's daughter's family. James Russell Lowell Bullock, a lifetime smoker, died of emphysema in the Beverly Manor nursing home at the age of 73.
His great uncle is George L Bullock. His great grand-parents on his mother's side are Louisa Serene Richardson Standley and Thomas T. Standley
In mid 1928, he and older brother Walter heard that Indianapolis radio station WFBM was holding auditions. They never thought they would get the job, but decided to go on a lark and sing an off-color song, something like Dirty Gertie. To their great surprise they passed the audition, probably because of their sense of humor and outgoing personalities, not to mention their considerable musical abilities. Of course, they could not sing songs like that on the air. Radio was starting to come into its own. Jim and Walter soon had a regular show in which they played and sang live – recorded music was still fairly rare. The Jim and Walt radio show was a great success and in 1929 they had several shows a week with varying formats. They featured many of their own compositions and also wrote new words for popular songs. There was also quite a bit of patter and comedy in which they would impersonate and parody popular radio stars. Then and throughout their radio career, they did numerous live appearances at theaters and other venues. There were many newspaper articles about them. Jim was known as the blind king of the ivories. On April 22, 1930 they released a record on the Champion label. Side A was I'm Satisfied With My Girl and side B was He Man Chew Tobacco.
On May 5, 1931, Jim and Walt moved on to radio station WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio and had a show there. WLW was one of the pioneers of radio and had the highest power of any station in the country. Very soon after they started there, they were inundated with fan mail from many states and also were in great demand for public appearances. Their personalities were as much a part of their act as their music. by 1932 Jim married Zelda and lived on the north side of Cincinnati with his wife and her son, his brother Walt and their mother Loretta in a four bedroom house.
Jim and Walt did so well at WLW that they caught the attention of NBC and were hired for a show on WJZ in New York City in August of 1932. It seems that something happened there and Jim and Walter left after only a month. It may have had to do with Jim's marriage to Zelda, who caused much friction in the family. In 1933, Zelda and Jim are listed in Polk's Indianapolis Directory, living with the rest of the Bullock family. That same year, they are also listed in The Boston Directory living in a large apartment building without the other Bullock family members. Jim and Zelda eventually divorced.
The last time Jim and Walt were known to have worked together was on station CKTB at St. Catherines in Canada near Niagara Falls from December 23, 1933 to January 17, 1934. Walter began a career as a song and screenwriter in Hollywood and Jim connected with Ray Dinsmore, a fellow alumnus of the Indian School for the Blind. They formed a trio in which Jim played accordion and Ray played tenor guitar. Around 1937 Ray expanded the group to eight musicians, all blind, when there was an opportunity for a spot in the Federal Arts Program of the WPA. Many were childhood friends from ISB.
Jim met Ella June Strom, known as June, while he was playing piano in a restaurant in upstate New York. They married on May 14, 1948 in Wayne County, IN. June had two daughters from a previous marriage and Jim and June had two additional children, a boy and a girl. They purchased a home in Brooklyn and Jim supported his family singing and playing accordion on the NY subways. An idea of Jim's magnetic personality can be illustrated by the fact that the bank gave him a mortgage based on income from an illegal activity! He did very well, because he was such a good musician. Jim and June frequently had musicians over the house, all blind, many of them from the Dinsmore band. There was much music and partying and life was good. Blindness was never a handicap for Jim as much as a challenge; he was quite independent. He knew the New York Subways perfectly and could take you anywhere in the city without assistance.
In the mid 1960s, Jim became ill and had to be hospitalized frequently. He could no longer play the piano or accordion as the arthritis in his hands, made it very painful to play. In the late 1970's, they moved to Pineville, North Carolina, following June's daughter's family. James Russell Lowell Bullock, a lifetime smoker, died of emphysema in the Beverly Manor nursing home at the age of 73.
His great uncle is George L Bullock. His great grand-parents on his mother's side are Louisa Serene Richardson Standley and Thomas T. Standley
James Russell Lowell Bullock was born blind, the youngest son of ten children born to John Thomas and Loretta Bullock. In the summer of 1915, when Jim was only five years old, he began his musical career with the Chautauqua Circuit and was billed as a child prodigy. On October 1, 1915, when James was just turning six years old, he began his first term at the Indiana State School for the Blind along with older his sister, Mary who was also blind and had attended the school since 1913. Here he continued his musical education and developed lifetime friendships. He stayed in this school until 1927 when he joined his family who had moved to Indianapolis.
In mid 1928, he and older brother Walter heard that Indianapolis radio station WFBM was holding auditions. They never thought they would get the job, but decided to go on a lark and sing an off-color song, something like Dirty Gertie. To their great surprise they passed the audition, probably because of their sense of humor and outgoing personalities, not to mention their considerable musical abilities. Of course, they could not sing songs like that on the air. Radio was starting to come into its own. Jim and Walter soon had a regular show in which they played and sang live – recorded music was still fairly rare. The Jim and Walt radio show was a great success and in 1929 they had several shows a week with varying formats. They featured many of their own compositions and also wrote new words for popular songs. There was also quite a bit of patter and comedy in which they would impersonate and parody popular radio stars. Then and throughout their radio career, they did numerous live appearances at theaters and other venues. There were many newspaper articles about them. Jim was known as the blind king of the ivories. On April 22, 1930 they released a record on the Champion label. Side A was I'm Satisfied With My Girl and side B was He Man Chew Tobacco.
On May 5, 1931, Jim and Walt moved on to radio station WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio and had a show there. WLW was one of the pioneers of radio and had the highest power of any station in the country. Very soon after they started there, they were inundated with fan mail from many states and also were in great demand for public appearances. Their personalities were as much a part of their act as their music. by 1932 Jim married Zelda and lived on the north side of Cincinnati with his wife and her son, his brother Walt and their mother Loretta in a four bedroom house.
Jim and Walt did so well at WLW that they caught the attention of NBC and were hired for a show on WJZ in New York City in August of 1932. It seems that something happened there and Jim and Walter left after only a month. It may have had to do with Jim's marriage to Zelda, who caused much friction in the family. In 1933, Zelda and Jim are listed in Polk's Indianapolis Directory, living with the rest of the Bullock family. That same year, they are also listed in The Boston Directory living in a large apartment building without the other Bullock family members. Jim and Zelda eventually divorced.
The last time Jim and Walt were known to have worked together was on station CKTB at St. Catherines in Canada near Niagara Falls from December 23, 1933 to January 17, 1934. Walter began a career as a song and screenwriter in Hollywood and Jim connected with Ray Dinsmore, a fellow alumnus of the Indian School for the Blind. They formed a trio in which Jim played accordion and Ray played tenor guitar. Around 1937 Ray expanded the group to eight musicians, all blind, when there was an opportunity for a spot in the Federal Arts Program of the WPA. Many were childhood friends from ISB.
Jim met Ella June Strom, known as June, while he was playing piano in a restaurant in upstate New York. They married on May 14, 1948 in Wayne County, IN. June had two daughters from a previous marriage and Jim and June had two additional children, a boy and a girl. They purchased a home in Brooklyn and Jim supported his family singing and playing accordion on the NY subways. An idea of Jim's magnetic personality can be illustrated by the fact that the bank gave him a mortgage based on income from an illegal activity! He did very well, because he was such a good musician. Jim and June frequently had musicians over the house, all blind, many of them from the Dinsmore band. There was much music and partying and life was good. Blindness was never a handicap for Jim as much as a challenge; he was quite independent. He knew the New York Subways perfectly and could take you anywhere in the city without assistance.
In the mid 1960s, Jim became ill and had to be hospitalized frequently. He could no longer play the piano or accordion as the arthritis in his hands, made it very painful to play. In the late 1970's, they moved to Pineville, North Carolina, following June's daughter's family. James Russell Lowell Bullock, a lifetime smoker, died of emphysema in the Beverly Manor nursing home at the age of 73.
His great uncle is George L Bullock. His great grand-parents on his mother's side are Louisa Serene Richardson Standley and Thomas T. Standley
In mid 1928, he and older brother Walter heard that Indianapolis radio station WFBM was holding auditions. They never thought they would get the job, but decided to go on a lark and sing an off-color song, something like Dirty Gertie. To their great surprise they passed the audition, probably because of their sense of humor and outgoing personalities, not to mention their considerable musical abilities. Of course, they could not sing songs like that on the air. Radio was starting to come into its own. Jim and Walter soon had a regular show in which they played and sang live – recorded music was still fairly rare. The Jim and Walt radio show was a great success and in 1929 they had several shows a week with varying formats. They featured many of their own compositions and also wrote new words for popular songs. There was also quite a bit of patter and comedy in which they would impersonate and parody popular radio stars. Then and throughout their radio career, they did numerous live appearances at theaters and other venues. There were many newspaper articles about them. Jim was known as the blind king of the ivories. On April 22, 1930 they released a record on the Champion label. Side A was I'm Satisfied With My Girl and side B was He Man Chew Tobacco.
On May 5, 1931, Jim and Walt moved on to radio station WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio and had a show there. WLW was one of the pioneers of radio and had the highest power of any station in the country. Very soon after they started there, they were inundated with fan mail from many states and also were in great demand for public appearances. Their personalities were as much a part of their act as their music. by 1932 Jim married Zelda and lived on the north side of Cincinnati with his wife and her son, his brother Walt and their mother Loretta in a four bedroom house.
Jim and Walt did so well at WLW that they caught the attention of NBC and were hired for a show on WJZ in New York City in August of 1932. It seems that something happened there and Jim and Walter left after only a month. It may have had to do with Jim's marriage to Zelda, who caused much friction in the family. In 1933, Zelda and Jim are listed in Polk's Indianapolis Directory, living with the rest of the Bullock family. That same year, they are also listed in The Boston Directory living in a large apartment building without the other Bullock family members. Jim and Zelda eventually divorced.
The last time Jim and Walt were known to have worked together was on station CKTB at St. Catherines in Canada near Niagara Falls from December 23, 1933 to January 17, 1934. Walter began a career as a song and screenwriter in Hollywood and Jim connected with Ray Dinsmore, a fellow alumnus of the Indian School for the Blind. They formed a trio in which Jim played accordion and Ray played tenor guitar. Around 1937 Ray expanded the group to eight musicians, all blind, when there was an opportunity for a spot in the Federal Arts Program of the WPA. Many were childhood friends from ISB.
Jim met Ella June Strom, known as June, while he was playing piano in a restaurant in upstate New York. They married on May 14, 1948 in Wayne County, IN. June had two daughters from a previous marriage and Jim and June had two additional children, a boy and a girl. They purchased a home in Brooklyn and Jim supported his family singing and playing accordion on the NY subways. An idea of Jim's magnetic personality can be illustrated by the fact that the bank gave him a mortgage based on income from an illegal activity! He did very well, because he was such a good musician. Jim and June frequently had musicians over the house, all blind, many of them from the Dinsmore band. There was much music and partying and life was good. Blindness was never a handicap for Jim as much as a challenge; he was quite independent. He knew the New York Subways perfectly and could take you anywhere in the city without assistance.
In the mid 1960s, Jim became ill and had to be hospitalized frequently. He could no longer play the piano or accordion as the arthritis in his hands, made it very painful to play. In the late 1970's, they moved to Pineville, North Carolina, following June's daughter's family. James Russell Lowell Bullock, a lifetime smoker, died of emphysema in the Beverly Manor nursing home at the age of 73.
His great uncle is George L Bullock. His great grand-parents on his mother's side are Louisa Serene Richardson Standley and Thomas T. Standley
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